Two more days until the official start of spring,
and I can’t wait. Not just because winter in New England has been one of the
snowiest and coldest in years, or because I’m sick and tired of being cooped up
in the house, but because two red-tailed hawks who made my yard their home five
years ago will be back. Not that they ever leave for long, but they begin
breeding in March, so they’re around full-time now.
Their nest is in a tree about fifty feet above the
ground in the wooded area at the side of my house. Their eggs will be laid
later this month, then a little over thirty days after that, the chicks will
hatch. They’ll begin to fly about a month and a half later.
I love to watch the parents teach the baby hawks
some skills, like learning to swoop. There was one time, though, that I held my
breath while one of the babies dove down so fast, it
almost hit the ground.
The female likes to perch on a branch on the tree
just outside my kitchen window, giving me a great view. Last year I bought
binoculars to get an even closer look at the gorgeous bird.
I’d be sad if they left, but since hawks mate for
life, like to use the same nest year after year, and have a life span of about
twenty years, I don’t think I have anything to worry about for a long time.
What do you love about spring?
~*~
USA
Today bestselling and award-winning author Raine English writes sweet
small-town romance, paranormal, and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne de
Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Her books have made the Top
100 Bestseller lists at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. To learn more about
Raine, visit her website. You can also
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That's wonderful! I love watching birds and you're fortunate to have a pair who feel so comfortable in your yard.
ReplyDeleteI love the sunshine and the crisp air! It's so nice to get outdoors before it becomes too hot. How lovely that you have such a great view from your kitchen window! Thanks for a great post.
ReplyDeleteI love watching the birds in our garden too. We have a pair of Mallard ducks that nest on the small island in our pond each year. My husband has put a small duck house on the island for them and the female has now laid all her eggs and is sitting on them 24 hours a day. I'm looking forward to another brood of fluffy ducklings on the pond!
ReplyDeleteHow cool! I keep wanting to build owl house for the yard.
ReplyDeleteComing out of winter is a neat feeling - but its autumn down here (downunder) and there is also something wonderful about heading into winter which I love too. All the seasons are pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers blooming and sunshine on my face are two of my favorite things about spring!
ReplyDelete