05-MAY-2010
I'll just have to watch you more closely!
Mom returned a little later.
21-MAR-2010
The mother red-tailed hawk and her nest (Day -35)
She's quite proud of her nest.
My belief that she has one or more eggs is purely circumstantial, in that she becomes glued to the nest when it is wet or cold. As it warms up, she'll take longer excursions away, but rarely for longer than 15 minutes or so.
I don't know if I've seen the male partner in the nest. I've seen them taking fun trips way up 1/4 mile or so, then come rapidly down with one coming back to the nest. This happens about every other day.
26-APR-2010
First day of feeding (Day 1)
28-APR-2010
2nd observed feeding 2 days later (Day 3)
23-APR-2010
She leaves the nest to find her partner. (Day -2)
She had been calling for him, and he has just flown by about 200 feet overhead, answering her call.
23-APR-2010
Her wingspan is about four feet ! Awesome. (Day -2)
Aren't those long finger-nail feathers beautiful?
23-APR-2010
She accelerates with big strokes . . .
23-APR-2010
. . . and follows through.
12-APR-2010
In another flight, she's accelerating with powerful strokes, just having left the nest. (Day -13)
12-APR-2010
A tighter zoom . Note the spiraling shape of her right wing.
My sailing friends will appreciate this air-foil shape.