[EBB Sightings] Martinez-Red-shouldered Hawk hunting lesson+Sandhill Cranes

For several weeks, we?ve been seeing a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk 
perch at the tops of nearby pines and keep up a continual call, similar 
to an adult hunting call, but without ceasing for many minutes. I 
assumed that it was a young juvenile calling a parent to supply it with 
food.

Today, I witnessed the parent (female?) and juvenile flying together, 
with the parent ?demonstrating? hunting behavior, complete with adult 
sound effects. They disappeared from view for a few moments, and the 
next thing I saw was the local flock of crows chasing the adult, while 
the juvenile made its ?begging call? from a perch across the creek.

The adult did a lot of diving and spinning for quite some time, eluding 
the crows until they finally returned to their treetop roost, one by 
one. Quite a lesson for the juvenile Red-shoulder.

Also note: the Sandhill Cranes are still in residence at Cosumnes River 
Preserve just off Interstate 5 at the Twin Cities exit.

Linda Ott
Martinez