(Photo taken on Conservancy mitigation lands by Conservancy staff.)
This is extraordinary. A beautiful specimen of a Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni) in a freshly-harvested tomato field on Conservancy mitigation lands. And there were at least 10 others at the site when this photo was taken.
It’s mid-October, which is unusual as the birds are typically headed south on their annual migration by now. Is it the warm weather we’ve been having late this year that has delayed the migration? Is it the abundant food resources available on these fields, specifically farmed with Swainson’s hawk-friendly crops? Or both?
We felt it important to document this surprise; a pleasant surprise for us. If the birds want to fatten up prior to migration, and they can use Conservancy mitigation lands for that very purpose, then we’ve made a positive difference.
