Today!
Truth is, both Lightning and Rocky are frantically licking the same treat placed on the tree by the Animals Keepers, but they had me going for a minute or two.
Please read on.
Ranger Rock spotted two Red-shouldered Hawks either passing an object between one another, or placing sticks on a potential nest. I’d heard the birds calling from that location just minutes before but passed it off as simply red-shouldereds doing what red-shouldereds do, making a lot of noise. Being curious, though, I went over to investigate.
Here’s what I saw…
Seconds later…
Seconds after that, one hawk flew off in one direction while the other flew off in another direction, calling loudly as they went.
Spring is in the air…maybe we’ll have some nesting behavior to view in the future. The scene above was within yards of the entrance to Explore the Wild.
How exciting about the hawks, way to be there at the right time Ranger Greg!
The day after the photos were taken I saw what I assume was the male at the same location placing something on the nest and calling loudly, as they often do (the nest, by the way, looks to be a squirrels nest). Apparently the male was using the nest as a platform to offer food to the female. This is probably not where they plan to nest (be nice if they did since it’s easily seen from below). The female did not come as beckoned on this occasion, so the male picked up the object in his bill, which was a brown snake, and flew off. A few seconds later he dove down into the pines fifty yards or so to the south where, again I assume, the female was waiting.
I am surprised that Sarah isnt behind there kissing Lightning as well
let’s hope we have hawk and wolf babies this spring!
Amen! 10-4! Uh-huh!