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Attention Hawk Stalkers! Planning our next pot luck! At this point I don't think anyone is reading the blog, but I want to post it just to make sure we have the chance to reach everyone. Hildy

This evening I was talking to a guy while our dogs were socializing on Concord Ave. near Fresh Pond. He asked if I had seen any birds this evening because he noticed my binoculars. I told him I came to the area earlier because I was informed that the redtails are builing up their nest again at 185. A friend had called me{Sarah} saying that she was watching a red tail flying over the nest in the early evening, but by the time I got there the hawk was gone. He told me that between 6 and 6:30am when he walks his dog he regularly sees a juvenile fly from the roof of 725 Concord Ave. into the golf course area of Fresh Pond. He said he also sees it soaring around the course area close to Concord Ave. probably hunting. He also has seen it in the trees bordering Concord Ave. He said it looks like a big, healthy juvenile. It is obviously the same juvenile that I saw the other night. Wish I knew which one it was and wondering how the others are doing as well. Hildy

Saw one of our kids tonight on top of a dish on the roof of 725 Concord Ave. It is a medical building for Mt. Auburn Hospital. As I was walking with Sandy to Fresh Pond I saw a hawk standing on the dish. When looking through my binoculars I saw that it was a juvenile, a ruddy chest and brown feathers in the middle and going down the chest. I could not tell who it was. If I got closer I would only be able to see the back since it was on the top of the roof. I was frustrated that I was not able to identify it. I called Lynda and Leika but neither were in the neighborhood. I don't have Susan's number and Leika did not have it on her. I watched it from 7:15 to 8:15pm talking on the phone with Lynda much of the time hopeing she could help identify it. It was either Larry or Lucky because it's wings hung like Larry's but it did have a small chicken head and neck like Lucky. I did hear one cry. Linda said at this point one would need a scope to really see the different markings which I don't have. She asked me to wait and see where he roosts, assuming Fresh Pond. At 8:15 after he did some scoping and looking around and preening himself he flew over to a tree on Concord Ave. at Fresh Pond. He flew close over head and I was thrilled to see him. Some birds did a bit of harressing but he didn't fly off. I could't see him in the tree but I saw which one he landed in to roost. A great evening for me! Hildy

Paul Robert's Report: July 22, 2010

On Thursday morning July 22 a small party of intrepid (a euphemism for “bordering on crazy”) Red-tailed Hawk Watchers set out at 5 a.m., literally at the crack of dawn, to discover if Buzz was still feeding the kids. We were wondering because observers have not been seeing him feed the three amigos at typical times, between 5:30 or 6 and 8 a.m.

A day or two earlier I had commented that earlier this spring I had assumed that a male Redtail feeding chicks in the nest would start hunting at dawn, well before sunrise. There are several reasons for that. One, some of the prey is crepuscular – on the edge between nocturnal and diurnal, so it is an optimal time to hunt. You also don’t have shadows to possibly alert prey (though that is a minor issue). Most important, after a moderately long night the kids can be quite hungry, so one might expect the most hunting activity early in the day, especially with three little beaks to fill. (Typically, early in the day is therefore the best time to see hawk activity.)

I was surprised in May, however, to NOT see Buzz bringing in food around or shortly after sunrise. Jane Myers intentionally went well before sunrise several times expecting to see Buzz pushing a cart full of fresh food from Whole Foods, including sides of squirrel, chipmunk steaks, and starling stew, over to 185. Buzz brought in nada early on those days. I went in before sunrise several days and had the same experience. I thought it possible that Buzz brought in some food right around dawn, but I saw no sign that the chicks were resting after eating, which would be normal behavior. What I heard from other observers was that Buzz did bring in a load of food in the evening, and that those were often larger prey, squirrels, etc., some of which were not eaten that night but were left in the nest and nibbled on the next morning.

I concluded that Buzz was apparently not typical (horrors), and was probably more of an evening hunter. He clearly brought in more late in the day than early in the day. What we saw after the chicks had fledged was consistent with this. Fledglings were calling in the morning, around 6-8 a.m., not sated by early food deliveries from Dad or Mom. However, little or no parental feeding had been seen for some days, so we wanted to check out if the chicks were being fed earlier.

