Don't Mess With This Hawk

This vibrant hawk was eating breakfast and was ready to take on the world this morning. Another hawk was sitting atop a nearby utility pole, just being an observer, but perhaps waiting to swoop in and feed on the remains. It was the threat calls uttered by nearby passerine birds during my bicycling past that meant some human sort of attention was given to the situation.

This seems to be a female, because of size differences. A decent distance was kept away from this beautiful hawk to ensure that it could continue to feed as needed to survive. There were a couple of glances that conveyed some questioning about a tall intruder. My presence was done in a manner to never be excessively intrusive and certainly never a threat. The hawk continued to feed on some unknown prey upon my departure along the street. A guess about the food? Perhaps a rabbit nest?

The sheer intent and veracity of this bird is dramatic. It obviously conveys: don't take from me what is mine because there might have some interloper threatening survival. With its sort of perspective, may this bird thrive! The photo is the not the best of those taken but chosen for display because the character. It is the intensity that was captured and something to appreciate. What is surprising is the extent of feathers on the hawk's legs.

Perhaps a reason for the situation is that a Great-horned Owl that was heard during the night in some nearby trees.

A few Purple Martin were moving in the beautiful skies of the morning with such beautiful clouds, that myself and another visitor to the Walnut Hill Reservoir were visually gushing. After we enjoyed our own space as the clouds passed and the sun began to shine, the significance of the clouds were discussed (with one opinion comparing them to facets of the skin, and its textures and subtleties). The value of the green space was obvious. Even the local Chimney Swifts (at least nine) seemed happy as the bird clan, including what had to young of the year twittered overhead. The bird moment of the day was explaining to a fellow aficionado of skies that the little birds were not bats, but bug-eaters that live in chimneys.

Can't forget the nighthawk, nuthatch, a little bunch of chickadees saying "hello" in their merry refrain, robins of course, the voice of the cardinal, downy woodpecker, the mournful sound of the mourning dove. The House Sparrows enjoy the calm of the evening when they can get a fresh drink, once the human visitors depart to dry off and get warm. There was an subtly expressive Eastern Wood-Pewee, and the nice sound of a Chipping Sparrow, as well. A crow was off in the distance somewhere.

Any visit on a hot summer day - because a best fountain in Omaha is here - for residents of buildings is about the water. "IT IS TOO COLD" was a common refrain heard during my late July interlude one day.

Beautiful Hawks Raise Young Among Urban Carthage

An appreciated duo of beautiful Red-tailed Hawks living amidst the completely urban scape of Carthage, successfully raised two young this year.

Images courtesy of Greg Green, Omaha Public Works.

The fledglings have left the nest place and have been seen perched in nearby and elsewhere during these mid-days of June. Pesky robins and grackles loudly voice a discordant perspective on the presence of a raptor family in the neighborhood. The hawks are pretty much oblivious to the complaints of the songbirds.

Noted events for these special urban hawks include the first date when they brought twigs to initiate a nest nearly atop a pine tree just north of Izard Street, by the 48th avenue. That date was February 27, 2015. A bit later, the two could be seen perched upon snags of a couple nearby dead trees, keeping a close look upon the place of their future. The tree place was decidedly suitable, as mating activity was observed on March 10th and 14th. The dynamic duo were then homebound as nest cares were necessary, with their breeding legacy focused on a couple of eggs. As parents they gave great care while listening to loud vehicular traffic, emergency vehicle sirens, the early-morning discord of trash haulers and a complete myriad of disphonic sounds. Thankfully no one within the ethnic mix choose to thwart the pair!

The hawks were above it all. During snow, cold and winds, they endured. Early on some mornings, with one of the pair attentive in a tree nearby the nest, their presence was something any bird-watcher could appreciate ... once and again and more times. Some birds in Omaha have press agents, but for the Carthage hawks, they had a watcher, or two, perhaps more, with sufficient attentive interest, and that was enough to know.

Young growing were a glorious sight on some known days in mid-May while crouched or standing at flattened nest, flapping their new wings as appropriate and anticipating a flighty departure. They would soon go away into a new, larger world.

