Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Central Park Red-tail Family Dinner with Mom and Dad Sheep Meadow and the Three Eyasses

When I arrived at the Sheep Meadow Nest, Mom was watching something in the distance while holding a rat.
 Mom then lifted the rat in her beak, looking particularly "hawkie".
She then went about breaking through the tough rat skin opening it so the eyasses, they have begun feeding themselves, will have easier access.   
(Not to worry Mom still comes in and feeds the youngest eyass and fills up everyone's empty corners.)
 Then something catches her attention.  
I note that the squirrel that was dropped previously is still hanging from the twig.
 When I look up  there's Dad coming in and he too has a nice juicy rat to contribute to dinner.
Mom flies over to the nest with her prepared rat.

Dad watches her fly over to the nest. 
 Dad flies over to the nest tree with his rat.
Then Dad flies off the nest tree and back to his previous branch.
 Dad and Mom have a moment of communication.
Dad takes off...
....carrying his rat.
Dad heads off in the direction and angle of the nest.
Brakes.
Adjusts his angle of flight.
Then manages to manipulate has speed and angle to go round the middle trunk of the tree and land so he doesn't squash either Mom or the nest.  
 This bird can fly.
He drops off the rat...
And heads back to his original perch.
Ta da!

  Then he watches his eyasses for a moment.
Dad looks.
And he's off again.
The eyasses watch him go.
Mom flies over to the observation perch and watches him go.
And the eyasses start in on the rat dinner on their own.
I get a look.
Number two pops up.
One and Two look at their sibling and the rat.
They bend in...
Then everybody eats!

Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

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