J.M.Spencer@newcastle.ac.uk (Jonathan Spencer) (03/07/91)
fleming@acsu.buffalo.edu (christine m fleming) writes: [stuff deleted] >Today i had the most glorious encounter with two beautiful hawks. I >was watching for my bus through the office window, and saw a hawk >circling the far parking lot. Soon another joined up and they made >lazy circles around and around. I lost sight of them in about 10 >minutes. >When i walked out to the bus, and i had just cleared the building, >one of them was in the middle of a swoop and hovered a story over my >head for a few seconds. The sun was so bright, and the glare from the >snow so sharp that the bird looked unreal - almost as if made of gold. >I could see the individual flights and tail feathers! Amazing! >As the bus drove away i watched them land on the rooftop railings of >the building and perch there for a while before they started off >circling again! Needless to say, this was a good day!...:) >...jones >PS... here in Western New York i too have seen a LOT of hawks. Mostly >red-tails, i believe. (What other raptors are native to the area? I >have seen others that weren't redtails, but i wrote them off as >immatures... ) Also is it rare to see them paired or in close contact? >I usually see them on a strip of road within sight (their's, not >MINE!...:) of one another... From the flight pattern and the time of year it sounds like these redtails's flights are a) territorial and b) courting. Also look at the time of year - spring. My own redtail is actually building a nest right now. It is accepted that mature redtails tend not to migrate but that they remain in possession of their territory - as a pair. Furthermore, redtails are *intensely* territorial so this pattern of flight i.e. soaring high and stooping, has two roles. It declares possession of the territory and reinforces the pair bond. So in answer to your question, yes it is perfectly normal to see redtails together at any time of year, but especially in the spring. =========================================================================== From : Jonathan M Spencer Mail : Computing Lab., University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, England Phone : +91 222 8229 ARPA : J.M.Spencer%newcastle.ac.uk@cs.ucl.ac.uk JANET : J.M.Spencer@uk.ac.newcastle UUCP : !ukc!newcastle.ac.uk!J.M.Spencer ===========================================================================
tjo@bugatti.siemens.com (Tom Ostrand) (03/12/91)
>>Today i had the most glorious encounter with two beautiful hawks. I >>was watching for my bus through the office window, and saw a hawk >>circling the far parking lot. Soon another joined up and they made >>PS... here in Western New York i too have seen a LOT of hawks. Mostly >>red-tails, i believe. (What other raptors are native to the area? I [numerous other comments on hawks, etc. deleted] Well, now even the New York Times has noticed the red-tails! Yesterday's Sunday Times actually had an editorial about the wildlife in New York City, and mentioned three red-tailed hawks that have been seen along the Henry Hudson Parkway, between G. Washington Bridge and the Boat Basin. Also mentioned the several peregrine pairs that nest in various parts of the city. Tom Ostrand E-mail: tjo@cadillac.siemens.com Siemens Corporate Research Phone: 609-734-6569 755 College Road East FAX: 609-734-6565 Princeton, NJ 08540-6668