After watching a particular hawk nest for several years, you get used to seeing certain things at certain times after the eggs hatch. Today marked about three and a half weeks since hatch at the red-tail nest at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and there were two such markers.
First, when mama Isolde was first spotted, she was perched atop one of the Towers on the Park apartment buildings on Douglass Circle. This is something that she does for a week or so when the babies are getting old enough that she doesn't need to stay in the nest so much to help them keep warm, but she can still keep an eye on the nest and be back in a minute if she needs to be.
After Isolde was spotted, the male came soaring past, carrying a pigeon apparently nailed somewhere to the southwest of the cathedral. He was low, so he flew beyond Morningside Park, then turned around and started heading up-hill. He first landed atop the Cathedral School and looked around like he was waiting for Isolde to return ti the nest. Then after a brief stop atop the hospital, he delivered the pigeon to the nest.
Isolde arrived a minute later. Dad hung around just a bit, perching atop St. Andrew's head.
Then departed.
The feeding lasted about 15 minutes before Isolde too departed. She carried off the pigeon remains to somewhere east of the park.
What looked to be the oldest nestling remained active for a little while, at one point sitting on the edge of the nest.
And there's the day's other milestone: Dark wing and tail feathers are growing in.
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