Today was one of those days that hold me up, make me look around and think, "You know, life is pretty good."
Melinda, a RAPTOR volunteer, board trustee, rehabber, etc, took the girls and me out to do some hunting for red-shouldered hawk nests. They have been monitoring nests and banded RS for about 10 years now, and I had NOT IDEA how many were in my neighborhood. We found two that have been monitored in the past, and I actually found a new one!
How hard is it to find an RS nest? Easy, when you know where to look and what they look like:
Melinda, a RAPTOR volunteer, board trustee, rehabber, etc, took the girls and me out to do some hunting for red-shouldered hawk nests. They have been monitoring nests and banded RS for about 10 years now, and I had NOT IDEA how many were in my neighborhood. We found two that have been monitored in the past, and I actually found a new one!
How hard is it to find an RS nest? Easy, when you know where to look and what they look like:
The "O'Bannon" nest...about 1/10th of a mile from our house!
You look for a bunch of sticks stuck in the crotch of a large tree, in an area that is near a creek or other body of water. And then, to determine if it is an active nest, you look for fresh, green branches. If you squint, you can make out the green in all these nests.
Near the first nest, we found a trap, probably set for raccoons.
Nest #2...the "Paxton" nest. Also very near our house. This is the one I found. Yay for me!
This one is right along the "Loveland Bike Trail".
"Nisbet" nest.
Melinda "blasted" a recording of rowdy, hormonal red-shouldereds to attract some birds to come in so that we could check them for bands.
Cover your ears, girls!
We got to ride in Melinda's mini-van, and the girls are in love with it. It has "magic" doors that open and close by themselves. Well, you press a button, but the girls were sooooo impressed.
Does this mean I have to buy a mini-van?
Nope.
You look for a bunch of sticks stuck in the crotch of a large tree, in an area that is near a creek or other body of water. And then, to determine if it is an active nest, you look for fresh, green branches. If you squint, you can make out the green in all these nests.
Near the first nest, we found a trap, probably set for raccoons.
Nest #2...the "Paxton" nest. Also very near our house. This is the one I found. Yay for me!
This one is right along the "Loveland Bike Trail".
"Nisbet" nest.
Melinda "blasted" a recording of rowdy, hormonal red-shouldereds to attract some birds to come in so that we could check them for bands.
Cover your ears, girls!
We got to ride in Melinda's mini-van, and the girls are in love with it. It has "magic" doors that open and close by themselves. Well, you press a button, but the girls were sooooo impressed.
Does this mean I have to buy a mini-van?
Nope.
We got some nice, close views of the pair of RS at the bike trail.
This female came in for a landing after lots of aerial acrobatics with the male and lots of screaming.
And she was about to get NAILED.
I didn't get any pictures of them doing the deed, because I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. I had never seen HOT RAPTOR ACTION before!
As we were standing there, a woman walking on the trail asked what we were looking at. Melinda explained, and the woman said that she was going to a "bird of prey" presentation in Mason, Ohio tomorrow. I smiled and said, "That's going to be me!".
Small world!
Here's a video of Melinda blasting for red-shouldereds...be sure that your PC speakers aren't turned up too loud.
This female came in for a landing after lots of aerial acrobatics with the male and lots of screaming.
And she was about to get NAILED.
I didn't get any pictures of them doing the deed, because I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. I had never seen HOT RAPTOR ACTION before!
As we were standing there, a woman walking on the trail asked what we were looking at. Melinda explained, and the woman said that she was going to a "bird of prey" presentation in Mason, Ohio tomorrow. I smiled and said, "That's going to be me!".
Small world!
Here's a video of Melinda blasting for red-shouldereds...be sure that your PC speakers aren't turned up too loud.
