July 8, 2010

7/7, Detente?

Cathedral Red-Tail Fledgling

First raptor sighting this evening was of the hospital male kestrel. He seemed to be staking out some territory, but wasn't harassing the cathedral red-tail fledgling, who was nowhere in (my) sight. A half hour later, pigeon activity erupted in the usual area on the hospital roof and then the red-tail came flying along, perhaps chasing a meal. Then out of sight again. A bit later I found him perched quietly on the cathedral nave, where he stayed until sunset.

It almost seemed the kestrel had taken a chill pill and was leaving the red-tail fledge alone as long as the latter stayed away from the hospital. Perhaps whatever the kestrel was defending no longer needs defending? But at sunset the red-tail took off west along the nave before hooking around the West Front. The kestrel gave brief chase.

Although it looked like the fledgling was scoping for a roosting site in the close, he popped back north over the dome of the cathedral crossing and was gone.

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