Tulsa's Kay Gets Bigger as Her Time Gets Closer

Photo by Catgirl of the Tulsa Hawk Forum

From Hawkwatcher Jackie Dover of the Tulsa KJRH Forum--

Hi, Donna:

Fellow Forum member Catbird suggested I send this photo retrospective to you. It looks at Kay, our KJRH female redtail, through the past couple of years.

We were specifically looking to follow her physical changes. While these photos may vary a bit in the angles from which they were taken, there is a general size difference between the times she is in egg-laying season and when she is not.

All the photo captures were made from KJRH Hawk cam videos, which can be viewed at this link (either in the upper right hand corner of that page, or by following the page's link to the station's video archive):http://www.kjrh.com/content/news/hawks/default.aspx

I'm also sending a photo made by our Forum member Catgirl, which shows Kay and Jay side by side in a tree on February 15. The size difference is striking. (Jay has been showing the proper deference.)Our Forum is abuzz these days!

Jackie

In reference to Kay and Jay above, Jay alert and ready for anything. Look at his small, neat "ankles". Kay, feather's ruffled, looks heavy and earthbound at least at this moment, she looks ready to go to the nest at any time.

Kay standing. 6/30/07

7/04/08 Kay, foreground, and Jay

Kay has slimmed down considerably from her usual pre-breeding profile.

Kay 2/18/2009 Not only does she seem rounder but her stance and balance also seems adjusted to her current hormonal state.

Kay ponders. 2/16/2009

Kay with stick- 2/23/09

Kay's possibly gravid state doesn't infringe on her trips to the nest for home decorating one little bit.

Kay 2/06 /08 (Note this is a 2008 photo)

7/23/2009 She even seems fuller under the beak.

2/15/09 Just look at the difference in girth between Jay and Kay. Kay has put on a good number of extra calories in preparation for egg laying.

Donegal Browne