We did not see a single chick in 2 hours. We did discover an adult Red-tailed Hawk sitting on a business complex on the north side of the Boston and Maine tracks. Could that be Buzz? Or Ruby? A good question that we couldn’t answer, but we’ve never seen them in that area before (though they often soar over and perch on the Rindge Avenues apartments east of there.) Intriguingly, we’ve heard reports that at least three Redtails (presumably juveniles) had been seen over on Cambridge Park Drive, and we received a photo of one of the juveniles that most people doubt was one of “our three.” I need to look at the photo more closely and follow up on some leads I’ve received regarding the “birds from the other side of the tracks.”

Not seeing any kids in the usual areas, increasingly typical for almost two weeks, we were wondering if they had all dispersed to a much larger territory. A Redtail was heard calling from near Neville Manor, but we never saw it and could not identify it, though some were thinking it was Lucky.

Around 5:45 we had an adult Redtail explode out of a tree across Concord Ave. from the Shell Station. It disappeared into the woods along the reservation.

About 6:30, we saw an adult Redtail in a tree across from the Shell Station again. Susan first thought it was carrying large prey in its talons. We then saw it take off into the woods. Almost immediately thereafter we saw a Redtail land really awkwardly in another tree along Concord Avenue. It had to be a kid. The bird couldn’t stand up straight on the branch and was flapping its wings just trying to keep its balance. This was awfully clumsy for a young hawk that had been flying around and landing in trees for almost two months now. Well, it wasn’t a kid. It was an adult! Buzz! And he wasn’t landing. He was flapping around trying to rip a dead branch off the very tall tree! He tore the branch off and carried it back to a large maple tree across form the Shell Station. He was building or maintaining a nest!

He then flew off to the tree he had just pruned and was joined by another Redtail. One of the kids? Were the adults teaching the kids how to build a nest? No. The other Redtail was Ruby, who was perhaps quietly commenting on the branches Buzz was selecting and ripping from their moorings. Whatever she was doing there, Ruby was not breaking off branches or carrying them back to the nest in the maple. Buzz ripped off two more branches and carried them back, followed by Ruby each time. Not much time was spent at the “old” nest (not 185), reworking the latticework. Over half an hour we saw Buzz take at least three good-sized sticks back to the nest and probably four! These were not leafy branches, greens. These were fairly large, dead branches. Foundation sticks. These guys weren’t worried about feeding the hungry, pleading kids. They were looking ahead to next year.

Ruby left the tree and flew over to the corner of Raytheon’s tallest office building, perching briefly on the far corner before setting off further west. Buzz followed her a few minutes later, making the same stop and angle of departure. Were they going off to find, keep track of, or feed the kids, who are now clearly ranging farther in their daily activities? We don’t know. No kids were seen by the observers Thursday morning. But normal, healthy, behavior would have the chicks ranging farther afield and taking some or almost all of their food on their own by now.

Clearly, Buzz and Ruby had been reworking a nest. This is likely the very nest in which they (or possibly Buzz and another mate) had successfully raised and fledged young in 2009, or a replacement for that nest that they had reconstructed this winter. (There is one report that the nest they had used at or very near that location in 2009 had blown down in October, but there WAS a Redtail nest in the tree across from the Shell station this April! If a nest had blown down, they had reconstructed it.) There is another Redtail nest near Lusitania Field, from which Buzz extracted at least several branches early this spring to help build the 185 nest. That is likely another nest Buzz (and possibly Ruby) used in raising young a year or two earlier. Whatever, there are at least three Red-tailed Hawk nests within several hundreds yards between Fresh Pond and 185 Alewife.

Earlier this week Buzz sat on the familiar CVS sign, his favorite perch for much of this spring, as the sun set spectacularly behind 185. He wasn’t looking at 185, however. He was facing Fresh Pond Reservation, across from the Shell Station. Perhaps he was looking into the future.

Paul

Ernie's Comment:
Check out this Picasa photo site to see possible location. Alex at the Shell station said this is the spot. George, who manages the Shell station, told PHAWK he has been following Red-tails in the trees across from the station for 13 years:

http://picasaweb.google.com/ErnieVPFS/ShellStationNestAtCircle#

I keep posting because you and Amy ask me to. Also Paul is still documenting their whereabouts. More than happy to do so. Hildy

Thanks, Hildy, for keeping all of us informed of the "kids" where-abouts. I know Susan and Sarah and Amy and Paul and Leika others are always on the look as well.

