It’s nesting season! Keep that in mind when working outside!

From Birding Nevada:
“Some birds are nesting already so it’s time for the occasional reminders about how not to disturb nests, especially owls and hawks.

Great Horned Owls already have owlets in the nest, some Red-tailed Hawks and hummingbirds are already on eggs, and Cooper’s Hawks are doing nest housekeeping (nestkeeping? ) to prepare for spring egg laying.

Our presence at nests prevents much needed sleep, adds stress, can prevent meal deliveries, and can draw the attention of predators who might destroy eggs or eat chicks.

These warnings are also for your own safety. A protective parent Great Horned Owl at Sunset Park in Las Vegas recently struck a dog; the dog needed veterinarian care. Parent owls, hawks, mockingbirds, and others often issue warnings in the form of vocalizations, threatening postures, or swooping at humans and other animals, and sometimes they make contact! Don’t risk it! Some birds—like the aforementioned Sunset Park owls and the UNLV Cooper’s Hawks who are known to attack people—repeatedly nest in areas with high pedestrian traffic so we might think that they’re very comfortable with people (and pets), but they often make a distinction between people walking by and people stopping to stare. They know when they are being watched. Give occupied nests lots of space (100 yards or more) and don’t look longer than a few minutes. Use binoculars (often with 10x or 12x magnification) or a spotting scope (25-50x or -60x). Superzoom “bridge” cameras also help us keep our distance (1200-3000mm equals 35-85x magnification). Even with a good distance, if a parent bird looks at me, I immediately stop looking and leave. That’s a very good rule of thumb.”