Yesterday was a really nice sunny day with cool breezes. To the north of our pasture there was a hawk perched in the top of a willow tree. We thought it was Big Bird but it turned out to be Flint or Flora. The red tail took off up into the sky & gave us a real air show from far off hunting for prey.

We could hear some squawking in the wooded pasture not far away from where we were sitting in the shade on a log. It was Big Bird he/she was perched high up in an oak tree not far from the red tail nest. Usually by this time the red tail chicks are over in the neighbors pasture where we saw Flint or Flora. It is nice & open with over there along a creek, a place where the parents can do a food drop & the chick is safer in the open where it can see a long distance. The only thing I can think of is seeing as Big Birds nest mate didn't survive there is no competition for food so why move?

I really do miss two chicks competing for food & learning the ropes from their parents. Flora is getting up there in age so maybe it is easier on her now with one chick this year. Flint has really improved his hunting skills over the years. The first year he was a father, Flora bought in prey 3 to his 1 but over the years he has really become a good provider for his family.

About three years ago I saw Flint fly into the trees where the chicks were perched not far from the nest in a dead elm tree. He bounced on the branch & would fly to another branch. It was like he was giving the chicks a lesson & trying to bloast their confidence.

It will be 11 years this summer that I met Flora. Actually Flint is Flora's second mate. My mom had passed away & I was feeling really blue. The dogs & I were on a walkies in the woods & stopped to rest for a bit. I looked up & saw this huge nest full of sticks. There was a huge bird up in the nest feeding some young & it flew down towards the dogs & I. I thought it was going to scrap my head & then swooped up into the air. After that as they say the rest is history.
Flora & Flint have raised many young red tails on our farm. They moved their nest a couple of years ago too a black cherry tree. Their territory consists of woods, open farm land with hay fields, farm ponds, & pastures where cattle graze. Flint & Flora live here year round & they have met many challenges sharing their territory with eagles, turkey vultures, owls, kestrels, coopers hawks, & red shoulder hawks, along with the invading raccoons enemies of all birds.

Flora has brown feathering on her head I call it dark chocolate. Flint has blonde feathering on his head. That is how I can tell them apart & Flora is larger in size.

Right now they have one chick Big Bird. Big Bird has fledged. There was a lot younger chick Little Bird a good 10-14 days younger then Big Bird. Little Bird has disappeared & the last time I saw it, it was in the nest on Sunday. I am thinking raccoon? Little Bird was feisty & holding its own but there is always murder & mayhem going on in the woods along with the peaceful scenes. You just never know what you a going to run into around the next corner?