Sarah from the Wheeler St. condos told me that Sunday at 4:50 pm she saw three hawks circling high above around the condos and Fresh Pond. She was not able to identify them, too high up. There was one small and two bigger. Yesterday at around 7:45pm I walked to Moulton St. where I ran into Susan. She had just seen two fly by and pointed them out to me. One was on a dish on the roof of the office building on Concord next to Moulton and the other was on a dish on the roof on the building on Concord next to Fawcett. I watched them both, alternating for a while. No idea who was who, but Susan thinks one was Lucy. After a few minutes one flew {a juvenile} to inside Fresh Pond, not to a tree while the other was gone when I turned to check. Hildy

At 5:30 this evening I heard a group of harressing birds in a tree on Concord Ave. by Fresh Pond. Suddenly I saw a juvenile fly accross Concord Ave. toward the office buildings. I could not identify it, especially from underneath. I did not follow it accross the street so I did not see where it headed. The area was a few streets up from Mouton heading West. The direction the hawk flew was straight accross. When I was walking Sandy at Fresh Pond soon after, I ran into a photographer who said he has seen juveniles on the Huron Ave. area of Fresh Pond. I told him it may be another hawk family. Hildy

Today I saw a juvenile hawk at Malden Station heading toward trees nearby. I was happy I could indentify it, thanks to the Alewife Hawks. Also I heard that a small group of hawk stalkers ran into Ayleen at Fresh Pond while birding Contact me if you read the blog Ayleen, it would be nice to hear you. Tonight was a good night for Amy and I, we saw an adult and a juvenile on Concord Ave. While I was on Moulton I saw an adult fly over the parking lot on Fawcett by Concord Ave. By I time I walked over it was out of sight. I did finally find a hawk sitting on the dish on the roof of the building on Concord between Fawcett and Wheeler. We both saw an adult fly over to a tree at Fresh Pond, Amy said it was the one from the roof. We knew it was an adult because it chased harressing birds away and I saw a red tail. There was also a juvenile in the same tree across the street on Concord Ave. but we could not identify it. It's chest was still ruddy and it would cock it's head at the harrassing birds, maybe Larry because I did see Lucky last month stand up to a smaller bird, plus it cried when the adult flew over. Either way, it looked great. Hildy

Hi carol,
Smaller birds mob hawks because hawks are predators. They eat other birds and steal from nests. They are harressing them and chasing them away. Hildy

Last Sunday 6pm sighted one hawk in a tree on Fawset St. Was chased off by small bird. Does anyone know what the Research says about hawks being mobbed by little birds?
Carol W.

I heard from Sarah who lives at the Reservoir Lofts on Wheeler St. this evening. She wanted to share with me that she saw an adult this morning. When I suggested that she put it in the blog, she asked me to. At 8am this morning she was pulling out of her underground parking lot onto Wheeler St. when suddenly an adult flew in front of her truck almost touching the roof. Maybe greeting her she said because he was awfully close. She assumed it was hunting because it flew down then up. Eventually it ending up on the CVS sign. It definitely was an adult with a red tail, and probably Buzz because it ended up on the CVS sign.
This evening before and after strolling the dog around Fresh Pond, I checked Fawcett St. briefly but saw nothing. While walking around Fresh Pond I ran into Ted who told me that he went by either Tues. or Wed. night and saw and heard juvenule on a pole then toward the ABT lot. Hildy

Walked down to Fawcett and Moulton Streets around 7:15pm with the dog. Poor guy, it was too hot and humid for him, lot's of panting, should of taken the stroller. We sat on Fawcett St. for about 20 minutes waiting for any fly bys, but all was quiet. The only wildlife we saw was a very young, brazen squirrel and some noisy bluejays. Perhaps the hawk family were taking a dip in Fresh Pond. Good idea! Hildy

Amy and I met up a bit after 7pm on Fawcwtt St. While on Concord Ave. I saw and heard a juvenile land on the roof of the building on the corner of Fawcett and Concord. It sat there for a maybe 10 minutes, crying off and on. It then flew west. Amy also saw a hawk sitting on a pole on Fawcett that eventually flew west. We checked out the ABT lot because they headed that way, but we saw nothing. When heading back to Fawcett we saw a juvenile laying on the roof of the building after the gas station on Concord We checked out Fawcett and Moulton but saw nothing. On my walk home I saw a juvenile fly from one building to another on Concord Ave between Fawcett and Moulton Streets. Not too much activity, but something. Hope everyone is staying cool. Hildy

