Red-tailed Hawk letter

My friend Bruce maintains a weblog about urban Red-tailed Hawks. He received the following letter and photo through his blog and forwarded it to me. I just had to post it. Note her comment at the end about the increase in birds at the reservoir. It shows that even someone who isn't a trained biologist or birdwatcher is able to notice and appreciate the benefits of an urban forest:

From: Miss----
Date: February 23, 2008
Subject: Redtail Hawk In Highland Park Brooklyn

Hi,

I really wanted to share this with someone but I didn't know with who...

I was trying to find a website in which people can go to when they see any song birds or birds of prey. I lived next to Highland park for approximately twenty-five years. The past two years I've seen some hawks flying high. But, this past week I've seen a hawk twice. Last Saturday, one was perched high on a tree located on Atlantic Ave. and Rockaway.

Then today, I was sitting in my room with my cockatiel sitting on the window sill. I left the room momentarily and my bird was screaming.... literally screaming. I rushed into the room to see a large bird swooping away from the window towards the telephone pole in the yard. I was just amazed how beautiful and large this bird staring at me.
Here's a pic.

Sorry it's blurred but I took it through a double pane window.

There's been an increase of different species of birds in Highland Park since the Ridgewood Reservoir has become a forest in the past twenty years.

Thank You for listening,

Miss C

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