This guy which ever kind of hawk he is has discovered my young Martin
family. He did spend more time checking out the sparrow S&K barn
though. I started to walk to the base of my Royal palm which got branches
imploded by lightning. He stared down at me as the young couple dive
bombed him. They were not bothering him till I started towards the tree.
did i mess up? anyone know what kind of hawk he is?
Osprey used to be called Fish Hawks - that gives a good suggestion that the martins and you have nothing to fear. There was, probably still is, a martin site near Christmas, Florida, where martins are nesting in old woodpecker cavities in palm trees. Very nearby is an active Osprey nest - perhaps nesting near the Osprey helps deter other hawks and owls from going after the martins.
Martins will alert and take off when any aerial predator approaches their site.
We have Eagles here on the lake and they try to rise above him, which is impossible. So eventually they just give him a wide berth and return after he leaves.
When I first moved to Florida I was catching small Jack Crevale off my dock and I
dropped a live 1 while I needed to get something and watched an Osprey
swoop down and grab it. I know your not supposed to feed them, it was an
accident, but I think I might do it once more as a peace offering. I hope my
SY are watching.
