Spring is on its way. The grass is getting greener, the weeds are sprouting and the museum is being graced with more visitors. For the last 3 weeks, a loud ‘screeching’ noise has permeated the neighborhood around the museum. A pair of hawks has appeared, hunting and scouting the area. Visitors wander the grounds, looking towards the treetops, wondering what is making that ‘screeching’ sound. Then the hawks are spotted and the fun begins.
The hawks currently have 2 nests they visit. One nest in the top of a white oak and filled with twigs and leaves. The other nest, in the largest ash tree on the grounds, is constructed of twigs. It is located near our parking lot. The birds are very people leery and fly away at the first sight of visitors. They can be seen soaring above the grounds and around the immediate area.
We will be keeping an eye on the nests, from a distance, in hopes of hatchlings.
In the past, sharp-shinned hawks have built nests here and raised their young. The 2010 hawks appear to be the red-shouldered hawk. There is a nature backpack available to all museum visitors and comes equipped with a bird identification book and binoculars!
