7/14, In Close

Sometimes you don't have to spend a moment looking for hawks. They just fly out to greet you and perch right overhead.

Even as I watched this youngster in the cathedral close, I could hear another begging 50-75 yards to the east. I decided to stay with the bird in hand.

Within just a few minutes, it tried to catch something in the bushed at the west end of the new playground. Not the best plan, as there a fence prevents a direct attack. Oh, well, perch and think about it for a while.

Walk back to the corner and check that bush again.

Pose for the photographer.

Spot something interesting in the grass and make another attack.

Dang. This doesn't seem edible.

Mantle, because there are too many people who want whatever it is.

Fly away.

Ah, presumably the other young red-tail we heard earlier.

Everybody goes their separate ways. One young hawk tried to hide in a very shaded spot.

And off to swoop at a squirrel. Missed, again.

And take off.

Hawk in the close on the pulpit fence.

I've lost track of who I may be watching now. And frankly, just because I only saw two hawks together at one point, there's no saying I haven't actually seen all three of the cathedral kids.

It's after 7:00 and the lights getting tough to deal with.

But dang, all three baby hawks were definitely together on the lawn for just a moment as two swooped in to see what the third was jumping on.

Time goes by and, yep, all three of the young hawks are about. They're zooming about less and interacting more.

And there they all are together.

Everybody back over to the pulpit fence.

They don't seem to pay much attention to the peacock wandering around, too. Probably have already figured out he's too big a job.

They break up. One swoops at a leaf not far away.

Then perches on something a little higher.

And eventually a tripartite round of begging begins. Where's the adult?

The parent stays a few minutes but then takes, headed toward Broadway and 110th (excellent pigeon territory), or perhaps Riverside Park. The kid hawks quiet down.