2015's first RSH

Spring began today at a little past 10:30 in the morning when a sharp shriek pierced the walls of my house. To be sure, astronomical spring—the vernal equinox—doesn't arrive for another week, but by my natural history calendar, the growing season commences when our Red-shouldered Hawks return from the south and set up noisy housekeeping on the ridge. When I heard that unmistakeable call, I knew that a male RSH was in the neighborhood and letting everyone within earshot, including, no doubt, his mate, know that winter was over and it was time to get down to seasonal business. There was a nest site to claim and a nursery to construct—if the couple decided to use an old nest, there was rehab work to do—and there was that all-important matter of convincing the missus that, even though they were still the same couple, he remained the guy for her. He's started what will be daily displays of aerial ballet, and in short order, I expect to see the two of them flying together and sky-dancing. I might even spot them mating in a tree somewhere, perhaps on a potential nest, which, if I'm really lucky, will be close enough to watch throughout the child-rearing season.