Thursday, May 31, 2012

Corralitas Drive: Red Tailed Hawk Calling To Her Brood Across The 2 Freeway

Photos: Diane Edwardson, May 31, 2012, 2:39 PM.  A Blue Jay harassed what appears to be the female Red Tailed Hawk.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

For about a half hour this afternoon, I heard one of the Red Tailed Hawks calling to the babies from one of their favorite feeding perches; the telephone pole below the last log cabin.  Last summer they would teach the babies to fly to the telephone pole for food.  So I had to investigate what the hawk was so insistent about.  These photos were shot in sequence.    
A check through the binoculars provided a better view than this photo, but all 4 chicks were standing at attention watching the adult call from across the 2 Freeway.  Counting legs and heads shows all 4 chicks are are close to fledging (losing their chick fluff and getting adult feathers) already. 
The other reason I think this is Corra Rose, the big female, is she always has an eye on me when I'm looking at her nest.  The male doesn't seem as observant.  When you're looking at the nest through binoculars from across the freeway, no matter where she is, you'll see her head snap to watch you.  I've seen her watch Gary shooting photos too.  She did the same thing last year.  She also watches me when I'm out walking the dog and she's hunting from nearby trees.