The birds of prey, here in Davis, are in full nest-building mode. Yesterday I followed an adult, light morph Swainson’s Hawk that was carrying a stick and so found my first Swainson’s Hawk nest of the year being built near the top of a redwood tree on campus. This is the exact spot where a pair nested last year and is also where I saw my first Swainson’s Hawk this year. I have no idea if this is the same pair that held this territory last year, but it does seem likely.
Additionally, today I saw a White-tailed Kite in some grasses on the ground. As I watched, it took off with a bundle of dead grass in its beak. I was able to follow this bird to my first White-tailed Kite nest of the year. This nest is in the very top of a Valley Oak out near my lab. The tree is along a ditch that acts as a riparian corridor, although there is no water on the surface, through the otherwise agricultural land that fills the surrounding area.
Reblogged this on urbanperegrines.