In Our Backyard 01/06/12

Albany, NY – Listener Malcolm Anderson writes that for years he and his wife watched harrier hawks from their bedroom window in on their farm near Stockport in Columbia County, New York. But, for several years they have not seen the hawks.

Anderson says they have seen some red-tailed hawks, but no harriers. Are these harriers hiding, or are there some more significant ecological factors in play?

In addition to his hawk query, Anderson notes that his late brother-in-law used to routinely fish the Punsit Creek, an area also frequented and familiar to former New York State Wildlife Pathologist Ward Stone.