Red-shouldered hawks rehabilitated; released last week
Red-shouldered hawks are medium-sized hawks, smaller than red-tailed hawks. Their breeding range spans eastern North America (including Middlesex County) and along the coast of California and northeastern-central Mexico.
After falling from their nest in Chick Cove subdivision in Hardyville, two very lucky baby brother and sister red-shouldered hawks came home Saturday, July 19, as juvenile hawks to meet their rescuers and to be released back near where they fell from their nest.
Cheryl Jackson of Chick Cove and her friend, Missy Albanese of Urbanna, were on their way to Jackson’s home in the car on May 22 when they saw two small birds on the side of the road in Chick Cove.
“We saw something (birds) in the road and turned around and went back,” said Jackson. “Missy moved the birds to the side of the road and we went home to decide what to do. We did not know where they came from but we took a picture and started calling wildlife places.”
They finally reached wildlife officials who said they looked like baby red-tailed hawks, probably dehydrated and that the first three days would decide their future. They were directed to the nonprofit organization “The Mended Nest” and bird rehabilitator Lisa Traxx-Burianek of Newport News to help them.
Jackson and Albanese went back and got the birds and drove them to Newport News to be cared for by The Mended Nest. “The people caring for them have been so kind and keeping Missy and me in the loop,” said Jackson. “The wildlife people have taught them how to fly and find food. It was a brother and sister and there had been a bad storm the night before. We wondered if that is how they fell out of the nest.”
Traxx-Burianek said that the birds were rescued at the right time as they were dehydrated, but other than that they were in good health. The Mended Nest rehabilitates birds and part of that is teaching baby birds to fly. They have flight enclosures for teaching flight and rehabilitating.
The birds were obviously taught well. Although it took a few minutes to nudge them from the carry boxes, when they did move they darted out of the boxes and let out a screeching sound as if to say, “We are back home and we want you all to know it!”
Albanese said this made her feel so good to have saved the birds. “We just could not let them stay there and die in the road,” she said. After watching the birds fly to a nearby tree she said, “we did the right thing.”
Traxx-Burianek and her husband David Burianek are licensed by the U.S. Department of Wildlife and the State of Virginia to handle and rehabilitate migratory birds. She works with birds from hummingbirds to vultures.
The nonprofit organization The Mended Nest survives totally by donations. Anyone interested in contacting the firm about an injured bird or helping the firm through donations can reach them by emailing MendednestRehab@gmail.com or calling 757-239-2287. Visit The Mended Nest website at www.themendednestofvirginia.org.
There are two, brother and sister, red-shouldered hawks in Hardyville who think The Mended Nest is a pretty good program, along with the goodwill of Jackson and Albanese.
