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Rare Hawk Sighting

by
Scott Makepeace

      Earlier in April I had heard two Red-shouldered Hawks calling in a forested area where I also knew there were three old hawk nests. Finally in May I walked in to the nest closest to where I thought the Red-shouldered Hawks had been calling. When I got to the tree I could see a long tail sticking out of the nest. This was good but I did not expect the hawks tail to be so easily seen from the ground. I started to climb the tree and a bird flushed from the nest. It was not a Red-shouldered Hawk. I did not get a great look but the bird started to vocalize and I realized it was a Coopers Hawk. I did not climb to the nest (it was a difficult climb). The Coopers Hawk was back on the nest in a matter of minutes but did not offer any great views, although the black, well defined cap on the head was observed.

      I continued to roam within 1/2 km of the nest site and when I was about 100 m from the Coopers Hawk nest I saw the new nest. With the binoculars I could see there was some down stuck on the edge of the nest but I couldn't see a bird on the nest. I started to climb the tree and a Red-shouldered Hawk flushed off the nest. It dove at me a couple of times giving great views. I did not climb to the nest (another potentially difficult climb). The bird was back on the nest within a few minutes.

      I could not believe that there were nests of two of NB's rarer hawks so close together in one place. I had observed Red-shouldered Hawks in this general area every year over the last three breeding seasons and had observed fledglings one year. So finding a nest in this area was not unexpected. In fact, I have observed Red-shouldered Hawks a few times in south-western NB, with family groups encountered twice. The Coopers Hawk was a complete surprise. I had never heard or observed a Coopers Hawk in this area,

      Of interest is that about 1 km away on the same ridge and on land with the same owner there is a Bald Eagle nest and a Barred Owl nest (about 250 meters apart). Both nests are active this year. The area is near where I live in Central Hampstead.

      On Wednesday I went back and climbed to both nests. The Cooper's Hawk nest contained 5 eggs and the adult was on the nest. The Red-shouldered Hawk nest contained 4 eggs and an incubating adult. Neither bird aggressively defended the nest although they did vocalize nearby and did fly bys. Two Red-shouldered hawks were evident but only one Cooper's Hawk.