Red-Tailed Hawk's Nest

[RCW]

So much appreciate your effort.

It’s not a Red-tailed or Cooper’s. Coopers are noted for eating birds themselves, and smaller. I saw one snag a blackbird mid-flight. Very impressive, and quite colorful like an American Kestrel.

Someone earlier suggested broad winged for “mine” and yours looks so similar....

We do have several resident owls and now eagles. As you say, there are many migratory hawks.

Again thanks for the effort, David. I do appreciate it a lot.


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[lugbolt]

my coworker and I were walking out to the trucks to go home earlier and just caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye, a crow flying in front of us. Just right at that exact moment a raptor of some sort attacked it mid-flight and they both went to the ground, crow making all kinds of racket like they do, but only for a minute or two. The big bird took off carrying the crow in it's talons, or barely took off, carried it off to the ditch bank and I guess ate on it. We were in awe, but didn't want to bother it.

THAT was awesome. Never seen it in real life; once or twice on TV. I mean that thing came out of nowhere! Maybe a falcon of some sort? Guess it could've been a hawk but I didn't know they'd eat other birds, particularly didn't know they'd catch them mid flight.

Man I wish I could've gotten it on video!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The rear of our property there is probably 10 some eagles hanging around the trees right now.

We have american, bald, golden (huge) eagles, and hawks, and owls too.

It's an impressive sight!

 

[Tooljunkie]

I get a variety of raptors here.
A pair nested a couple years ago, they were steady fighting the crows to protect the nest. The racket was unbearable. So i grabbed the broom with the long black handle and walked the treeline. Crows disappeared. Thought i was carrying a rifle.
The hawks will take pigeons right out of the air, all i find is clumps of feathers here and there.

I see something has been catching mice in the back yard,holes in the snow and no footprints. I suspect mice are coming out of the snow and running on top.

 

[RCW]

I’ve been remiss in not keeping this current.
They’re Red Tailed Hawks, no doubt.
A while back we could hear the hatchling, but for a while the sounds stopped.

Thought it was a goner, which honestly upset me a little. Turkey vultures, crows or even a raccoon or Fisher will climb a tree for a hatchling.....sometimes they just fall out of the nest.

After a while, I again heard the hatchling sckwauking, so it was obvious all was well.

Today I noticed a raptor circling the nest site nearly all morning.

Just guessing it’s the hatchling all fledged and practicing flying while still holding close to the nest site.
I see another 1 or 2 RTH’s by often, so guessing mom and/or dad keeping tabs on Junior.

For those familiar with RTH’s , they have an obvious call/screech.....gotten so I love the sound.

Side note- had 2 Bald Eagles over the house yesterday.

 

[Magicman]

Fledgling Hawk.

 

[Magicman]

I have no idea why this Red Tailed Hawk was on the ground nor why it allowed me to get this close. The digital camera is within a foot of it. Maybe it was an older young, I don't know?

 

[RCW]

View attachment 44435
I have no idea why this Red Tailed Hawk was on the ground nor why it allowed me to get this close. The digital camera is within a foot of it. Maybe it was an older young, I don't know?

I’m guessing injured or a youngster that’s just learning to fly? ....ours up north would be fledging about now but thinking yours would be earlier?
One of my concerns with the hatchling on the hill was that they sometimes fall when learning to fly and become fodder for raccoons or other predators.

If “Junior” were to fall, I would likely let Mother Nature take her course as far as his outcome...

Again just guessing because in Mississippi you’re so far ahead of us....but I remember you wearing that doe Whitetail costume in January or February?!?

 

[Magicman]

Your memory is too sharp.

 

[Magicman]

Yes....

Spring is in the air.

 

[bird dogger]

View attachment 44435
I have no idea why this Red Tailed Hawk was on the ground nor why it allowed me to get this close. The digital camera is within a foot of it. Maybe it was an older young, I don't know?

It's obvious this young hawk listened to his grandpa's story from up North about dropping in on a friendly place and feigning an illness and getting wined and dined for a month with fresh meat and warm blood. LOL!! It sure looks like a descendant of my former patient. Nice bird!!

 

[RCW]

Just reviving an old thread.

Also changed the Title to reflect the species.

January 17, 2021 and there are Red-tailed Hawks going back into that same White Pine with nest materials.

It appears they successfully raised a chick last year.

We've also been hearing pairs of Great Horned and Screech Owls calling back there. Bald Eagles are close by too.

Not sure if that good or bad news for the hawks' nest this year.

I waited for a picture of one of them entering the tree, but no luck. About 40 yards off my back door.

 

[Tughill Tom]

I've been seeing a lot of Bald Eagles up here this, which is just awesome. I shot a Stone Pigeon at my neighbors place this summer, (I winged it with a 28 Ga.) and it glided across his pasture and one came out of the tree line about 200 yards and snagged it out of the air.

