A nestling red-tailed hawk, its white head visible above a large nest atop a coast live oak, seems to stand sentry over its two siblings while their parents are off to hunt. The nest is in Fremont Canyon, the wildest and most remote area of the 57,500 acres of open space that Irvine Company has dedicated for permanent preservation and public access.
You can spot the bird with the naked eye. Visible through scopes, dark feathers on its upper wing help raptor nest monitors determine its age.
“We affectionately call them ORAR2H13,” says Ross Gough, a volunteer for Irvine Ranch Conservancy. That is the nest’s identification number, he explains with a smile. As top predators, raptors play a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems…