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August 8, 2014
During the first days of August, the juvenile hawks seemed to be in a frenzy, zooming through the trees, dive-bombing bird feeders, and chasing anything that moved. As a neighbor once said, they are "wreaking havoc up and down the canal."
Today, our 9- and 11-year-old grandchildren Jennifer and Patrick came to visit. They burst through the front door, excited and flushed, with the news that they had chased the hawks south along the canal. I smiled, glad the hawks were still there for them to see. They both seemed to enjoy looking at the album of 2014 baby hawk photos.
August 11, 2014
Now, just as I expected, all is still once more. As though a switch has been turned, quiet has descended upon the neighborhood. An occasional angry bluejay call is the only indication that one or two of the young hawks may still be nearby. But it's likely that they have reached a point in their maturity that their instincts lead them to leave the group, to seek a place where prey is plentiful and each one can hunt alone. This is the life of a passage hawk.
So... farewell to you, Butch and Sundance and Ruthie and Billy the Kid! Rufous and Roxie have done a fine job, raising four healthy young not only to fledge but also to passage. Soar high and hunt well!
Until next year...
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