[RP TownTalk] heartbreak at Field of Dreams

[Euniverz at aol.com]

As you may all know, the town installed nets, about 20 or 30 feet tall by  
about 75 or 100 feet wide, across either end of the Field of Dreams soccer  
field, to prevent errant kicks from going in neighbors' yards or into the 
street  or onto the tracks.  They've been up for about two weeks or so.
 
I drive past every morning on my way to work.  This morning I saw what  
looked like a bag or a hooded sweatshirt on the net with one corner shoved in  
the netting.  I almost passed by without a second thought, but  something 
felt bad.  I turned around to investigate.
 
Turned out to be very wrong.
 
A huge, beautiful hawk was hanging in the net, about 10 feet up,  strangled 
to death.  It had obviously struggled for its life, talons still  gripping 
the strings of the netting as it attempted to free itself.    But the 
netting is the same kind used to capture birds, so the struggle was  futile.  
There was still a string of blood-tinged spittle hanging out of  its mouth, it 
wasn't dead long.  I wish I had decided to go to work earlier  that day.  
 
I imagine it was chasing soon-to-be breakfast, perhaps a sparrow, that  
easily made it through the netting.  But traveling at such a high rate  of 
speed, our neighborhood hawk flew right into a net he may not have even known  
was there and was too difficult to see in the early morning  light.
 
As I took pictures of the body, another hawk was circling in the air and  
screaming, probably a mate or a parent.  At lunchtime, I assisted the  person 
from Public Works sent to  take the body down.  Had to cut the  bird out, 
so the net's damaged.  I take full responsibility for  that.   
 
To town officials:  I am sending photos to you under separate  cover. 
Please take the net down IMMEDIATELY, before another endangered or  protected 
species falls victim.  I know the "taking" of this hawk was  unintentional, but 
it is nevertheless, a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty  Act of 1918 
(MBTA) (and all it's revisions).  These nets have been  erected in a PERFECT 
suburban habitat for hawks and owls (open fields, lots of  prey 
opportunities, trees for nesting and a water source within two or  three wingbeats).  
The nets should remain DOWN until another alternative is  found.  If we must, 
construct nets that can be raised when play  occurs, lowered when done, and 
secured in such a manner that terrestrial  wildlife cannot become trapped in 
the lowered netting.  Under no  circumstances should the nets remain in the 
raised position when no one is  there.  The town will have to figure out a 
way to force people using the  nets to lower them, or risk further violation 
of the MBTA. Or take them down  permanently.   I will be informing the 
appropriate state and federal  officials of the death (including photos) and 
keep them apprised of the  town's remediations.
 
Adrianne Lefkowitz
Madison and 48th
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