Not to be the third person to mention the Sugarloaf CBC in a single day, but
during this year's count, just in my sector of the count circle, I saw 6-8
Red-tails (I don't have my notes with me) all paired up. This seemed
unusually early in the season for these birds to have reformed their bonds.
Although I didn't see any display behavior, I had been under the impression
that resident Red-tail pairs range from aloof to outright antagonistic
towards each other outside of the breeding season. This led me to believe
that seeing these birds sharing the same tree, huddled on the same branch,
and even, at one point, apparently pair grooming, meant that repairing had
already occured. Does this seem early to anyone else, or is my understanding
of Red-tail pair behavior outside of the breeding period off base?

On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 2:13 PM, James Meyers <>wrote:

> Mid to late February is a good time of year to observe Red-tailed hawks as
> they form (or re-form) their pair bonds in preparation for nesting season.
>  Over the past 2 weeks I've seen at least 3 pair and possibly up to 5 pair
> of Red-tails at Cromwell Valley Park performing various displays.
>  Highlights included 1 pair vigorously chasing off an immature Bald eagle
> and a 2nd pair lock talons briefly.  On the 22nd, 23rd and today ( the 24th)
> we witnessed Red-tails mating, and one pair of Bald eagles were seen mating
> just north of Cromwell at Loch Raven Reservoir, also today.
>
> The view of the south-east (BGE line) ridge is very good in the afternoon
> sun, affording a look at Red-tail activity over a 3 mile stretch, from
> Hickey School to the east and the Beltway to the south-west. By patiently
> observing this ridge, we can get an idea of how many Red-tails are nesting
> in our area.
>
> Jim Meyers
> Parkville Md
>



-- 
Alex Baish
Ijamsville, MD (home)
Baltimore, MD (work/school)