As I got out of my van at the BWD offices this morning, a very het-up red-shouldered hawk flew into the giant sycamore that shades and protects our building, screaming its head off.Eeeyah! Eeeyah!
Then, just as quickly it flew off. I was happy to receive such a heartfelt welcome to the office, though I suspect that the bird's mate may have been a more likely inspiration. A pair of red-shouldereds has nested in the nearby wetlands every year since we took possession of this building in 1992.
Redshoulders are the daytime equivalent to the barred owl. Both species prefer wet woodlands where they can find lots of frogs, snakes, toads, crayfish, and other water-loving prey items. We have a couple of pairs nesting on or near our farm. Hearing their in-flight screams is a real sign of spring for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment