The Hawk part 1
Here is a two-part story, following this, a few videos. Spring is done, but there is much going on. This is our phoebe daddy. They have four eggs, brood #2, in a nest under the back deck. I was watching him. I'd JUST turned off the camera, and a HAWK sped out of the lilac tree beside him, flying left to right, with brave poppa phoebe chasing it into the forest.For hours I could hear the hawk in the forest.
I checked AllAboutBirds.org, and it seems to be the sound of the broad-shouldered hawk. I saw it, saw the tail, and it had rings across it. This might be it (archive photo).
Barred chest, gray back, dark head, stripes on the tail feathers.
- Broad-winged Hawks hunt small animals from perches underneath the forest canopy. They sometimes soar above the canopy or across gaps such as roadcuts. Their call is a piercing whistle on a single pitch.
- Scientists used satellite transmitters to track four Broad-winged Hawks as they migrated south in the fall. The hawks migrated an average of 4,350 miles to northern South America, traveling 69 miles each day. Once on their wintering grounds the hawks did not move around much, staying on average within a 1-square-mile area.
A hawk!
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| This hawk hit the window last year. I am sure it was chasing a bird. |
Part 2
Suited up, (hoodie sprayed with bug spray; ball cap, also sprayed) I walked down the gully, through the forest, up the hill, down the hill, and came around back to the trees. It was a lovely walk, but I couldn't see a nest at all. I did find a huge tree splitting.
There, you see it, below, in the grass? Nope. Gone! Bird photo fail!
I walked right up to the adult hawk, with the baby at the foot of a tree. I saw them only when they flushed from the grass, just for a brief moment, and they were gone! I couldn't believe it!
Above, I was in the middle, the tree where I found them. sigh.
Back on the deck, a hawk flew over, chased by a small bird!
We have lots of hawks out and about. It's hard to tell, but this could be the same one. Or, as sugested on Facebook, someone said a young eagle. I do not know!
10 comments:
I still think you have a hawk eye.
Great videos Jenn. We don't see many hawks around here but now that I've listened to your video, I do hear them!
I wish they didn't eat songbirds. We were sitting on the patio one day with my brother and sister in law and one swooped in and grabbed a finch just like that.
Hope life is plugging along for you both, ageing is not for sissies:(
It's a tough life out there, and everyone has to protect their own. Lovely tall grass and trees so close, I miss our trees and open space so much, but know we are only caretakers of the land while we live there. Hugs from ZERO down here, fire going and coffee made at 5.30 a.m.
The smaller birds are still going to be quite protective.
About three weeks ago I watched a Red-tailed hawk removing young crows from a nest. The parent crows were frantic but could not stop the big hawk from taking all of the young ones.
It's tough to photograph birds. It takes patience.
Jenn - great videos. It's always sad when a songbird gets plucked by a raptor, but such is the circle of life. I saw several blackbirds today, hounding an osprey away from their nests. I am always amazed by this, given the size disparity!
Capturing a hawk on video must be very hard to accomplish. If your Broad winged Hawk is as wary as our own Buzzards (same family), they do not like or trust humans. With good reason I guess.
I see many hawks but I don't have the ability to capture any birds in photos. Even if I had the equipment I would lack the quiet patience so I am very content to see and admire your work.
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