Keeping an eye on the feeders – Photo: L. Weikel

Hawklets

Yesterday’s post celebrated my identification of the very vocal and aerobatic presence of Red-shouldered Hawks in our hamlet. (Yes, the cluster of homes on our road was at one time designated a hamlet on old maps.) This evening I’m happy to report that the sky-dancing, shrieking, gift-giving (or so it appeared), and outright over-the-top public displays of affection (read: avian lust) continued today. If vigorous persistence is any barometer of success, we’re going to have some hawklets in the neighborhood this year. Not a real word, but it’ll be my word for the larger chicks hanging out this year.

And if the breeding information provided by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is accurate, it sounds like this behavior could last until the end of the month (although I can’t fathom why it should take so long – they sure looked like they were getting lucky yesterday and today), with a nest of 3 to 4 eggs being the result. I believe we should have hatchlings sometime in May – but won’t actually see them fledge (if we’re privy to that, of course) until the end of June to mid July.

Even though I knew they were hanging around our house because we provide a post-coital snack bar, they were almost annoyingly obvious about that today. Choosing to mess around on the branch of a tree right by our driveway gave them the added bonus of being able to keep a hawkeye on our feeders. And boy, did those Red-shoulders create anxiety in everybody else.

Cardinal in Flight – Photo: L.Weikel

Other Avian Love

Both yesterday and today the number of cardinals – and their obvious affection for each other – was almost as noticeable as the hawks’ enthusiasm for each other. It appears we may be supporting at least four mating pairs of Cardinals this year, too!

But the lengths all the other birds had to go to in order to avoid being snatched up by lust-fueled starving Hawk beaks were extensive. Hours at a time would go by with only the calls of the Red-shoulders piercing the quiet. But then, gradually, the lookouts would probably advise that the predators were napping or something because all of a sudden the feeders and the branches surrounding the feeders would become a cacophony of chatter.

One Last Spring Exclamation

PEEPERS! Last night we heard a few early birds. The first to hatch in the primordial ooze that is known as swampy field land near High Rocks State Park entered life singing. Tonight, those brave newbies were joined by significantly more buddies. Not yet deafening, they were still making lovely music together this evening.

As I said yesterday, this initial taste of true springtime weather did not disappoint!

(T-261)