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<\/p>\nThree days ago a long birding trip resulted in only mediocre photos. But I discovered that there are are worse outcomes than being bird-skunked.<\/p>\n
Blog followers know that I’ve been following a Red-tailed Hawk nest all spring and early summer but there are actually two nests in fairly close proximity to each other. The first two photos of each nest below were taken 15 days ago, on June 20.<\/p>\n
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This is the primary nest I’ve been following. I’ve been watching it more closely than the other nest because it’s lower on its cliff so the chicks have been easier to see, especially when they were small. There were originally three chicks in the nest but by the time I made this trip there were only two.<\/p>\n
I’ll refer to this nest as nest A.<\/p>\n
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This is the other nearby nest that I’ve been watching less carefully. It’s much higher on its cliff so it’s been more difficult to see into. I’ve never seen more than two chicks in it.<\/p>\n
I’ll refer to it as nest B.<\/p>\n
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On my trip of June 20 I estimated that the chicks in both nests would fledge in two weeks or less so three days ago, July 2, I made the trip again. I had hopes of finding recently fledged chicks out of their nests but still nearby as they were being fed and watched over by their parents. Following is what I found.<\/p>\n
The first time I drove by nest B I found no hawks in the nest or nearby so I proceeded to nest A. But perhaps a half hour later when I returned to nest B I found, and heard, something deeply disturbing that still haunts me.<\/p>\n
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The only hawk in the vicinity of nest B was what I believe to be the adult female parent and she was in obvious distress. For the 20+ minutes I watched her she flew from rock to rock on the expansive mountainside and she was screaming almost constantly as she flew and after she landed. On average I estimate that I could hear her scream about once every 5-7 seconds. She never stopped and she was still screaming when I left the area.<\/p>\n
From my vantage point I had a clear view of the entire bowl-shaped mountainside and though I tried hard to find the fledged chicks and\/or the adult male I failed. I can only guess what was causing her obvious and profound distress and none of the possibilities are good ones.<\/p>\n
I’m not sure why but her cries echoing off the cliffs have haunted me for three days now. I’m usually fairly accepting of bird calamities that are natural as I presume (hope) this to be but damn, this one was and remains a hard one.<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n
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Three days ago a long birding trip resulted in only mediocre photos. But I discovered that there are are worse outcomes than being bird-skunked.<\/p>\n