Amy and I met up a bit after 7pm on Fawcwtt St. While on Concord Ave. I saw and heard a juvenile land on the roof of the building on the corner of Fawcett and Concord. It sat there for a maybe 10 minutes, crying off and on. It then flew west. Amy also saw a hawk sitting on a pole on Fawcett that eventually flew west. We checked out the ABT lot because they headed that way, but we saw nothing. When heading back to Fawcett we saw a juvenile laying on the roof of the building after the gas station on Concord We checked out Fawcett and Moulton but saw nothing. On my walk home I saw a juvenile fly from one building to another on Concord Ave between Fawcett and Moulton Streets. Not too much activity, but something. Hope everyone is staying cool. Hildy

Wow, nice spotting! Email me with the details of where you spotted them. Thanks, Amy.

Last night a couple of us were fortunate enough to see the whole family at the same time. It's becoming difficult to differentiate between the kids now so we didn't have to guess who we'd seen and who we hadn't. Buzz and Ruby were on top of a tall building, Lucky (probably) was yelling from a lamp post and the other two were together on top of another building. Then Lucky joined his siblings, one of the parents flew off and the other kept watch. A very nice scene. Amy

Yesterday at 7:40pm when leaving Fresh Pond with the dog I saw perhaps Ruby. I need to remember to bring my binoculars when I am going to Fresh Pond when walking and strolling the dog. Perhaps it was Buzz. It definitely was an adult, obvious red tail and on the large size. She landed in a tree in the Fawcett St. Raytheon lot very close to Concord Ave. She was haressed by birds for a few minutes then flew to the bottom ledge of a top window on a building close by to escape them. The window ledge was flat so she couldn't grab on to it. {Sounds like Larry} She tried to balance herself but was unsuccessful. She then flew to the top of the roof of the building. The building is located on Concord Ave. between Fawcett and Moulton Streets. She sat there for a few minutes on the corner of the roof closer to Moulton St. I went fairly close, she was several stories up so I knew I was not haressing her. While I was there I told her I am glad everyone is doing so well. She stared at me intently trying to focus, probably thinking it's that stalker again with a dog in a stroller! Birds started to haress her on the roof so she flew further in where I could not see her. I didn't see any other activity while I was there, but happy to see her. Enjoy the weekend. Hildy

Since the kids have fledged they seem to be sited mostly on private property. This includes the ABT parking lot as well as the Raytheon parking lot. There are several hawkers who have been approached by security on both locations and no longer feel comfortable going on the property, understandably so. There are hawkers who continue to go on these properties because they were not approached, or they go either very early or late in the day as not to cause conflict with the security. Personaly, I have a hard time being told by fellow hawkers which property I can go on and at what times. At this point the kids will be gone in a month and the group has broken up. If I am causing a problem on the property security will let me know, not a fellow hawker. Hildy

What a group, great pictures! Nice job John and Ernie capturing the day! Hildy

PHAWK Report:

June 29, 2010. The day before had been in the mid 90’s and very humid. Today I was on Wheeler Street shortly after 5:30, but it was dead. NO hawks for over half an hour. D-E-A-D. I walked over to Fawcett. Nothing. Walked up and down. Spent some time by the abandoned tracks, where I saw some burdock blooming thickly, along with chicory and tansy, and Queen Anne’s Lace. I was wearing my Songfinder, my electronic ears, to hear the hawk calls. Met Nancy Given on the way back.

Nothing. Then heard a call. Faint. A bird flew out of a tree along Fawcett by Raytheon (BBN), and flew over to a large, half dead tree on Concord. Buzz, with food that he had carried from Raytheon in his talons.

A second calling hawk. Buzz flew less than fifty yards west, into another tall, half dead deciduous tree on Concord Avenue, where we saw a second hawk. Immature. Calling. Buzz sat on one exposed branch, with a large meadow vole in his talons. The other Red-tail called and moved closer. It looked large and a little awkward in moving over in the tree. Buzz flew out to the large brown medical building, where he sat on the roof, and then flew to a lamppost on the roof and alighted with the vole in his talons.

Then we saw a Red-tailed Hawk soaring, low, immature, ONE OF THE KIDS! SOARING! Low, wide circles, and rising slowly from about the second story up to the light! Slow, wide circles. SOARING. Another major stage. Like a 16-year old driving all alone to the mall for the first time. This was the highest I have ever seen one of the three amigos! And he/she got there by soaring. Smart. This was a month and a day after Larry had fledged, and three weeks after Lucky and Lucy. I thought of Garrison Keillor’s Lake Woebegone in Minnesota, where all the children are above average. I had the proud feeling that all of my Redtail kids were above average.

