Welcome to the Swainson's Hawk Watch

May 15, 2015 - A pair of Swainson's Hawks have been mating and building a new nest in a different neighborhood tree. I will try to start adding a few new 2015 photos of this pair as the summer progresses. (Scroll down on this page to see the 2015 blog posts in chronological order.)

July 3, 2015 - Sadly, the 3 chicks have fallen out of the nest and perished. This blog chronicles activities around the nest until this tragic event, with the July 3 post below the first you will read.

Note! These and additional photos (total = 154) are viewable in this Swainson's Hawks blog 2015 Picasa Web album.

Archive, May 2014 two Swainson's Hawks have been mating in a tree about a block from the old 2010 -2011 nest site. I have not seen them in a nest yet but have seen them mate three times in the same tree over a two day period.

Whenever possible I will try to post photos on this blog again this year, especially if we can identify the nest site where we can see the chicks growing and fledgling. Note! See the first photos below on the May 5, 2014 blog post below.

Archive 2010 & 2011.
In April of 2010, a pair of wild Swainson's Hawks decided to nest in our neighborhood in Boise, Idaho. This "Hawk Watch" will attempt to record words and photographs describing the Hawks behaviors, including the hatching & fledgling of chicks over the spring and summer. Many others who live in the neighborhood also watched the daily activities of the hawks and used this blog to keep up on my own observations and photographs.

Note! May 6, 2011 Two Red-tailed Hawks have settled on the old nest and appear to be laying on eggs now. See blog posts below. Here is a link to 56 Red-tailed hawk photographs from 2011 I uploaded to my Picasa Web Album.

Note! On March 12, 2011 two neighbors reported seeing a single hawk flying around and landing on the nest. Hopefully they will nest here again or nearby and we can continue the blog through 2011.
Note! Please Try to "Follow" the Blog and check in often. I am trying to update this site and the photo album at least once or twice a week. This page scrolls down to the blog entries below this introduction. The first blog entry you will see is the latest one. Scrolling the page down will reveal earlier posts in descending chronological order. And/or you can use the Blog Archive on the right side of the screen to see entries for May, through October 2010 and newer ones for 2011.
Please feel free to share this Blog with your family and friends. The URL you can email to them is:
http://swainsonshawkwatch.blogspot.com

Note ! I am posting "all" of the hawk images to an album in my Picasa Web account. Below is the web URL for that album. You can click on that hot link and/or also click on the Hawk lifting off branch photo to go to that album. As of October 3, there are 600 individual images in the album.

Note! When looking at a single photo in the album use the "full screen" icon for a larger, more impressive size!

Hawk lifting off branch

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Sunday, October 3, 2010

2 Swainson's Hawks in Clouds above Idaho Bird Observatory

We drove up the windy, bumpy, one lane dirt road 5 miles up to the Idaho Bird Observatory this afternoon.  As we parked and walked the 200 meters to the top of the peak a big thundercloud passed over and  drops of rain started to fall.  We almost started back, but this one black cloud passed over and we saw a nice rainbow before walking back to the top of the peak.  There we finally saw two Swainson's Hawks soaring together high in the clouds.  Down below a storm front was coming in from the west over Boise and we returned down the dirt road to the highway before another rain storm started.

Click image for a larger view!

Click image for a larger view!

Click image for a larger view!

20 Swainson's Hawks Soar Over Summer 2010 Nest Area

This morning about 10:AM a neighbor called me to report that she had just seen about 20 hawks soaring over the neighborhood nesting area.  She reported that they began to soar towards the east as she watched and called me.  I hurried over to the area and to a view to the east toward the foothills with my camera, but did not see the hawks.  I also went over to the hayfield, but did not see them there either.

Today, or in the next few days, I might try to go up to the Idaho Bird Observatory, where they are reporting seeing some hawks every day.

Meanwhile, I found two photos I took of a Swainsons hawk flying nearby while we were in the Bear Valley area before we visited Dagger Falls on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River last July 4.  I will post these below.

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

"Kettle" of flying Hawks (some Swainson's) seen above Panama

I found a few photos showing hawks bunching up into "kettles" as they soar and migrate south during the fall.  This and other similar images can be found on the following "Picsearch page site" provided by Panama Birding.com

Click on the image for a larger view!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Swainson's Hawk Soars and Watches Hay Bales Being Gathered.

This morning the farmer using his tractor and machine to gather up the last one third of the hay bales in the field.   I walked through the field hoping that a hawk might make an appearance and finally one did.  It soared, banked and hovered over the field for a few minutes then disappeared in the distance.  It never did come to the ground while I was watching.   Below are a few photographs I was able to capture.

Note that for many of the photos in the photo album I was using a 300 mm lens on a digital camera, which translates to 450 mm.  I dropped this lens one day an it is being repaired.  Meanwhile I have been using a 200 mm lens, (digital 300 mm)  The hawk photos below would be somewhat closer with the larger lens.  Also this hawk was up in the sky quite a ways.  Sorry!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Hawks Visit Hay Field Mowed for the 3rd Time

 In the past several days I have only seen one hawk soaring way above the Straw Bale House on September 4.

