7/7, Young Hawks on a Horn

Two of the cathedral red-tailed hawk fledglings were playing around on the rooftops early this evening. The third was apparently not to be found.

After a couple sightings along 113th St at 6:00, I again encountered the rooftop lurkers about 6:30. One was perched on the finial above St. Peter.

Several minutes later, another flew out of the cathedral close and landed below, on the St. Savior Chapel cross.

Moments later, both took off to the north. When I made it back up to 113th St. expecting to see them hopping around the hospital roof, I instead one found one perched all the way atop the cathedral, on St. Gabriel's horn.

A minute later, the other landed on one of Gabriel's wings.

Except for a couple brief fly-arounds, the duo stayed on Gabriel for the next 15-20 minutes. But they weren't quietly doing so. Rather they kept moving about. Part of it seemed to be a competition to see who could perch all the way out on the tip of Gabriel's horn.

But neither managed to balance there neatly. So hop off and back onto one Gabriel's wings.

Try again.

It was much easier to perch back away the tip.

Just past 7:00, the pair took off again, this time definitely to the roof of St. Luke's hospital. Aside from shifting position from one wing to another...

It looked like they were there to stay.