Subject: redtail annual visit on crow's nest
Date: May 6 12:17:07 2000
From: mail to:jbroadus at seanet.com - jbroadus at seanet.com


I await with eager anticipation the visit of the local Red tail Hawk on my
neighbor's crow's nest, but this year provided some drama. The crows nest
in the top of tall (approx 60 ft) pine trees and about this time of the year, the
Red tails descend and carry off nestling(s).
So today, I am alerted by the crows making an awful racket - about 20 were
dive bombing and really going after "something" in the tree top. the problem
is that I can't see the top-I can't get an angle that will allow me to see into
the nest. This goes on, and on and then from the south - the direction of the
red tails nest (in a local park) comes a red-tail! He (she) circles, screaming
that hawk scream, circles the tree, draws off about a dozen of the crows and
heads off back south.
I am alarmed! Is the hawk injured by the crows? why didn't it leave ? Is it
not his mate & he is mantling the nest? I watch another few minutes and the
other red tail comes back. More screaming, more crows, more circling and
then it heads back to the nest site in the park. Still nothing leaves the pine
tree and the crows are still dive bombing. But a lot have left, either chasing
the other bird or got bored. The remaining few are landing in the tree now
and getting close. Is the red tail hurt???? Have they inflicted serious
wounds???

After about 15 minutes, just as I have vowed to buy an ultra lite plane so
that I can get up and see the nest, the red tail takes off out of the top of the
tree and flies south. It is carrying a surprisingly large black bundle and can't
seem to gain altitude. Of course, it is being strafed by the remaining half
dozen crows and only makes it to the middle of some nearby cottonwoods.
There it sits for a few minutes, then on to the south, in the direction of the
park and it's impatient mate? (What took you so long?)

I wonder if the hawks waited a bit longer this year and the nestling crows
were a bit more of a talonfull than usual. He may have eaten one and took
the other home, or had to eat one down into a more manageable take-out
size. I have no idea if the crow dive bombs inflicted wounds that made it
difficult for the crow to leave or fly home.
Clarice Clark
Puyallup, WA. 98371
mailto:jbroadus at seanet.com