A week ago, I posted a story about a family of red tail hawks that had just hatched a little one and were tending the nest just outside of town. A return visit to the nest today begged for an update to the story:
After a week of absence, we dropped by the red tail hawk nest today, and to our great surprise, we spot a second little hawk on the nest. Mom & Dad were not far away, hunting for lunch and keeping a watchful eye on their brood.A short time later, Mom returns and fills the bottomless bellies of her little ones, who immediately stretch out for an afternoon nap.
Photography and Travel, specifically adventure travel and backpacking in remote North America, give me an excuse to stay outside. If kayaks, bikes, backpacks, Jeeps, archeology, geology and wildlife can be included, all the better. Having spent my life working in the fashion and photography industries, I love the unusual, the spectacular, and the beautiful. God has given us a wonderful world in which to live, and I try to open others’ eyes to its wonders. I have shared nearly 50 years of this indescribable wonder with my wife, Jodie, and we go everywhere together. I hope you will share some of our journey with us.
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5 thoughts on “Family Ties Update”
Hurrah for successful nests. Without them we’d be overrun with all sorts of little critters. Let’s hear it for the balance of nature.
There are a lot of things that amaze me about nesting birds, and their nests are near the top of the list. We had a terrific storm here last Friday, with 50-60 kt winds, and yet the two nests I’ve spotted still were in the trees the next morning. It’s easy to think this pair just piled up sticks — the nests aren’t exactly tidy — but they must have a few construction tricks up their talons.
Those babies are sweet beyond words. Still, those little baby beaks already have the hook that will serve them well once mom and dad decide it’s time for them to hunt on their own.
We had the same winds here, and I worried that this nest would stand the strain. So far, so good. A few years ago another nest south of town did not fare so well…came crashing down from a telephone pole and the young hawks were all lost. This nest appears to be anchored well through the openings in the crossmembers of the pole.
A friend had a bald eagle nest on his property near Lake Texoma that raised many families of eagles over the years. It was about 6 feet across, and after the tree died, the branch broke off beneath the nest and it crashed to the ground…intact. It was so heavy it took two people to move it to a place of honor on his patio where it rests to this day. Quite a feat of construction.
Those babies have already doubled in size since I first spotted them a week ago. Yes, those beaks are ready to go to work right from the start.
I still can’t quite get over the thought of a nest so big that it took two people to move the thing. I’m glad it survived and found a good home — it certainly qualifies as a conversation piece.
texasflashdude 
Hurrah for successful nests. Without them we’d be overrun with all sorts of little critters. Let’s hear it for the balance of nature.
Hip, hip hooray!
There are a lot of things that amaze me about nesting birds, and their nests are near the top of the list. We had a terrific storm here last Friday, with 50-60 kt winds, and yet the two nests I’ve spotted still were in the trees the next morning. It’s easy to think this pair just piled up sticks — the nests aren’t exactly tidy — but they must have a few construction tricks up their talons.
Those babies are sweet beyond words. Still, those little baby beaks already have the hook that will serve them well once mom and dad decide it’s time for them to hunt on their own.
We had the same winds here, and I worried that this nest would stand the strain. So far, so good. A few years ago another nest south of town did not fare so well…came crashing down from a telephone pole and the young hawks were all lost. This nest appears to be anchored well through the openings in the crossmembers of the pole.
A friend had a bald eagle nest on his property near Lake Texoma that raised many families of eagles over the years. It was about 6 feet across, and after the tree died, the branch broke off beneath the nest and it crashed to the ground…intact. It was so heavy it took two people to move it to a place of honor on his patio where it rests to this day. Quite a feat of construction.
Those babies have already doubled in size since I first spotted them a week ago. Yes, those beaks are ready to go to work right from the start.
I still can’t quite get over the thought of a nest so big that it took two people to move the thing. I’m glad it survived and found a good home — it certainly qualifies as a conversation piece.