June 4, 2020

Yesterday, I was wandering through the woods looking for downed trees from the storm a few days ago.  I noticed a large branch had fallen from the big cottonwood below the ledge. This Spring we saw a large nest with 2 chicks in the cottonwood that we thought probably belonged to red-tailed hawk.  I was concerned about the nest so I headed down the steep ledge slope to check things out.

At the base of the cottonwood, I found this young red-tailed hawk.  It did not look so hot; not moving much and having what looked like a gash on the neck.  During the storm it must have fallen out of the nest way up high in the Cottonwood. 

I knew enough not to disturb it but was worried about the coyotes so I left it there and then contacted Wildlife of Wisconsin (W.O.W.), a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Cato, WI to figure out what to do.  After looking at the photos I had taken, Sue at W.O.W. told me they would take the hawk.  Sue would send a local volunteer to capture and crate it.  I would deliver it to Cato.

This is Jessica – a W.O.W. volunteer. Lickety-split she was on her way to Kay’s Ledge. I met her there, and we hiked down to the base of the cottonwood tree where the little hawk was still cowering.  She wrapped it in a towel, crated it, hauled it up the slope and put the crate in my car for delivery to W.O.W.

When we got to W.O.W., Jerry removed the hawk from the crate and carefully checked it out.  It seemed a little weak and it was favoring its left leg. 

He checked out the bloody area on its chest and chuckled; that “gash” was just dried blood from its last dinner!

Those talons look pretty wicked!

Jerry showed us its growing feathers.  Pin feathers were still emerging from its wings, and feathers were just beginning to sprout from its little tail. He said the hawk was about 4 to 5 weeks old; two weeks from fledging.  It probably would have not made it if I had not found it.  Overall, he seemed to be in decent shape for a positive outcome!

We left the hawk in the capable hands of W.O.W. for rehabilitation and future release. Thank you, Wildlife of Wisconsin!

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