2PM Chis Lyons has graciously invited me for a visit to the Fordham Hawks. We arrive at the nest and he explains that this morning he only saw two of the eyasses. Of course if they are lying flat as a pancake asleep they're invisible or too far back they're invisible...but still. As we look, we only see two now as well, sheltering from the sun.
2:10 PM After a hopping flapping run across the nest, this one looks over the edge with real interest. A group of excited folks come by for a look at the nest through the scopes. They love the hawks.
Glen an employee of the school comes by and tells us he saw a hawk on the roof of Dealy Hall around 7 this morning , and whips out his phone, with which he's taken a picture....and he says the tail was brown. There has been a fledge!
2:38PM One of the parents. Hawkeye? Let's go look at the roof and see if the fledge is still there.
2:41PM There's the eyasses on the nest from above.
2:57PM And Rose, she prepares and eats some pigeon. (Note the band on her right leg.)
2:58PM Rose looks.
3:01:58PM There she is!!
3:02:38PM ROBIN!
3:03:32PM Forget the Robin. Rose is eating something on the adjacent roof.
3:04PM Fledge notices us?
3:06PM Fledge flies over and lights exactly where Rose was standing, nanoseconds before. Rose whisks off the edge on the fly. Training exercise? Food doesn't come by drop off, one has to go and get it? Or is this a non-begging stealth fledgling? We heard no begging before the eyass went over to the prey. Maybe the wind was in the wrong direction, but it really wasn't that far away in begging feet.
3:07:22PM Where did Mom go?
3:07:47PM Now to the pigeon.
3:13PM Rose flies to Stadium lights where Hawkeye is already perched.
3:28PM Hawkeye flies to the cross closer to the nest. His markings are quite interesting. He has a good amount of pure white on his face with a darker head but also streaked with a lighter feather and the low brow like Pale Male which makes him look concerned.
3:44PM Rose and Hawkeye on a light of the sports field over looking the fledged eyass and the nest.
3:38PM Back at the home front a view into the nest. The two remaining eyasses shelter from the sun and one sleeps flat as a pancake.
4:41PM The sun goes under a cloud for a little and the eyass that's up and moving prowls around the nest doing a little hopping and running until-- Ah, a snack.
4:46PM Chewing with vigor. (You have to keep your strength up if you're going to fledge soon.)
4:48PM The gleam of youth and health in that eye.
4:50PM Maybe tomorrow?
Chris Lyons report when completed will be found on Rob Jetts Blog- http://citybirder.blogspot.com/
Donegal Browne
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