Just curious, but is it me or have there been a ton of hawks around? It was a rarity for me in years passed to see a hawk - this year, especially recently, I've seen what I consider to be many. Just over the last couple of days I've had a RT, three different RS (based on plummage), at least two Coopers, and a Sharpie. I couldn't help but wonder if hawks are doing well locally or if they are being squeezed into smaller and smaller areas to hunt (and my yard certainly offers enough prey to say the least). Was wondering what others thought about this. Donna Lorello Branford

Hello Donna, I think what we're seeing right now is weather-related. There are definitely a lot of Red-tailed Hawks around, and I'm sure we've had an incursion from north and west tied to the snowy conditions. Birds like the Red-tail, and many owls, that are rodent dependent, have to move to greener (or less white) pastures when there's heavy, persistent snow cover. It's much easier for mice, voles etc to hide in tunnels under the snow than in winter vegetation. I remember a few snowy winters in the past where Long-eared Owls moved into evergreen roosts in people's backyards, where feeders attracted rodents at night. Red-shouldered Hawks tend to be conspicuous under these conditions, too, because they like to perch low in the sun when possible. As noted before on this list, they sometimes even visit suet feeders. In a similar vein, cold, snowy conditions are bringing lots of birds to feeders, people are putting out more food and Accipiters can't resist. Why track down one nuthatch in the woods, when you can hang out near a feeder with dozens (or even hundreds) of birds and nab one at your leisure. Greg Hanisek Waterbury ----- Original Message ----- From: "sunshine" <sunny19682@comcast.net> To: <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 10:10 AM Subject: [CT Birds] tons of hawks > Just curious, but is it me or have there been a ton of hawks around? It > was a rarity for me in years passed to see a hawk - this year, especially > recently, I've seen what I consider to be many. Just over the last couple > of days I've had a RT, three different RS (based on plummage), at least > two Coopers, and a Sharpie. I couldn't help but wonder if hawks are doing > well locally or if they are being squeezed into smaller and smaller areas > to hunt (and my yard certainly offers enough prey to say the least). > > Was wondering what others thought about this. > > Donna Lorello > Branford > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) > for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org > >

Hi Folks Some comments to support Greg's observations. In the past when we had heavy winters. (I remember in the mid70's 4 of the 5 Great Lake would freeze over) In mid January we had what I called the winter migration. There would be hawks everywhere. The Lordship Marsh would hold several Snowy Owls and Rough-legs at the same time in one view. Dennis Varza Fairfield On Feb 4, 2009, at 4:06 PM, Greg Hanisek wrote: > Hello Donna, > > I think what we're seeing right now is weather-related. There are > definitely a lot of Red-tailed Hawks around, and I'm sure we've had > an incursion from north and west tied to the snowy conditions. > Birds like the Red-tail, and many owls, that are rodent dependent, > have to move to greener (or less white) pastures when there's > heavy, persistent snow cover. It's much easier for mice, voles etc > to hide in tunnels under the snow than in winter vegetation. I > remember a few snowy winters in the past where Long-eared Owls > moved into evergreen roosts in people's backyards, where feeders > attracted rodents at night. > > Red-shouldered Hawks tend to be conspicuous under these conditions, > too, because they like to perch low in the sun when possible. As > noted before on this list, they sometimes even visit suet feeders. > > In a similar vein, cold, snowy conditions are bringing lots of > birds to feeders, people are putting out more food and Accipiters > can't resist. Why track down one nuthatch in the woods, when you > can hang out near a feeder with dozens (or even hundreds) of birds > and nab one at your leisure. > > Greg Hanisek > Waterbury > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "sunshine" <sunny19682@comcast.net> > To: <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> > Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 10:10 AM > Subject: [CT Birds] tons of hawks > > >> Just curious, but is it me or have there been a ton of hawks >> around? It was a rarity for me in years passed to see a hawk - >> this year, especially recently, I've seen what I consider to be >> many. Just over the last couple of days I've had a RT, three >> different RS (based on plummage), at least two Coopers, and a >> Sharpie. I couldn't help but wonder if hawks are doing well >> locally or if they are being squeezed into smaller and smaller >> areas to hunt (and my yard certainly offers enough prey to say the >> least). >> >> Was wondering what others thought about this. >> >> Donna Lorello >> Branford >> _______________________________________________ >> This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological >> Association (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in >> Connecticut. >> For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/ >> mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org >> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association > (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/ > mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org