I've seen on other threads that some people have suggested to stop feeding the other birds and other little critters in the area and the hawks will move as the others move off due to lack of food. We don't feed the local wildlife, of which there is usually very little. Is there something that will just annoy the hawks into wanting to relocate? We're not, by bird standards, terribly far from the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge, 20 miles or so. And the Adirondacks are only 150 miles away. Could we gently nudge them in that direction? Another thing, one of my co-workers thought the bird still might be migrating north, that this is just a stop over on its way home. Is this likely in Upstate New York this time of year (it's still very cold, we had snow last night), or is the bird here to stay? Most of my neighbors in the eight square blocks on this side of town also have small dogs, so we are all concerned. We are in hope that the big birds in question haven't found a new home here with our pets on the menu.

I've had birds for many years and currently have a pair of cockatiels. It's always amazed me as to how they communicate with each other and share the parenting duties while breeding a clutch of eggs. Most birds are social and very flock dependent. Without any romanticism involved, they definitely mourn the loss of their mate. Some die from the loneliness afterward. While wild birds may be less attached to their mate and have stronger instincts for survival, their bodies still experience normal hormonal changes when breeding that make them more attached to their mate & their young. That poor male is surely very confused over his missing family. I've lived in several areas that had many different animals that caused havoc with pets and people, alligators and snakes in the south, coyotes in California, and raccoons and deer here in Michigan. When ever someone complains about them causing trouble I have only one thought and that's that they were here first and it's part of living in the area that we choose to live in. I wonder what they think when they almost get hit by our cars, or can't find food because a builder has bulldozed their forest down.

Ohh.. very nice and fragrant too....

I know what you e Jane. I miss his contributions to the forum too. I'll have to tell him that he's missed. He sells his excess plants on eBay and I think his business is growing. He told me he thinks he does have a couple divisions of this Catt. He should be back in town, I need to email him again.