7/5, Riverside at 102

Due to our crazy schedule, we haven't been over to check on the Riverside red-tailed hawk nest since May, with one brief exception on a windy mid-June Sunday evening when any self-respecting hawk had probably gone to roost for the evening.

Unfortunately, there was sad news from the nest site a week ago. Although all three baby hawks had fledged, probably a week earlier if not closer to two, reports were that one of them was observed on June 29 as being grounded and apparently sick. The bird was caught and taken to the Wild Bird Fund, but we have heard that it died the next day.

5/13, Riverside at 102

The baby red-tailed hawks at the Riverside Drive are now big enough to be seen during feeding. Two were visible Monday afternoon about 4:15.

First view of the nest on Monday showed the mama hawk perched on the bare branch that sticks out to the side of the nest. Just chilling and preening and maybe watching passers by on the park walkway below. Also the cars making the loud and almost constant drone below.

Then she popped up and flew a tight loop and landed on the nest just as papa arrived with food.

After which he took off and mama started feeding the nestlings. At first she was toward the right side of the nest and one could just see the top of the fuzzy head of one nestling to her left as it was getting fed. Then one could see a bit more of it, including a few beak-to-beak transfers of morsels.

But then mama switched to the left side of the nest and quickly enough two baby hawk heads became very visible.

If there's a third baby hawk up there, then it's likely the youngest, not big enough yet to be seen or to muscle its way in for a bite. Hard to say at this point, but it should be easier to decide in a few days.

5/9, Riverside at 102

I arrived to view the 102nd St. red-tailed hawk nest at 3:20 and found a feeding in progress. The papa hawk arrived just seconds after I did.

He hung about for about a minute and a half, half of it leaning over the nest bowl alongside the female and half of it perched down to the side.

And then he departed, leaving all the work to mama. And work she did, a good 15 minutes of activity or more. From her changing position she was plainly feeding at least two babies, and three would not be a surprise.