[SBB] Question on RSHA

Good evening all....

Today I monitored the Great Blue Heron colony at Vasona.... 7 nests are occupied with 6 having chicks and one is egg laying. Nest 12 I saw only 1, Nest 2 I saw 2 and Nest 9 I saw 3...still very hard to see them....I am going on my 6th year of the studying them and today another first.... I had a Red-shouldered Hawk (they have nested in the park for the past 7 years and never bothered the herons) pair landed in the tree right next to the nest. I took a picture. And one Red-shouldered was on the edge of the limb with it's face down into the nest. The male heron was besides himself, taking his wings spreading them and covering the chicks. The heron was squawking and tilting it's head to watch the hawk at the nest and the one above the nest.

Here's my question.....I have read that Red-tails are a threat to GBHEs...but not RSHA...what would make this hawk go to this active nest with a large male in it. Also, has anyone seen a RSHA do this to a heron nest? When studying the colony today, I thought about why is this nest being bothered...and it was saw that it was the easiest for the hawk to get into.....but I still don't think of the Red-shouldered as a threat....hmmmm Then to boot the Crows have been a bother this year with the colony and today the crows were attacking the hawks at the nest. This poor male in nest 12.... Could RSHA carry off a live chick? With other easier prey why a GBHE chick?

Okay will check them again tomorrow....

Wishing you all good birding and my best regards,

Linda Sullivan

Great Blue Heron Day, April 28th..Vasona 11-3PM

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