A pair of red tailed hawks has decided not just to visit but to MOVE IN. To list as their residence my address. They have a great big nest at least 100 feet up in one of my trees (I'm only on a residential lot so the hawk parents are right here - up close and personal - hanging out on or or another of the branches of my trees).
BJ roo and hen Annie are used to free ranging and she loses her ever loving mind by 8:30 a.m. if I still have them in their covered run (they are safe there but get bored senseless after 10 minutes - it's only 8' x 30'). Annie could not be more oblivious and when out free ranging eagerly walks straight to the middle of the lawn area, where she is an easy target.. And the crows - the crows are not attacking the hawks, yelling at them, chasing them - nothing - nothing. They sit on brnaches right near them. It's like they are totally and peacefully coexisting. I work - a lot - and supervising BJ and Annie for free range time is sadly not possible in ample enough measure.
The hawk parents haven't spent much time by the nest - they fly briefly back and forth to it - so I don't know if there are little ones yet, but probably soon. So now I figure I'm in for at least several weeks of baby raising followed by mom and dad teaching hunting!. This is just going to get better and better. If I didn't have chickens it would be exciting to have hawks nesting but since I do I am nothing but a worried wreck. (I'm hoping they will leave my cats alone).
I have one of those fake owls that I move around but it seems to matter not. The hawks are probably saying "Look at that silly human moving that plastic owl around - how dumb does she think we are?".
Does anyone have any experience with nesting red tails? How long do they stay? And have you found that they do or do not not move on after nesting is done? Our climate is such that many of the hawks do NOT migrate like they do up in New England.
It's ironic. I've been here for 22 years and never had hawks nesting and now that BJ and Annie are here (since July) wallah..........hawkville. I cared for BJ at another location for many years so I've known and loved him for a long time. I've got them in the run right now after a little supervised outdoor time and they are pacing like crazy at the gate, wanting out - it's a shame - I want them to explore and have fun. But I don't want them hurt and I just have to get some work done....
Advice/experiences welcome. (sorry this is long...)
JJ
.
BJ roo and hen Annie are used to free ranging and she loses her ever loving mind by 8:30 a.m. if I still have them in their covered run (they are safe there but get bored senseless after 10 minutes - it's only 8' x 30'). Annie could not be more oblivious and when out free ranging eagerly walks straight to the middle of the lawn area, where she is an easy target.. And the crows - the crows are not attacking the hawks, yelling at them, chasing them - nothing - nothing. They sit on brnaches right near them. It's like they are totally and peacefully coexisting. I work - a lot - and supervising BJ and Annie for free range time is sadly not possible in ample enough measure.
The hawk parents haven't spent much time by the nest - they fly briefly back and forth to it - so I don't know if there are little ones yet, but probably soon. So now I figure I'm in for at least several weeks of baby raising followed by mom and dad teaching hunting!. This is just going to get better and better. If I didn't have chickens it would be exciting to have hawks nesting but since I do I am nothing but a worried wreck. (I'm hoping they will leave my cats alone).
I have one of those fake owls that I move around but it seems to matter not. The hawks are probably saying "Look at that silly human moving that plastic owl around - how dumb does she think we are?".
Does anyone have any experience with nesting red tails? How long do they stay? And have you found that they do or do not not move on after nesting is done? Our climate is such that many of the hawks do NOT migrate like they do up in New England.
It's ironic. I've been here for 22 years and never had hawks nesting and now that BJ and Annie are here (since July) wallah..........hawkville. I cared for BJ at another location for many years so I've known and loved him for a long time. I've got them in the run right now after a little supervised outdoor time and they are pacing like crazy at the gate, wanting out - it's a shame - I want them to explore and have fun. But I don't want them hurt and I just have to get some work done....
Advice/experiences welcome. (sorry this is long...)
JJ
.