On June 8th, both young had definitely left the nest. A couple of adjacent snag trees had branches where the family could perch. When seen one evening during this time in June, the young looked great as they preened their feathers. On the 15th, one well seen youngster was looking about the hood, while perched atop a house's roof, only a short distance from their now forgotten home of twigs. A fledgling was seen within a block or two of the nest site on the 18th. Both were seen within a half block early on the morning of the 19th. One on a roof and the other perched among the leafy branches of a tree.

It was an undeniably good year for these hawks. They selected a suitable site for a fine nest atop an apartment lot pine. There were no disruptive activities to chase them away. Ample food of various types was available around their foraging range within the city of Omaha. And the young are now grown enough to thrive to continue the hawk's way.

It has been so special to have an opportunity to appreciate and observe hawks dwelling within the neighborhood! Even when they were not seen, just knowing of their presence enough of a because of the vivid reality of a pair of hawks nesting within the block.

Hawks soaring above the streets. One day one of them was seen eating a grackle atop a utility pole on north 49th Street. Conversations here and there have conveyed a appreciation of the mighty birds. How they continue to be a part of the bird life in the area is their choice? They have certainly been a highlight for many past weeks. To be able to see a hawk nest from a home window is certainly something to appreciate, especially while within an urban jungle!

Red-tailed Hawk Thrills Carthage Men

Urban Red-tailed Hawk, ripping on a rabbit carcass in the Carthage area, June 2008.

Some of the regulars that linger outside the convenience mart in north Carthage apparently had quite a thrill on Friday, August 22. A Red-tailed Hawk had swooped down on something edible and as the men of the hood sat and watched, this bird of prey ate its meal upon the grass near where the guys sit on the north side of the building. Once the bird finished feeding, according to Walt, the bird man at the scene, it then perched on the adjacent fence, and then flew a short ways to another perch on the fence.

During this summer season, Walt has been giving particular attention to the hawks of this neighborhood. He could tell you where they perch, and times when seen soaring above this urban landscape. Even the distinctive call of this raptor is part of the lore.

One of the men took photographs of the hawk. This event is indicative of how this species now lives and survives amidst an urban setting, and is even able to raise young.

Some years ago, a pair of red-tailed Hawks raised two young just east of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. It was quite spectacular to see the juvenile hawks among the trees of north Elmwood Park.

It is quite nice that hawks thrive in urban Omaha, and can be appreciated by the community.

Red-tailed Hawk Breeding Season Underway in Omaha

An extended weekend of birding has led to the discovery that the breeding season is well underway for Red-tailed Hawks residing amidst the urban setting of eastern Omaha.

Three very recent instances are particularly interesting.

Saturday morning, the 16th, a pair soared above the Elmwood Park pines, lazily spiraling, as a couple of mated hawks would. A bit of ways southward was where three had been seen four days previous at the southern extent of the parks' golf course, so these birds are obviously present.

This species has already been known to successfully raise young in this vicinity. It was a few years ago when the fledged young were so vividly appreciated among the pines westward of the Elmwood Park Ravine.

Then a bit past an ample arrival of sunlight on Sunday morning, while driving down Creighton Boulevard towards Adams Park, a pair were copulating atop a tree a couple of blocks north of Hamilton Street. This is an obvious indication of territoriality.

Early in the afternoon on the same day, while bicycling along Happy Hollow Boulevard, one of these hawks flew past, overhead, while carrying a short stick in its talons. It was an obvious clue, and sure enough, within moments it landed atop a massive pine.

A direct vantage point is available from the adjacent alley, and during the visit a big dog barked again and again. Apparently the birds are indifferent to barking by a big dog in a yard below their chosen place.

Perhaps this treetop is associated with an adult bird seen at the nearby school to the west, some time ago, that was so notably enjoyed, as it protectively ate a fresh rabbit carcass.

These observations indicate the possibility for three different pairs of these hawks looking to spend the coming breeding season, each within a relatively small extent in a bit of extent in the eastern portion of the river city.

Indifferent rabbits and squirrels, perhaps even errant pets will be the target of these predatory raptors looking for prey. And once there are young hawks in the nest, which will hopefully occur, the parent birds will be much more intent upon finding a meal.

Most of these observations are a result of outings, done while walking or riding upon a bicycle, or in the most limited sense via motor vehicle, while participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count.