By Lisa M. Krieger
A Swainson's hawk chick has hatched under the eye of Santa Clara County bird-watchers for the first time since the 1800s, suggesting that this elegant bird, a threatened species in California, may be on the road to recovery.
The nest location 16 miles south of downtown San Jose in the Coyote Creek Parkway is a well-kept secret among the region's naturalists, thrilled by the sighting and fearful that crowds would prevent its parents from returning.
Its discovery proves the value of conservation in Coyote Valley, which faces major development pressures, according to bird lovers. "Ecstatic. Euphoric!" said De Anza College raptor biologist Ryan Phillips, describing his reaction to the sighting.
"This marks the return of the hawk to its historic range in the Santa Clara Valley and, even more important, shows how critically important and viable Coyote Valley is," said Phillips, who monitored the nest. San Jose plans industrial and residential development in the north Coyote Valley.
Another beloved raptor, the bald eagle, is also making a Bay Area comeback, with a nest sighted this year in San Mateo County's Crystal Springs Reservoir, for the first time in nearly a century, and several were reported in the East Bay.
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