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Nesting Hawks - Spring 2014
All Text & Images:
Copyright (2014)

In early 2014, a pair of Red-Shouldered Hawks started building a nest high up a poplar
tree in our yard.   They subsequently hatched, raised and fledged two young hawks.

In late February, I spotted the female hawk in a tree out back.
After a while, the male appeared and they briefly mated.


Female_Hawk
The female was perched on this branch for about 10 minutes...


Mating_Hawks
Soon afterwards, a brief mating...
The image is not well-focused; I included it because their mating is part of this saga.



Two_Hawks
Twenty seconds later, the pair was nonchalantly sitting together


Hawk
Another half minute, and the male was gone.


By early March, there was nest-building activity high up in a poplar tree:

Hawk_nest

In the new nest


Hawk_nest



While building the nest, the hawk pair used this nearby
abandoned squirrel nest as a feeding platform:


Hawk


Hawk_feeding


Hawk


Hawk


Hawk


Hawk



Perch between the feeding station and the new nest:

Hawk


Hawk_pair


Hawk



The trees leafed out, and we didn't see much activity for about a month.
Then, in mid May, through holes in the foliage:


Hawk_chicks
A pair of chicks!


Hawk_chicks
Head of one chick behind the butt of the other.


Hawk_chicks


Hawk_chick


Hawk_chicks


Hawk_chick


Hawk_chick
Trying out the wings.


Hawk_chicks



Both parents hunted, but there was always at least one close by.

Hawk_chipmunk
Parent with a chipmunk


Adult_hawk



Back at the nest, the two chicks were growing like weeds:

Hawk_chick


Hawk_chick


Hawk_chick



Feeding time:

Hawks_feeding


Hawks_feeding


Hawks_feeding


Hawks_feeding





Hawk_chick
Late May


By the first of June, they were already venturing out of the nest onto branches:

Chick_on_branch


Chick_on_branch



Within a week, the nest was empty.   These images were taken around the yard in late
June, as the youngsters could be heard calling out as much as hunting!   The juvenile
hawks will remain in the area near their parents for 2-3 months, as they learn to hunt:


Hawk_juvenile


Hawk_juvenile


Hawk_juvenile



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