One Red Tail Chick Safe Two Killed at Rhode Island Country Club

LONE SURVIVING RED TAIL CHICK DOING WELL AT REHAB FACILITY.  SEE THE PIECE NBC 10 RAN ON THE STORY.

Update on the story we reported on Wednesday regarding the cutting down of a dying pine tree near the 15th tee at the Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington, RI - that had a Red Tail Hawk nest in it with three chicks.

As a result of the club cutting down the tree two of the three chicks were killed.  One was rescued and is doing well at a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Westerly, RI.  The chick somehow survived the fall of the tree and was left under a nearby cedar tree for nearly a day before it was rescued.  The rescue was facilitated by a local birder and not the golf club.

Today in a statement to Providence NBC affiliate WJAR, Rhode Island Country Club president Gary McClane called the incident a "tragic accident."  He told NBC 10 that the club was taking down some dying trees. He said the groundskeeper knew that there was a nest there but did not think it was active and that he hadn't seen any hawks in a while.

McLane said it was unintentional and that, "a terrible mistake was made…the last thing we would do is callously take down a nest like that."

The rescued bird is doing well at a RI rehab facility.  "It’s not an injury, it's just that he's too young to be on his own," said Vivian Maxon, of the Born to Be Wild Nature Center. "So, I don't know how he ended up with no injuries.

"Our goal, as far as wildlife rehabilitation, is to just raise him to an age where he can fly and get back up into the tree, and then the parents will take over the feedings and will raise them."

Maxon said they plan on releasing the hawk in about three weeks.

The Rhode Island Country Club is the host of the upcoming CVS Caremark Charity Classic golf tournament.  I attempted to contact tournament director Greg Costello for comment and have not heard back from him.

Immediately upon learning about the incident Tuesday evening and seeing the down tree firsthand, I contacted the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. 

Red Tail Hawks are protected by the Migratory Bird Act .

Comments

[John Maxson]

The Red-tailed Hawk baby is being returned to Barrington tomorrow (Tuesday) at 4:00 pm. Vivian talked them into putting up a platform in one of the other pine trees and so we are reuniting the chick with the parents, great news!!!!!

John

[Michael Shandrick]

Thanks to your blog and updates on the baby hawks incident. I am a golf blogger and have recently become quite upset by the insensitivity of golf course designers and superintendents in cutting down trees. At the US Open last week at Oakmont, near Pittsburg, the announcers were shilling for the Oakmont course and telling the world that 5,000 trees were cut for the Open. There was no mention of the life giving and sustaining nature of trees. This kind of insensitivity discredits those of us who are horrified about the lack of any progressive thinking going on among the golf industry. Several things concern me about the Red Tail Hawk Incident. How could the groundskeeper NOT know that hawks were nesting (I see hawks and eagles and they take up space when they land and take off) and 2) wasn't the cutting down of the tree suspicious? It was done in preparation of the CVS Carmark Classic Charity Classic. 3) all trees are said to be dying by those cutting them down. Chances are the trees will outlive the duffers at the Rhode Island Golf Club. Golf courses especially should be concerned about their carbon footprint, if not environmental ethics. Remember, these golf gardens have historically poured tons of oil-based petrochemicals and other toxic chemicals on the fairways making them and everyone less safe, including the wildlife that we share the planet with. Glad to know someone was on the ball and called this to the attention of public everywhere. (I also contacted the executive director and tournament director for comment and have not heard back.)