A red-tailed hawk has built itself a unique home on top of a 150-foot-high traffic camera pole in Irving, Texas.
The hawk, named Rochelle, has made Rochelle Boulevard its home for the past decade. Nesting on a pole under a camera owned by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), she has laid eggs, cared for her offspring, and at times, amusingly stared into the camera lens, providing entertainment for the employees.
“The top of the high mast assembly has a cabinet where they nested at the very top of the cabinet,” said Craig Burgan, a traffic systems manager at TxDOT, in a press release.
TxDOT employees have grown fond of red-tailed hawks like Rochelle.
“We love them. They’re entertaining, especially during hatching season when we can witness the chicks growing and feeding,” Mr. Burgan shared.
Rochelle has spent a significant amount of time beautifying her nest and nurturing her young, with her unnamed partner occasionally pitching in but Rochelle being the primary caregiver.
News of the red-tailed hawk and her offspring has spread throughout the region. Local media has shown “strong interest,” according to Burgan, and has reported on this special hawk family in several broadcasts.
Earlier this year, Rochelle laid two eggs, and TxDOT camera monitors eagerly anticipated the hatching of her chicks. Unfortunately, the eggs were blown away by strong winds. Rochelle was also reported missing around the same time, “not returning to the nest,” as stated in the press release.
As Rochelle returns to her nest each year, TxDOT employees believe she will come back next year to lay eggs once again. They hope to see the chicks hatch from new eggs.
Tony Hartzel, the public information officer for TxDOT in Dallas, stated in an email to The Epoch Times, “Rochelle returns to her nest every year, and TxDOT looks forward to seeing her again next spring.”
The original article “Red-Tailed Hawk Has Made a Texas Highway Camera Her Home for a Decade: ‘They’re Fun to Watch'” was published on the English version of The Epoch Times website.