Web-Only: Notes Round-Up - Hawk Watch 2024 edition
Highlights of the live cam updates I've posted to Notes thus far. Enjoy!
Hiya!
Based on my calculations, I’m guessing the first chick of the Cornell Hawks will hatch toward the end of April (while the average incubation time for Red-tailed Hawks is 28-35 days, the Cornell Hawks typically hatch 38 to 42 days after the egg is laid). I thought it would be fun to see what’s been happening on Mount Stickmore since Big Red and Arthur returned this year and before hatching begins, when we enter into an entirely new era of nest life.
They’re Back!
I started to monitor the live cam toward the end of January and was lucky enough to see Arthur return. The Cornell Hawks have two nesting sites on campus, and this year they returned to the one they used last year.
Nestorations Commence
Big Red and Arthur rebuild their nest a stick at a time.
Nestorations Continue & Egg Watch Begins
I really enjoyed watching them build the nest this year.
The Eggs Arrive
Egg #1
Egg #2
Some storm prep…
Egg #3
Big Red and Arthur were perfectly coordinated in keeping their eggs warm and dry during a monster storm.
And then there were four…
Egg #4
And yes, she laid a clutch of four only once before – in 2022.
Most Recent Notes
And some fun information about what’s going on under the shell.
Squirrel v. Hawk; Hawk v. Squirrel
I just happened to have tuned in when this drama began to unfold.
We can’t be sure, but it does seem that Arthur went after that squirrel in the end. Shortly thereafter he left a prey drop for Big Red on a building across the street. I wonder what the squirrel was protecting in that tree, though.
I hope you enjoyed this. I have a new Cricklewood newsletter dropping over the weekend (sent to all subscribers) where we talk about focused wandering and includes a prompt to (re)activate your nature journal practice.
Until then,
xoSusannah