Red-Shouldered Hawk Pair Are Building a Home

by Mar 30, 2017Birds, Bob Dyer

From Bob Dyer:
Well, looks like our Red-shouldered Hawk are old enough!
March 28. You have seen this before. Female is left and male to the right.

March 29. These pictures were taken from 10:15 a.m to 11:00. After the photos, I am providing some nesting facts. Old enough!  This took place in dead eucalyptus tree. A Tree Swallow observes.

Female returns to second tree, where there is a nest that has been used by RSH before. Here she is yelling for her mate.

(As seen from Pond B water -platform, at back.)

She decides to work on the nest. She yells for him to help rehabilitate the old nest. 

These are excerpts from wikipedia’s website:

“Like almost all raptors, the RSH is monogamous and territorial….RSH’s mating season is between April and July…The breeding pair builds a stick nest (also including shredded bark, leaves and green sprigs) in a major fork of a large tree. They often use the same nest year after year [hopefully they will, but this looks like a young pair . They  can reproduce as young as one year old.] The clutch size is typically three to four eggs…The incubation period can range from 28-33 days. Hatching is asynchronous, with the first chick hatching up to a week before the last…Pairs that nest earlier in the breeding season tend to lay greater numbers of eggs and have higher productivity from these eggs. The male often captures food [ voles, mice, gophers, small snakes, small birds] but will incubate and brood occasionally. The young leave the nest at about six weeks of age but remain dependent on the parents until they are 17-19 weeks old.”

I will monitor the nest. I cannot avoid doing so, as how many future chances will I have?  Senior docent can be defined in more than one way. Will I see you out there? If not, why not?

 
I know a webcam is only a finger touch away, but we are stewards of our wetlands.  I believe that our role includes not only protecting its life, but loving all the creatures of the soil, the marsh and the trees – to cherish them and wonder at their existence.
 
Docent Bob

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