Photo: Russell Bates, May 3, 2012. Click on photo to enlarge and see 4 little white fluffy heads, eyes and beaks along with an adult (the red-orange tail is just to the left of the chicks) in the Red Tailed Hawk nest.Video: Gary Vlahakis, May 3, 2012, 2 PM. Gary was the first to confirm the 4th chick in the nest. Chick #4 makes his first appearance at the 10-second mark. (Best viewed in full screen.)
It's a good guess there was lots of prey in February, when the Red Tails were seen mating around the hood. Deforestation of the Semi Tropic lots gave them a temporary increase in prey with easier access to rats and gophers.
Last year, we never saw more than saw 2 chicks in the nest. This year, it will be interesting to see how many make it without the ready supply of squirrels in the adjacent controversial 16-lot subdivision in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.
Click here for all our Red Tailed Hawk nest videos to date.
Related: Montecito Heights is watching a Great Horned Owl fledgling near Debs Park:
The Eastsider
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