 

[RCW]

I've been seeing a lot of Bald Eagles up here this, which is just awesome. I shot a Stone Pigeon at my neighbors place this summer, (I winged it with a 28 Ga.) and it glided across his pasture and one came out of the tree line about 200 yards and snagged it out of the air.

Tom - - That would be really cool to see. Hat's off to you to hit the pigeon with a 28....

We live down in the Chenango River valley.

The first Bald Eagle I saw here flew JUST over my truck about 15 years ago. Bet it wasn't 20 feet up.....really impressive.

I can often see Bald Eagles right over the house. While tough to tell from a distance, Golden Eagles can be seen too. They're tough to tell from an immature Bald Eagle, but I think I've spotted a Golden Eagle a couple times...they're even bigger.

 

[JimmyJazz]

I think it depends on the phone you have. If you have a cheap camera phone/ smart phone, yeah grab a camera if you want to take pictures. But if you are getting something slightly higher end (thinking like a galaxy s7 or iPhone 6) then forget the camera. You'll end up having to spend $150+ to get a camera with a better sensor, lens, stabilization, etc.. So it is just not worth it. Plus then you have to carry around a camera with you wherever you go just in case you see something cool or have a bunch of cameras stashed places.

To the hawk topic. That's pretty cool, I've never really watched for hawks or eagles building their nests.

iPhones are killing camera and watch makers. Pretty amazing device. I recently read the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson. Fascinating story and worth reading in my opinion. Apple is the second most valuable company in the world today. Number 1 is Saudi Aramco.

 

[Tughill Tom]

Tom - - we live down in the Chenango River valley.

The first Bald Eagle I saw here flew JUST over my truck about 15 years ago. Bet it wasn't 20 feet up.....really impressive.

I can often see Bald Eagles right over the house. While tough to tell from a distance, Golden Eagles can be seen too. They're tough to tell from an immature Bald Eagle, but I think I've spotted a Golden Eagle a couple times...they're even bigger.

We have a Taxidermist locally who gets road killed deer and places them up on a hill in a pasture by his place. At any time you can see 10 to 20 Eagles eating Carrion, It helps them through the winter and is quite a site. It's just south of Lowville on Rt12 if your up this way.

 

[RCW]

We have a Taxidermist locally who gets road killed deer and places them up on a hill in a pasture by his place. At any time you can see 10 to 20 Eagles eating Carrion, It helps them through the winter and is quite a site. It's just south of Lowville on Rt12 if your up this way.

Bet that's neat.

I can see Route 12 in the distance from my front window....I'm 100+ miles south...

Near Marks Farm? Been by there couple times. Impressive operation.

Did you get some snow last couple days? You haven't had that much Lake Effect yet have you? We got 3 feet that overnight in December....

I wanted to send it your way....you guys are more used to it...

 

[Tughill Tom]

Bet that's neat.

I can see Route 12 in the distance from my front window....I'm 100+ miles south...

Near Marks Farm? Been by there couple times. Impressive operation.

Did you get some snow last couple days? You haven't had that much Lake Effect yet have you? We got 3 feet that overnight in December....

I wanted to send it your way....you guys are more used to it...

He's just south of Marks Farm.
We're finally getting some snow, got about 1ft the past couple of days still way below our normal for up here. I haven't been out on my sled yet and I'm itching to go!

 

[JimmyJazz]

Here’s my hawk story and a few pics (that took some time to find). Late in the fall, a number of years ago, I had noticed a hawk hanging around the farm a lot. Strangely, it was always seen on the ground. I decided to see how close I could get to it and consequently found out that it wasn’t able to fly for some reason. Although it looked uninjured, it would just try to hop away. I figured it must be awful hungry and might enjoy a fresh squirrel for a meal. “Harvesting” a red squirrel and dangling it by the tail for the hawk to see sure got its attention. When close as the hawk would allow, I tossed the squirrel to it and that hawk pounced on the squirrel and instantly covered it up with its spread wings as if to warn that nobody else gets to share! I sat down and watched him devour that squirrel and talked to it while he ate. When he finished, I just got up and backed away and left him alone. A day or two later I saw him again on the ground, provided another fresh squirrel and some conversation while he ate. Here’s some pics of one of those first meals in probably a while.
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This went on for a few days and soon the hawk was hanging around in the yard, still on the ground or what ever object he could hop up on. If there wasn’t a readily available squirrel to “harvest”; a bird, mouse, etc. was sacrificed and the hawk didn’t seem to care. After a week of feeding and conversation I was able to walk right up to it, feed it and even gently pet it behind the head. I put a heavy jacket on once to see if it would perch on my arm but that wasn’t to be. Still, it was pretty cool to have him hanging around the yard.

How about and ending to your interesting story.

 

[Daren Todd]

Cams are cheap.

Depends. A decent camera with better capabilities then the one on my galaxy S9 plus is around $450 or more.

My phone takes better pictures then my wifes fancy camera. Easier to access as well.