Grove, theTiercel, of the Emerald Grove Road Hawks

Notice the hawk peering under the branch with one eye? That's not the hawk that was after me the other day. No overall beige tinge, and virtually no belly band at all. Therefore for the time being I'm thinking that this is the Dad, whom I've decided to call Grove. Emerald, the mom, is the one with the temper.

I didn't want to upset the EG's so I'd decided to test my theory about humans being okay while on normal human pathways and not okay while tromping about in areas where humans are rare. The other day we had tromping about in areas where humans are rare. Remember the day I considered that I might just need a hardhat?

Note the hard hat withe eyes just in case.
Photograph by W. A. Walters
My first set up is in the road. Not terribly safe but it is a country road and not heavily traveled. No Emerald, the female. And Grove, the male, is peering at me as that's what rural hawks do if given half a chance. But he hasn't taken off for parts unknown or at my head so seems to me that in the road as per my thoughts is okay

I"ve gone down the road a piece, but also have encroached into the vegetation but no further than the near edge of the field where if humans were around that would be a boundary they'd tend to respect. Grove is watching closely but my position on the near side of the field nearest the road seems fine too. No screaming just looking.

Photo by W. A. Walters

Along to help is longtime blog contributor, Bill Walters, who has managed to catch me with his camera appearing to wear a Red-winged Blackbird hat.

Now I move further down the road, which is closer, but stay on the grassy area between field and road. Dandy.

Photo by W. A. Walters

Now I am directly across from the nest, while on the verge and doubly the cross in for tractors so doubly human frequented, instead of a diagonal off the human pathways which seemed to be causing everyone anxiety, including me.

See the two tallest trees in the group of trees on the left side of the field? The nest is in the left tall tree, one in from the field. The one with the more rounded natural shape as the one which looks to have grown more affected by the wind.

Photo by W. A. Walters

We zoom in a bit. See the darkish blob on the left side of the tree? That is the nest. I tell Bill to take a look through the scope and check out Grove. But Grove isn't there, nobody appears to be there. No little white heads either. While I was making my move, Grove took his opportunity to get lost while I no one was looking.

Then suddenly, whoop! Guess who? One of the eyasses makes it to the edge of the nest. My last visit I only saw one eyass and was hoping to see both today as well, the way things have been going, I just want to make sure both are still up there. I'm often concerned needlessly. What can I say?

A little aggression stance practice.

Ahhh, and what might be in the bowl?

If I don't see more than one eyass, when there have previously been two or more, this is the posture that reassures me that there are likely still more than one. It is the archetypal, I'm higher than you are eyass game look.

And who might be over to the west?

Made it to the edge and the current cock of the walk.

Back into the bowl.

Now is the same eyass or a slightly younger one?

Peeking but fading.

Nodding.

Oops, curiosity has spurred her back up for a look.

Then the one eyed peek.

And a deeper nod.

And disappeared....asleep?

In the meantime Bill Walters has pointed out to me that Grove has now situated himself in the windswept oak to the right and north of the nest tree. I can't get over his lack of belly band. To say nothing if not vigilant he's quite the bird. I'm late today, does Mom Emerald take an evening break similar to Isolde's which makes her scarce late evening?

No doubt Grove is keeping his eye on me and any other perceived dangers but like all multi- tasking RTHs , he is also memorizing prey trails for future possible meals.

All quiet on the nesting front.

And then it happens , a day wouldn't be complete for a Red-tailed Hawk if some other bird didn't decide to take a few pot shots at his head. Which he does and then gives Grove a large part of his mind. Grove looks the other way. Sometimes i
dis-ng them is the way to go.

THE STANDOFF, and and I head for the nice warm car.

Donegal Browne
P.S. Many thanks to W. A. Walters for being today's second sent of eyes, I might have been so engrossed in the nest I never would have seen Grove stick and the fisticuffs between he and Mr. Red-Wing Blackbird.