Red Shoulder Nesting
Here in my hometown of Willow N.Y. I am lucky enough to have a pair of one of my favorite raptors. The red shoulder hawk. Their first nesting was three years ago and they had four young. The nesting failed as a raccoon (we think) got into the nest and killed all four young.
The following year they did not return to that nest but still remained in the area, as I would hear them every morning. I searched the woods around my home for a new nest but with no luck. So for that years nesting season I can’t say what they did.
Luck was on my side for the next year as I found them one day with the female incubating in their old nest. I immediately went to the lumberyard and purchased some brown aluminum flashing four feet wide and long enough to go around the nest tree trunk to form a raccoon guard. I trimmed all small trees nearby that would allow access to a predicator and sat back and watched.
It wasn’t long and soon I would see the male coming in more regular with food. A short time later from a good vantage point I was able to see two youngsters in the nest. I immediately set out to fix up a spot where I could observe with both scope and camera for some really good shots of the entire nesting. I was able to set up my tripod and my 800mm lens and watch the action with out them being bothered. I got to photograph them from the incubating to the first flights of both young.
The following year (this year) I watched for them at the nest area but they did not return. I figured I would need to start looking again but one day as I was driving down the mountain one of them flew across my wagon and up into some maples. I stopped and sure enough I spotted the nest. I left them alone for about two weeks and than tried to find out if they were nesting for sure. I tried walking slowly into the wooded area of their nest and when I got about a hundred feet from it I heard the cry from the nest. It was the female giving out with her KEE-AH, KEE-AH, so I slowly retreated, as I was pretty sure she was incubating.
Last visits showed I had three young up there but with this nest it is very hard to see into it due to the leaves so I will see what I can capture as the time goes by.
Good news as all three young made their first flights and are now in the world on their own as of the beginning of July 2006.
