Monitoring the Hawk Nests
Oak Park/River Forest, IL
Thursday 28 May 2020
80 °F
This evening, I set out to monitor two Cooper’s and one Red-shouldered Hawk nest in Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois.
I couldn’t find the first Cooper’s Hawk nest which was supposed to be around the corner of Chicago & Euclid in Oak Park, but I did find the adult male bird with recently-caught avian prey:
A female AMERICAN KESTREL was also in the area, cool! Maybe she is nesting around the area, too...
Next, it was off to the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nest at the corner of Iowa & Clinton in River Forest where I found not, one or two, but THREE nestlings! Super cool for this uncommon hawk species for the local area. The nestlings had grown quite a bit since my last observation of this nest, and multiple of them were flapping their wings, indicating an upcoming fledging! Please, please, stay in the area for my June 1 big day! 
One of the younger siblings:
What an alien! Unfortunately, I didn’t see the adult birds while I visited, but I am sure they were in the area — possibly off hunting for the young ones.
And the last stop was back in Oak Park at another COOPER’S HAWK nest at 830 Fair Oaks Ave where one of the adult birds was sitting on the nest — you can see the tail protruding over the edge.
Amazing! Bird-of-the-day to the Red-shouldered Hawks with runners-up to the American Kestrel & Cooper’s Hawks. Stay tuned: tomorrow I will head to Deer Grove Forest Preserve to check for breeding birds, late migrants, and salamanders (hopefully some Tiger and Spotted!)
Good birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1115 Species
Thank you so much for this great info! I’ll be looking for these beauties on my walks now!
by Lisa McKenn