Rochelle the Hawk: A Decade on Traffic Camera

The tales of specific birds and their exploits bring a sense of familiarity and warmth as they create memories to be told for years. In the past, we have had stories of Flaco, the escaped owl that captured the attention of NYC – and the world – for a full year, time-outs for cussing parrots in zoos, singing and dancing birds that bring an extra layer of happiness connecting to the threads of the world, and stories of well-chosen nesting locations that bring the world in on the process.

This article brings to you the tale of a certain red-tailed hawk, who has carefully chosen a 150-foot camera pole designed to monitor the highway SH114 and its Rochelle Blvd crossing in Irving, TX.

The hawk, now known as Rochelle because of the street that the camera monitors has nested at this pole for the last decade. Along with her male mate, the nests were constructed under the view of the camera giving the watchful employees of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) a front window into the entire nesting process that includes the laying, hatching, and nurturing of the assorted chicks over the decade. It must be considered a proper nest location for Rochelle as she continually and lovingly builds her annual nests on a cabinet near the camera.

The red-tailed hawk is common to the U.S. They breed and nest from February until late June. They diligently attend to their newly hatched chicks, bearing with them until they can fend and fly for themselves. The nesting areas they choose need to present a clear view of the area and provide a sense of comfort for the mama and papa hawks as they nurture their young hatchlings to their independent stage.

Watched Like a Hawk

On March 13, the TxDOT issued a write-up on the nesting mother and included a camera capture of the hawk and her comfortable stick-embroidered nest that she was nestling within.

Craig Bergen, the traffic systems administrator for TxDOT in Dallas, has said, “We love them. They’re fun to watch, especially when the eggs hatch and we can watch the chicks grow and feed. The local media has taken a keen interest and has featured them in several broadcasts.”

This year, an unfortunate wind became too much for the nest and the two newly laid eggs were blown from the nest and destroyed. The hawk pair recognized the situation and had since left the camera nest. The employees were devastated and mourned the annual event not only for the deprivation of watching a life process but for the loss that the hawks had to endure. But, as the hawks have been to the nest more than a few times, the employees recognize that the pair will likely return next year during the breeding and nesting period.

It’s not often that hawks, or any nesting birds give the world an open view of the process of life. When we’re given that window, we enjoy the process along with the birds, who are naturally extending the generations for the future. We hope the best for Rochelle and her mate as they go forward.