Image Courtesy Alan D. Wilson, Naturespicsonline.com
For about two weeks the red-tailed hawk nest, on Cottonwood Creek, has been occupied. I have seen a red-tailed hawk, roosting and resting in the nest, that was built about 4 years ago, in the top of a tall dead cottonwood tree. The nest tree is around 60 feet tall and very close to the creek. It appears that the nest is made up mostly of sticks, and is a foot to two deep and perhaps 3 foot across.
I have seen a red-tailed hawk sitting on the nest for about the last two weeks and I suspect the young birds will hatch in mid April. The female red-tail will usually lay 1 to 3 eggs, about every other day, usually in March. It takes 28 to 35 days for the eggs to start hatching. The male red-tail hawk will stay nearby the entire time and bring food to the female and the chicks. By mid to late May the young birds will try out their new wings, and become more adept a aerial manurers and hunting every day.
I don't think I have ever seen more than one adult near this nest, so I suspect the male spends a great deal of time hunting in the wild lands. Or maybe just flying around, for the fun of it. The rasping scream of this type of hawk is very distinctive and loud, and they make a characteristic “kree-eeee-ar, kree-eeee-ar” sound.
The path I walk, crosses a ridge, right above Cottonwood Creek, and the nesting tree is just below, in the bottom of the drainage. At that crossing you are actually looking down into the nest and with a pair of binoculars you can easily see the adult birds and nestling's, after they hatch out. The red-tailed hawk is very large and usually easy to recognize, especially with the reddish colored tail feathers. Today at my lookout post, I watched for several minutes and there was an adult hawk in the nest, which showed very little movement, except for occasionally turning its head. Perhaps I will get a chance this year to see the male feeding his family.
I have seen a red-tailed hawk sitting on the nest for about the last two weeks and I suspect the young birds will hatch in mid April. The female red-tail will usually lay 1 to 3 eggs, about every other day, usually in March. It takes 28 to 35 days for the eggs to start hatching. The male red-tail hawk will stay nearby the entire time and bring food to the female and the chicks. By mid to late May the young birds will try out their new wings, and become more adept a aerial manurers and hunting every day.
I don't think I have ever seen more than one adult near this nest, so I suspect the male spends a great deal of time hunting in the wild lands. Or maybe just flying around, for the fun of it. The rasping scream of this type of hawk is very distinctive and loud, and they make a characteristic “kree-eeee-ar, kree-eeee-ar” sound.
The path I walk, crosses a ridge, right above Cottonwood Creek, and the nesting tree is just below, in the bottom of the drainage. At that crossing you are actually looking down into the nest and with a pair of binoculars you can easily see the adult birds and nestling's, after they hatch out. The red-tailed hawk is very large and usually easy to recognize, especially with the reddish colored tail feathers. Today at my lookout post, I watched for several minutes and there was an adult hawk in the nest, which showed very little movement, except for occasionally turning its head. Perhaps I will get a chance this year to see the male feeding his family.
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