6/30-6/31, Head Feathers

The Cathedral red-tail nestlings are growing quickly, and in the past week made rapid passage from looking like fuzzy-headed aliens to young birds.

Wednesday

7:04 p.m - Arrive at Cathedral to find mama Isolde perched on Gabriel's horn.

Nothing on the north side of the nest, but it looks like there might be a nestling up on the south side.

7:13 - Nestling on south side of nest has wings outspread, but is turned facing west and is bent over. Having a hissy fit with a sibling?

7:15 - Active nestling shifts to north side of nest.

7:20 - Still just the one nestling up and observing the world.

7:25 - Signs of activity from another baby hawk.

7:26 - Hah! The nestling standing up on the right side of the nest has been learning how to perch from dad. She stands for awhile on just her right foot, with left foot held up. (Meanwhile, there's more activity from a sibiling behind her.)

7:34 - It continues one nestling perched on the north side of the nest, and another visible on the south side. Sometimes they look in opposite directions, and sometimes something catches their attention and they peer intently the same way.

7:40 - Not sure when it happened, but Isolde disappeared from her perch on Gabriel's horn.

7:49 - One nestling up and preening.

7:55 - Nestlings have quieted down. One sort of sitting up but with back turned to the street.

7:58 - belatedly discover Isolde perched on hospital chimney, but she's looking east over Morningside Park rather than south to her nest.

8:01 - On exiting down 113th St., I observe that there's a small bird perched on the diagonally opposing corner of the chimney from Isolde. They seem to be ignoring each other.

Thursday

6:00 p.m. - All quiet when I arrive at the Cathedral, but Isolde is perched on Gabriel's horn. Oddly, she seems to be on his inner hand rather than her usual spot on the outer hand.

6:09 - From the south side, small signs of a nestling becoming active.

6:11 - Actually two nestlings visible, both on the north side of the nest. One is active and standing up, the other is dozing on the edge of the nest, sometimes opening her eyes.

It seems evident that the sleepy nestling is older. Dark feathers have come in on her head, and her pate looks sleeker. The standing nestling also has head feathers coming in, but still looks a little like someone from outer space.

6:16 - Sleepy nestling remains where she is, but the stand-up has retreated back into the nest.

6:19 - Mama Isolde has changed her position, and is now perched on Gabriel's wing. This may be the first time I've seen her up there.

6:38 - Sleepy nestling (presumably) has shifted her position clockwise and is now looking out toward 113th St. rather than down on Morningside Drive.

6:42 - More nestling activity, as sleepyhead sits up and someone behind her starts moving around.

6:44 - A brief moment with all three nestlings visible.

6:45 - Two nestlings now standing up on north side of nest, but looking down like something on the ground has their attention.

The one at left is sleepyhead with the sleek head feathers. The one at right still looks a little fuzzy, although I'm not sure if this was the one observed alongside a half hour ago.

6:50 - Somewhere around now, Isolde was noticed to have disappeared from Gabriel. Then a few minutes later we realized that Tristan was up there instead, on his usual spot at the tip of the horn.

6:59 - Isolde's back, and she's perched with Tristan on Gabriel's horn.

7:04 - One nestling preening on the south side of the nest.

7:10 - And another sitting up on the north side, but looking over her shoulder.

7:11 Exit.