I Have A Hawk Hanging Around Right At My House

Discussion in 'Science & Nature' started by John Brunner, Jul 8, 2021.

  1. Tony Page

    Tony Page Veteran Member
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    What people? I look like an S when I sit. Haha
     
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  2. Dwight Ward

    Dwight Ward Veteran Member
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    I'm just going by the nesting habits of the bald eagles and goshawks around here, They prefer the highest trees with some bare limbs close to the top. This gives them a panoramic view of the surroundings. Perhaps your trees fit the bill more than others close by.
     
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  3. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    That friend who has 8 of them on his property says they are at the top of his tallest tree. But look at the 2 pics in this post. The branch in the first pic is barely higher than the 6' satellite dish mounting post off to the right. I can touch the branch that one is perched on in the second pic without stretching. When they see a critter crawl on the ground from this low, they don't swoop...they kinda fall straight down and land on it.

    That's what shocks me the most. A healthy fox could leap and grab them where they've chosen to sit (although this is not their sleeping roost.) They always return to that spot in late afternoon when there's plenty of daylight left, although their arrival time seems to be getting pushed back from maybe 5PM to closer to 7PM. I have seen one leave that roost in the early morning and fly to a higher perch at the end of the field, supposedly to put the sun at its back as it hunts (this species is not exclusively nocturnal.)

    Now, the hawks I have like the higher trees, although I've seen them perch on the bed rails of my truck. They are tougher to get pics of since they are so skittish. The best I can do is to stretch the limits of my small Canon Power Shot and shoot through windows:

    hawk truck bed.jpg

    hawk high perch.jpg

    Hawk on post.jpg
     
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  4. Dwight Ward

    Dwight Ward Veteran Member
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    I have to clarify that last. I haven't had my second cup of coffee.

    The high trees with bare limbs are where I've seen goshawks and bald eagles perch to hunt. The hawks I've observed hunt while they circle in an updraft as the buzzards do. The goshawk most often nests on a piling away from the shore. I don't know where the others nest.
     
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  5. Dwight Ward

    Dwight Ward Veteran Member
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    I think it's easy to get confused between where they nest and where they settle to hunt for prey. Sometimes the same, sometimes not. Great pictures.
     
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  6. Teresa Levitt

    Teresa Levitt Veteran Member
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    sitting on the back of your truck....amazing!
     
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  7. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    Understood.

    Yeh, I have no idea where these owls nest. The same goes for the hawks and the woodpeckers and all the other birds, except for the ones that nest under the eaves of the house and in the bushes. During the early spring I hear the hawks circling and screeching in various parts of the wooded property, but who knows where they actually live?

    edit to add: I could get even better pics if the darned things would sit still ;)
     
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  8. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    I think that's where the rabbits hang out.
     
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  9. Teresa Levitt

    Teresa Levitt Veteran Member
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    uh oh...we lost our rabbits to the lady's cats...across the road
     
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  10. Dwight Ward

    Dwight Ward Veteran Member
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    I've found that freezing them with a fire extinguisher works to make them sit still, but then you have to take a blow dryer to them when you're done.
     
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  11. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    A blow dryer and not the microwave???

    Oops
     
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  12. Dwight Ward

    Dwight Ward Veteran Member
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    ... depends on what you want for dinner.
     
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  13. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    Lots of gun owners here [which so far I'm glad] but it seems they may be killing off wildlife[ which I'm NOT glad].
    We use to have all kinds of owls and still have a few hawks. Haven't seen a fox in several years now. Still se wild turkeys and deer at times.
     
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  14. Tony Page

    Tony Page Veteran Member
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    I'm sorry to hear that you wildlife has been diminished. I don't hunt but if I did it would only be for food.
    Between hunting and the expansion of civilization decreasing our natural habitats has threatened if not eliminated wildlife in those areas.
    I understand the need to discourage or remove the wildlife that threatens our food supply and our lively hood.
    I just wish there was a way to live side-by-side with the native species.
    A lot of areas have preserves to try and protect wildlife in that area. I just don't know enough whether or not these areas are checked that the animals are okay and surviving.
    I always felt that there should be a program similar to Noah's Ark to assure that all native species in this country are protected.
     
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  15. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    So many have moved into our area and cut down all the trees and forest,so that too is really affecring the wildlife.
    We try to keep our forest although we do have to fight vinees that kill all native plants and trees.We will have to do some clearing just remove the vines and try to keep the trees and native plants.
    Our deer family escaped last month after the storm fell a huge tree on our fence. So its wide open now. Haven't seen the mama or baby since storm.She did have 3 in past couple years with her.
     
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    Last edited: Jul 25, 2021
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