6/4-6/6, Unready, Unwilling and Unseen

The hawkwatching scene on Morningside Drive has been odd the past three days because the three young red-tailed hawks from the cathedral nest have been uncooperative.

The accidental fledgling has remained in his alcove, but despite his being unready or unwilling to fly out, he looks healthy. Certainly his parents have been delivering food and otherwise checking in on him.

But up in the nest, it seems that one of the other young hawks has also fledged, but he has remained unseen, as none of the hawkwatchers has found him since. A third-hand report tells that he flew from the top of St. Andrew's head just before noon on Wednesday and sailed up toward the hospital. (Addendum: A late report came in that the Thursday afternoon hawkwatchers got a look at the fledge when a hospital worker pointed out where he was hiding near the fancy new oxygen tank.)

And finally, one baby hawk remains in the nest as of Thursday evening, also unready or unwilling to fly. But he was flapping quite a bit at one point late Thursday, so he could make his maiden flight on Friday.

Tuesday afternoon, the accidental fledge was begging long and loud for attention.

While his sibs upstairs were moving about but not making any noise.

Ditto Tuesday evening.

Wednesday afternoon when I paid a quick visit, not only had I missed the second fledge, I had also missed an exciting food delivery to the accidental fledge on the chapel ledge. Lots of squeeeeep-ing, as the food somehow got knocked to the ground and the fledge begged momma to get it for him. Eventually she did.

Dad paid a quick visit that afternoon.

And momma Isolde brought food for the remaining nestling.

And ten minutes later took out the garbage.

In the evening, the first fledge still in place, looking stuffed. Maybe he got another meal delivery in the late afternoon.

Isolde paid a visit to check on him, first perching on a chapel spire.

Then the edge of a chapel roof.

The baby wasn't acting excited that momma was there. He really must have eaten recently.

Isolde hopped down to the railing just above the fledge.

Then spent a few seconds alongside him before taking off. SHe swung by later to spend a minute checking on the sole nestling.

Both parents were briefly together on the 114th St. corner of the hospital roof, Isolde apparently eating her own dinner while the male took off to chase a kestrel that was trying to harass them.

Gloomy Thursday was quiet, especially in the evening as it tried to rain. No sign of the second fledge for this hawkwatcher despite passes all around the area and multiple scans of the hospital roof and the trees around it, but as noted above, it was seen by others with some help from hospital staff.