We had the great joy on March 1 of watching a first-year red-tailed hawk for a couple of hours fly around, perch on low branches, run around on the ground attacking bark and missing squirrels, then finally fly to a hole in a tree and grab a squirrel. The youngster then ate the squirrel on the ground, before flying out of the Ramble. I was able to get a lot of video and some really nice closeup photos.
First-winter red-tailed hawk, the Ramble, March 1, 2017
I call the video Squirrel Hunt. There is some graphic hawk-dining footage here, so be advised.
Lots and lots of photos. Enjoy!
This is a magnificent bird, and I kept telling anyone who would listen that day, "I live for this!" With all the news about assaults on the environment and elimination of protections for wildlife, I offer these photos and videos as a reminder of what can be lost if we aren't vigilant and willing to fight for these gifts to our lives.