Not exactly on the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind Loop but close by, a Red-shouldered Hawk on its first day (hour) off the nest was photographed just before it gulped down the last bits of a rat brought to it by one of its parents. The hawk’s nest is at Northgate Park, a few seconds, via air, from the Museum. There were four young in the nest. And, while the nest is not on the Museum’s property, you can beRead more
Posts tagged: #Red-shouldered Hawk
Cooper’s Hawks and a Stop-over Kingbird
Cooper’s Hawks are nesting nearby but I’ve not found a nest. Red-shouldered Hawks are a daily sight overhead around the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind loop. An Eastern Kingbird (pictured) and a Common Yellowthroat were seen or heard for the first time this season on the first day of May.Read more
Early Nesters, Arrivals, Delayed Departures
It was a busy time for birds. Besides the Red-shouldered Hawks snatching frogs out of the Wetlands, Carolina Chickadees feeding their young in a nest in a Loblolly Pine between Catch the Wind and Explore the Wild, and the Red-bellied Woodpeckers sitting on eggs in another loblolly in front of the Lemur House, many new seasonal arrivals and migrants have been observed. After a seven-month absence, a Green Heron was back on station on 28 April. As if it hadRead more
A Little Brown Snake, Calling Frogs, and Stewed Turtles
A small Brown Snake delighted a group of schoolchildren as it attempted to cross the paved path just below the Lemur House. The tiny snake, unable to gain traction on the relatively smooth macadam to propel itself forward, kept sliding sideways down the path as it wriggled along in high gear. With much effort, and a little coaxing by me, it finally made it to the side of the path and disappeared into the grass. Northern Cricket Frogs are callingRead more
A Change is Coming
A pair of Hooded Mergansers are still swimming and fishing in the Wetlands. It’ll be interesting to see how long they hang around. Last spring, they had departed by the third week of March. Red-shouldered Hawks have been putting on quite a show recently. After reporting that I had seen a Red-shouldered Hawk hunting in the Wetlands (see Explore the Wild Journal March 1-15, 2009), without actually capturing the toads and frogs that were breeding at the time due toRead more
Nuthatch Landlords? Hollies under Assault?
There are still two pairs of Hooded Mergansers present in the Wetlands. There is one pair of Canada Geese present. Red-tailed Hawks continue to be seen daily and Cooper’s Hawks have been noticed flying and perching in the vicinity of the previous year’s nest site. And, as mentioned above, Red-shouldered Hawks are once again showing up in the Wetlands. Eastern Phoebes are calling regularly in and around the Wetlands. Phoebes nest on ledges. I’ve witnessed the birds investigating potential nestRead more
Nesting Duck? Excavating Nuthatches, and Waxwings Aplenty
On Saturday, February 21, I noticed a duck (a Mutt Duck, Mallard x Domestic Duck that’s often seen in the Wetlands) sitting hunched down on the small island out in front of the Wetlands Overlook. There are two of these Mutt Ducks in the Wetlands. They’re very similar in appearance with dark brown bodies and white chests. The male has a green head, the female’s head is brown. I was looking at the female. The duck was nestled down inRead more
There’s Always the Birds…
With the low temperatures of the 15th-18th of this month, the Wetlands iced over enough to force the Hooded Mergansers to take flight and seek bigger water where they could swim and dive for fish. One merganser returned on January 24 and four were in attendance on the 29th of the month. Canada Geese remained as long as there were small pockets of open water. They too finally departed as snow and more cold weather moved in on the 21stRead more
Brave Souls
Frogs persist in the Wetlands. Besides the BullFrogs being harvested by the Red-shouldered Hawk in the small swamp adjacent to the Wetlands Overlook, a Pickerel Frog was seen busily hopping along the grass near the restrooms in Explore the Wild on the relatively warm day of 24 January. Where it was going, and the reason for its haste, can only be supposed. A Painted Turtle and a couple of Yellow-bellied Turtles were out basking in the bright sunshine of theRead more