[texbirds] Stealth red-shouldered hawks fledge two chicks this morning and other stealth hawk breeders
- From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 15:06:56 -0500
Early this morning while it was just getting light I saw a large birds fly
up and perch on a branch. This was followed by two floppy large birds that
flailed around and finally perched much lower. Before getting my glasses
and binoculars I assumed I was seeing the barred owls that I hear from time
to time.
I was surprised to find out that the first bird was an adult red-shouldered
hawk that had caught some sort of prey. This was a little bit of a surprise
as I have not seen a local red-shouldered hawk for at least a year. The two
chicks were just out of the nest and could not fly up but eventually did
follow the parent. It is quite likely that they had been dislodged by the
weather overnignt.
This is the third hawk species that bred outside the windows that I never
saw a bird prior to the time that young fledged with the first two being
mississippi kite and broad-winged hawk. Swainson's hawk almost made that
group but I saw parents flying off to feed but had no indication that they
were nesting next to a building that was being demolished.
The red-tailed hawks that returned to last years nest have not been seen
for a bit and may have left. They were conspicuous when mating, feeding and
soaring etc. The cooper's hawk chicks came by the feeders soon after
fledging but the nest was apparently some distance off.
It will be interesting to see if the hawks become more conspicuous after
the young actually learn to fly and feed on their own.
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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