Red-shouldered Hawk Territory

“The air is so pleasant today, a breeze blowing, water gurgling in the pond. My friend told me the male hawk landed on the edge of one of her skylights and peered down at her as she was looking up. How amazing. These hawks have accepted people in their territory just as they have accepted wildlife, using roof tops, railings and posts as freely as they do trees.”
Notes: April 17, 2009, Vickie Henderson.
That is a pretty good description of the red-shouldered hawk territory where I’m observing a pair of hawks and waiting for this season’s off-spring to hatch. Their nest is in a tree in the wooded front yard of a friend of mine and their primary activities are taking place on this property and the adjacent one. I am lucky enough to know both home owners and so I’ve had the pleasure of regularly visiting and observing the pair's behavior.
On April 17th, I observed the female landing on the roof, the gutter, the porch railings and even the patio table, in a series of explorations that gave the appearance of playing, as though she were happy to be off the nest but didn’t want to venture too far away. Both hawks are staying close to the nest now and that is also raising my anticipation!

To see more images of this visit, click here. To see the entire series on this pair of red-shouldered hawks, click this link at Vickie Henderson Art. I will be posting more of my sketches and observations on this pair as the season progresses.