Click on the image for a larger view!

However, In the past two days I have seen two hawks near the hayfield that has been mowed for the 3rd time this year. The first time was yesterday, Sunday September 12.  At first I did not see any hawks, but then I heard a crow making a lot of noise.  As I looked around in the sky I finally saw one hawk flying over the field with a crow in pursuit.  Today, about the same time I saw one hawk fly past from the field going toward the nest site.  I was not able to get a photo as it flew past.  When I walked past the nest site and the favorite perching tree a few minutes later I did not see the hawk.

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Idaho Bird Observatory trapped a Swainson's Hawk

On the Idaho Bird Observatory's Facebook page there is a "Wall Photo" of a Swainson's Hawk that was caught in the migratory bird traps on Lucky Peak on Tuesday August 31. (Click on the link above to see the photo in a large view! Or, click on the link below to see the Facebook Page)

Idaho Bird Observatory Jay Carlisle with the Swainson's Hawk he trapped on tuesday. thanks to Rob Miller for the great photo! :)



Thursday, September 2, 2010

Hawk Flies off, returns to tree and Flies Off Again

Last evening September 1,  before sunset, I saw one hawk in the favorite perching tree with the light behind it.  It looked like it might fly and I took a couple of photos before and when it took off.   I was about to walk away when it returned and landed awkwardly on one of the small branches of the tree.  I captured a few photos of this landing, again with the light behind the hawk.  It stayed there and I decided to walk around to the cul-de-sac street where I could see the light shining on the hawk.  Before long it took off again and I was able to get one good image of the color of the underside of its wings.  I believe this is one of the young hawks from the nest this summer.

Click on the Image for a Larger View!


Click on the Image for a Larger View!


Click on the Image for a Larger View!


Click on the Image for a Larger View!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

3 Hawks Seen Flying Around Favorite Tree

On Sunday August 29, about 4:30 PM  a neighbor left a message on my phone that she was watching 3 hawks flying around the favorite perching tree.  I did not get the message until nearly dark and the hawks were not around then.

However on the next evening, Monday, it was cloudy and getting dark when I walked past the tree and saw two hawk silhouettes  perched in the tree as looked west in the direction of the setting sun.  I took a few photos at that place, but I knew from past experiences that there was a cul de sac street  around the corner where I could get a view looking east and possibly see and photograph some feather colors, even though there was no sunlight at all.

Interestingly, one of the hawks had much lighter colored breast colors than any of the hawk family I had taken photos of during the summer from this neighborhood area.  The second hawk was darker colored and probably was one of the young hawks from the family.   As I watched and took a few photographs the light colored hawk flew off first and several minutes later, as it the light was fading even more, the dark colored hawk followed.

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!


Click on the image for a larger view!


Click on the image for a larger view!


Click on the image for a larger view!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Swainson's Hawk Migration Map

I just came across a blog called "Contact Calls" that contained a very interesting post titled "Swainson's Hawks - A Meditation."  This describes the hawk migration as one of the "great natural spectacles that our world has to offer" and is a pleasure to read.

In addition the post includes a neat map showing the Swainson's Hawks migration route from North America to far South in Argentina.
Swainson's hawk migration route. Data from USGS, Snake River Field Station, from 30 birds fitted with satellite tracking devices.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Neighbor calls to report seeing Hawks in Perching Tree

Last night a neighbor who lives close to the perching tree with no leaves on top said she had seen two hawks in the tree earlier on Sunday afternoon.  I asked her to call me by phone if she saw any hawks in the tree again.   About sunset she called and said one hawk had returned.  I was able to shoot a few shots of the young hawk and a few minutes of video just at sunset. Look closely a the first photo below and you will see the hawk is standing on one foot.  The hawk flew while I had the video camera running and I will try to post this video as time permits.

This morning the neighbor called again reporting a hawk in the tree.  I had been shooting still photos of the final stages of the Straw Bale house construction, so I rode my bike over and was able to get a couple of shots of the young hawk in the tree.  It was making some screeching sounds so I decided to hurry back home to get the HD video camera with a good directional microphone to see if I could capture this sound.  Unfortunately the hawk was gone by the time I returned.  I went past the hay field too but did not see any hawks there.  I will try to carry the video camera a microphone in the next few days to try to catch the sound these young hawks make while they are perching.

Click on the Image for a Larger View!

Click on the Image for a Larger View!

Click on the Image for a Larger View!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Young Hawk Returns to Favorite Perching Tree

This afternoon it was hot, in the high 90's, but a cloud front moved in about 5: PM.  I decided to visit the hawk nest area and was surprised to see one of the young hawks perching in the favorite tree without leaves on top.  It had its wings spread a little, probably to dissipate the heat.  I was able to take photos showing the hawks chest and some small white spots that look like chick feathers that have not yet come out.  Another shot from the back shows the hawk with its wings slightly spread.  As I was leaving I could hear the hawk crying out and moving around on the branch.  I was able to get a couple of photos of it preparing to jump and in the sky and soaring away into the distance toward the hay field.  I went past the field but could not see this one or any of the other hawks.

