7/20, St. John the Divine

Visits to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in the early evenings over the past week and a half have usually found two or three of the red-tailed hawk fledglings in view, but almost always way up on or near the apse roof. The only exceptions worth noting were 1) once finding a fledgling perched on a cell phone antenna down at 109th St., the only time I've spotted one outside the three-block cathedral grounds, and 2) finding all three together atop the south crossing arch.

Friday, though, the kids finally did something different and were easier and more fun to watch. They came down to heights lower than 40 feet above the ground, and perched in trees.

While investigating a robin alarm in the Close, I spotted a young hawk perched in a tree near the pulpit in the central of the lawn. Angling for a better spot to take pictures, I instead had another hawk fly up to branch above me. And then another!

They "conspired" for all of 30 seconds.

Then one took off toward the Cathedral House.

And then the other headed off toward the Diocesan House.

Not quite all the way, as I found him on a shady branch overlooking the center walkway.

And then back over to the tree where the duo had briefly perched.

Where the other active bird was perched on a lower branch.

But within moments, both were flying around again. One landed atop the Synod House for a bit, but then both were out of sight and presumably down around the school.

Meanwhile, what of that first young hawk I had spotted? Still on the same branch.

But then it perked up and decided to move over to a shady spot overlooking the drive.

Where it stayed for the next 30-40 minutes.

Long enough for me to do a complete circuit around the cathedral property and come back to find him in the same spot.

But as the evening deepened and rain threatened, he too started on the move, calling for mama and then flying off.

Note: The use of the word "he" above is deliberate. Two if not all three of the young red-tails looked small and slim, suggesting that they are male.