juvenile coopers hawk in the grass The Saga
of
Rufous and Henrietta Hawk

Chapter 8

Tornado Alley

June 10

As I returned home this evening, I noticed the murky appearance of the western sky. Seeing Henrietta perched on the side of the nest, I grabbed my binoculars and camera to see if I could get a good look.

I snapped away with the camera, but Henrietta’s red eyes watched my every movement. Maybe she could sense danger in the impending storm that was headed our way.


Henrietta on Guard
By 6:30 pm, there was a full blown weather alert; tornado sirens blared from the south and the north; and we were right in the path of an approaching storm. Channel 11 Weather reported 70 to 75 mph winds less than 20 miles away. All night, the storms raged around us. We lost electrical power several times. I could just envision Henrietta spreading her wings over her chicks as lightning pierced the sky and thunder growled.

But why should I worry? A pair of hawks must be very confident of their abilities to choose to raise a family right in Tornado Alley!

June 11

This morning, I took Susi to the spa to have her nails done. As we returned, I could see Henrietta’s head calmly bobbing atop the nest. More storms were in the air, but she wasn’t worried, and neither was I. A storm would have to take down her tree to dislodge her from her nest of treasures.

Continue to Chapter 9: Baby Chicks Appear

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