It was mid-morning just a few weeks ago and I was out in the garden planting some raspberry bushes. Raspberries are one of Nature’s superfoods – loaded with antioxidants, important nutrients including vitamin C, and fiber. One of my favorite fruits!
It was a perfect sunny morning and except for the occasional faint rustling of leaves, there wasn’t much noise.
I had dug several holes for the bushes and was taking a rest. Just then I heard a strange sound – it sounded like a dog panting slowly right above my head. I looked all around, and then straight up. Above me were two very large birds circling. They flapped in circles – maybe one hundred feet above the ground. I could tell they were predatory birds – dark brown, with strong necks, aquiline beaks and stout legs with talons. These were Red Hawks who were courting each other. What happened next I would never have believed if I didn’t witness it myself: the two birds embraced back to back - their claws locked together. They formed a winged ‘helicopter’ and whirled down towards earth, spiraling down, down, down. The conjoined birds broke off only about 15 or 20 feet above the ground, which seemed frightfully close to impact. The birds flew off together – soon out of sight.
To find out more, I went to a ‘A Place Called Hope’. The people there were wild life rehabilitators who cared for injured, orphaned or sick birds of prey in southern Connecticut. I was happy to see they were doing great work to care for these birds.
I felt so lucky to see such an amazing display of Nature! -RW
You are very fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time!!! Red Tailed Hawks display this courting behavior every spring as they re-unite and re-establish their bond and ritualistically embrace and lock talons in a display of ultimate “trust” as they plumet to earth. Impressive! Bald Eagles do the same thing! Lucky you for witnessing this incredible ritual!