Eldest and Youngest, later in the evening.
6:00pm Perched in a Locust Tree just inside Morningside Park across from the Cathedral.
When Samantha and I arrive Jean Dane and Bruce Yolton are already watching the fledglings in the tree they are sharing just inside Morningside Park. Jean mentions that Mom is perched on the antenna down the way. Soon Robert Schumunk arrives and then there are brief visits from many of the new local hawkwatchers as they go about their evening business..
6:02pm Youngest in the same Locust Tree. For the next 45 minutes or so the Fledglings preen, rest, look at dogs, and wait for dinner.
Photograph by Donegal Browne
6:51pm Fledglings start begging as mature Red-tail flies across the street from east to west with prey in talons.
6:54pm Mom still on antenna on 217.
6:58pm It's Dad. He arrives to a duet of begging with good sized rat and perches on south arm of cross. He prepares prey and eats some himself.
7:11pm Dad is up, circles, lost from sight in trees going toward Cathedral School.
7:16pm Eldest gets there first and starts to eat rat left by Dad on crenelated molding of school.
Note the facial expression. Eldest is eating and Youngest isn't.
7:25pm Youngest has made her way across the street and is perched on chapel roof watching Eldest eat prey. She then flies to west crenelated molding on Cathedral School.
7:31pm to 7:34pm Neither fledge is seen in the rat corner. Youngest is making a stealth approach behind the crenelated molding. Unknown whether there is any sharing of the rat out of sight.
7:34pm Both heads are seen. Eldest moves prey out of Youngest reach.
7:35pm Youngest watches Eldest gobble rat.
Photograph by Donegal Browne
7:35pm Youngest goes for Eldest. A tremendous flurry of activity ensues for what seems like a split second.
Photograph by Donegal Browne
7:39pm Eldest, with agressive feathers standing up on the nape of her neck, watches Youngest have some rat. They've taken several swipes at each other since the initial interaction. No contact, evasive action taken.
7:48pm Youngest, who seems to have seen Mom coming, flies to adjacent tree beyond fence.
Photograph by Samantha Browne-Walters
8:01pm Youngest watches Mom fly by.
Ph0tograph by Samantha Browne-Walters
8:10pm
Photograph by Samantha Browne-Walters
Eldest comes in next to Youngest.
Photograph by Samantha Browne-Walters
8:15pm Cheek by jowl after dinner in London Plane on Morningside Drive.
8:26pm Mom to first small gabled window south of higher storied section of the Cathedral School building. She flew by originally at 8:01pm, possibly with prey, then reappeared about 8:15pm. There is some thought that she stashed prey for a further feeding this evening. As sunset was approaching, all other hawkwatchers had exited, and the area becoming deserted, my daughter Samantha and I didn't wait to find out.
8:40pm Exit.
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