Click on the Image for a Larger View!

Click on the Image for a Larger View!

Click on the Image for a Larger View!

Click on the Image for a Larger View!

Empty Swainson's Hawk Nest in Sycamore Tree

As of today, I have not seen any of the Swainson's Hawk family members near the nest, or the favorite perching tree or near the hay field.  A few times we have heard hawk sounds above or near our house but have not seen them.  Probably we will see one or more of the hawks soaring in the sky in the next several weeks before they start their migration.  If I get a chance I will try to photograph them in the neighborhood.  I also play to visit the Idaho Bird Observatory research site located at Lucky Peak, the southernmost peak on the Boise Foothills Ridge.  The web site (hot link with directions above) notes that the best time to see the Hawk Watch migration and Hawk Banding program is September through the first week of October.

Note! during the spring and summer I did shoot some High Definition video of the Hawks in and around the nest.  As time permits this fall I plan to edit several sequences showing different aspects of their behaviors and sounds and post them on this blog site.  Visit once in a while to see these video pieces as I get them ready.

Two photographs below show the Sycamore Tree where the Swainson's Hawks raised the two chicks this summer.  As noted in an earlier blog pose here the cold wet spring weather inhibited the early leaf growth of Sycamores in Boise.  As the summer progressed more leaves appeared, but we always had a good view of the nest because of the hole in the leaves.  These photos show the whole top of the tree with the nest area visible an a closer shot of the hole in the leaves as it now exists.  Unfortunately, we may not see the hawks in the nest again this year.  There is a pretty good chance the adult hawks will come back and try to use the nest again next spring.

Click Image for a Larger View!

Click Image for a Larger View!

Monday, August 16, 2010

Young Hawk Returns to Favorite Tree

This evening a hawk was again perched in the favorite tree with no leaves on top near the nest.  The breast feathers below the hawk's chin are definitely darker that the young hawks a few weeks, or even a week ago.  However, a very small white feather was clearly visible in these dark breast feathers.  As the hawk flew off one of these white feathers floated in the sky. (See the photo from this morning) Because of this I now believe this is one of the young hawks returning to the familiar favorite tree sometimes at least once or twice a day, possibly more often.  I was lucky to get a couple of shots of this one starting to fly from the tree this evening.

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Young? Hawk Visits Favorite Tree Near Nest

This morning I saw one hawk in the favorite perching tree with no leaves on the top branches.  Yesterday I thought the hawk on the tree was one of the adults.  However, because of its apparent smaller size in profile, I now think this must be one of the young hawk chicks coming back to familiar territory.  I have not seen one in the nest a hundred yards away for several days, but for the last few days one has been seen in this tree. This morning this young hawk jumped from branch to branch before flying off. Unfortunately,  I did not get a photo of this final action.
Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Look for the white "chick" feather floating above the left wing!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Look for the white "chick" feather floating above the left wing!
Click on the image for a larger view!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Female Hawk Visits Bare Tree By Nest

Last evening about 6: PM I could see a hawk in the favorite bare tree about 100 yards from the nest.  Looking closely at the dark feathers on her breast underneath her chin, I believe this is the female mother hawk.  Looking back at the photos from this morning it appears that they also may be the mother hawk instead of one of the young hawk chicks.  They have a distinctly varied mottling coloring in this same breast area under the chin.

I waited for her to fly to try to capture a good shot of her taking off.  However, just as I moved the camera to avoid one of the tree limbs she took off and I missed the good shot I wanted.  When they decide to take off there is usually not many signs.  Sometimes they ruffle their feathers and start to look out just before they take off.  But often, within a split second they jump and are in the air.  Luckily, during the spring and summer I have been able to capture this jump - fly behavior a few times.  You can see these in the photo album that now totals 553 images.

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Click on the image for a larger view!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Crows Attack Young Hawk in The Sky

 As the young hawk flew off from the tree this morning,  suddenly 4 crows flew by and started  chasing the hawk. A couple of the crows continued to harass the hawk in the sky for a minute and finally one of the crows followed and dove at the hawk for several minutes as they both soared high in the sky and finally out of my sight.

Click the image for a larger view!

Click the image for a larger view!

Click the image for a larger view!

Click the image for a larger view!

Young Hawk Perched on Bare Tree By Nest

This morning about 11:AM I saw one of the young hawks perched in the favorite bare tree top a hundred yards from the nest.  It was preening and looking around, but I did not hear any hawk cries, nor did I see the other sibling hawk or either of the parents.

Click on the image for a Larger view!

Click on the image for a Larger view!

Click on the image for a Larger view!