Pale Male and Zena's Fledglings in Central Park for July 11th

All Photos and commentary in italics by Jeff Johnson.  Un-italized commentary is mine.

Donegal
Fledge play hunting by schist rock to the Glade Arch perimeter of Cedar Hill. Looks off to E a lot. Metadata time 1754.

Fledge begins sporadic begging from tree immediately below the "schist rock fledgling" along walkway before Arch. 
Metadata time 1810.

She's seen a parent, most likely. 

Fledgling close. Metadata time 1810.

 Fledgling at schist rock flies into tree on NNE perimeter of Dog Hill. Metadata time 1814.

 

 Close frame fledgling in Dog Hill tree. Metadata time 1815.

 Same fledgling departs to SSE. Metadata time 1823.

 

 Fledgling going SSW to tree fifty feet away has near midair with another fledgling. Both scrambling to get onto tree limbs.

Metadata time 1823.

Newcomer lands on the grass below the tree now occupied by two begging Red-tail fledglings. 

Metadata time 1823. 

 Newcomer launches into tree on other side of the walkway. It's probably Pale Male, but sun slate is so bad I can't ID. This is all happening within seconds. 

Metadata time 1823 

There were three Red-tails and possibly four...I tried to include their positions in this frame, but I could only place two of them. Metadata time 1824. 

Close frame of Red-tail isolated in upper right corner is Pale Male. Metadata time 1826.

 

 Pale Male scene from where I moved NNE of his perch (upper left corner). 

Metadata time 1826

Pale close frame same perch. Metadata time 1826.

 

Note the  difference in feather color because of differing light and possibly the "decisions" made by the camera. This is the sort of situation in which you almost have to identify a hawk by shape, behavior, and habit. 

 

I didn't see a meal delivery or related activity. I wish I had been more situationally aware how many fledges were present and the positions they had shifted into among the trees.

 

This is the sort of situation in which having multiple people sharing information about who has seen what can help.  But when things happen this fast it is hard to have time to communicate with other hawk watchers before one is led off to the next episode of behavior. 

 

Though we can't know it as fact, it is likely that the fledglings are still all  three, watching and waiting for deliveries, and with their more developed flight skills and focus, they can all make it to a drop off spot in time to see the drop happen even if we don't.  

Everything is a lesson in a young Red-tails life.  Including the need to be aware of others flight patterns zooming to a drop zone at the same time as focusing on the delivery,  so that mid-air collisions aren't a hazard. 

Had to depart scene before I understood what was happening.

Jeff

Jeff decided that perhaps Blogger was doubling due to the size of his photos and or commentary so he reduced both.  Well Blogger did it anyway, therefore Jeff, bring back the bigger pix and your more detailed commentary, both of which we enjoy immensely. 

Happy Hawking,

Donegal Browne