Reason for a Change-Mitch’s Blog

The squirrels in Dunn’s Woods are a happy bunch, but they must be very wary of the Cooper’s hawks in spring and early summer. But with so many people around, there is always something to eat, and all the squirrels look healthy.

I’ve counted and mapped all the nests in the woods, and at the beginning of this spring, there were over 30 nests visible. But I don’t think they are all inhabited, there seem to be no more than a dozen squirrels active in the woods. This guy is relaxing near Bryan Hall where someone threw down some cracked corn.

I was walking around last week when I thought to stop by last year’s hawk next in the woods, I thought I heard a hawklike squawk, then saw one fly into an upper branch about a hundred feet from the nest. This week I saw a pair, I am pretty sure the bigger one is the female, and she flew onto a branch with the male, and proceeded to eat what looked like a small mammal, while he kept watch.

Then today I saw what appears a new nest a few hundred yards from the bigger original, and I’ve seen the mom sitting on the nest, and the dad swooping down from the incredibly high beech tree and fly through the woods. If I stand on one of the pathways for a while, I am able to spot one of them, often after hearing them call. In a few weeks, the babies will be calling for food all day long, that is how I spotted them last year, and I will be keeping a close eye on their growth.

Two weekends ago, Jojo and I saw a courting display by hawks on the ridge overlooking Lake Lemon, and the week before I saw the same at Dubois Ridge Rd.