Can we talk about my near-miss with a hawk nest during a removal?

I was removing a silver maple and didn't check the canopy properly. Halfway up, I spotted a red-tailed hawk nest with young birds. Had to stop immediately and contact wildlife services. It was a wake-up call to always inspect for wildlife, even on jobs that seem routine.

3 comments

3 Comments

mason7651mo ago

Spent ten minutes scanning a big elm with binoculars before climbing. Saw a pair of owlets tucked in a crook I would have missed. Now I make it a rule to do that scan in the morning light when birds are active. It adds maybe fifteen minutes to the setup, but it saves a lot of trouble later. That habit caught a nesting coopers hawk just last week.

walker.grace1mo ago

What @mason765 said about scanning first really hits home. In my experience, that kind of pause to look around saves headaches in all sorts of jobs, not just tree work.

lisa_reed1mo ago

Last spring, I almost took out a squirrel drey in an oak tree because I was in a hurry. My crew still gives me grief about it, calling me the "wildlife wrecker". I was so focused on the cut that I missed the chewed branches and nesting material. Now I do a full walk-around with binoculars, even if it adds time to the job.