The bird landed on the light, and as it touched down, Dad lifted off and flew south to the wall of the medical building roof. The immature sat on the light, calling lightly, and regularly, like a sonar system; not the histrionics pleading for food. In fact, it was sitting there with food in its TALONS, but was still calling. Was this social networking in extremis? Whatever, it didn’t rip into the prey for a minute or two. It started coughing and wheezing, like it was clearing its throat to speak. It was clearing its throat, all right, as it coughed up a casting. Then it began to eat the vole.

On Sunday at the Alewife Redtail “aunties” picnic, Sara said that around 1 p.m., she had an adult and an immature Red-tailed Hawk soaring over her condos, right there on Wheeler Street. The first soaring reported for one of our kids. What an achievement. I speculated it must be Larry, the most physically mature and first to leave the nest, celebrating 4 weeks of life out of the nest by soaring, but that was only a guess.

The kid on the lamp took a minute before it started eating, lifting up the vole on one end and holding on to it with its talons at the other end, tugging heartily at it. Fur flew, and then long innards appeared. The hawk ate quickly, and then hopped over to the wall of the roof away from where Dad had gone and walked-hopped along it, moving west, calling occasionally.

We had good views of the bird through the scope. When I first saw it soaring, it looked LARGE, like Lucy. It was bigger than Buzz in every way. When it sat down and began eating, we saw a light looking eyebrow, and the bellyband didn’t seem as heavy and thick as Lucy’s. The buff on the breast had faded to off white. The bird looked more tubular than like a weigh lifter. And was still calling. Was this Larry? The bird turned around obligingly and proved excellent views of the tail. NO. This was not Larry. If it was not Lucy, it had to be Lucky. If this WAS Lucky, was it possible that Lucky was a lady? She seemed relatively large.

Laika and Lynda had joined us by this time, so they saw the mystery bird perched on the medical building.

Meanwhile, Buzz flew north, into a row of birch trees on the north side of Raytheon’s “courtyard.” Shortly thereafter, mystery kid # 1 flew north, across Raytheon, and into what looks like a large black locust tree, the pillar tree commanding a view of all the roofs of the Raytheon/BBN complex.

It was quiet for a while, but we soon heard more calling. Not pathetic wailing, but constant calling, somewhat akin to a sonar system sending out calls and waiting for a “response.”

Buzz suddenly appeared on the pole on the “Genuity” side of the street, sitting on the wire with a large chunk of prey that looked to be half a squirrel. He was balancing on the wire, when suddenly an immature redtail exploded from the roof across the street, grabbed the squirrel without really alighting on the wire, and took off to the northern Raytheon roof, disappearing from view.

We continued to hear calling that sounded as though it was on both sides of the street. Were we hearing echoes or were there juveniles on roofs on either side. If only we had a submariner’s periscope to peer into their asphalt sanctuary. One of the birds began calling more like a young crow than a hawk, but it was a hawk.

Shortly, we had a juvenile soaring low over the Raytheon roof. Perhaps the same bird we had seen earlier, but we could not be sure.

Then another juvenile appeared on the post. Not Lucy; most likely Lucky. However, the bird plopped down like a gull on the top of the utility pole, and Lynda thought it had to be Larry, who is renowned for his relaxed style. (Though I have seen all three birds do that gull-like lying down.)

I walked around behind this hawk in repose and with my spotting scope could see that all the rectrices except the top one were well barred. The top rectrice on his closed tail was riding a little too high so I could not see it well. After 5-10 minutes the bird flew across the street to the Raytheon courtyard and perched in the trees near where Buzz had first disappeared. We could see it clearly. It looked small, much smaller than the bird that had perched in the locust tree. Almost certainly Lucky.

We were about to leave when another hawk appeared on the same utility pole. RUBY! Yellow eyes (the kids’ eyes are gradually shifting from blue-gray towards yellow...very slowly.) I had personally not seen her for over a week. We had great looks through the scope. She is gorgeous. Her bellyband is quite light, with a few thin vertical brown streaks. She has thin vermiculation (delicate dark lines), very fine narrow barring, on her breast and flanks, making her look elegant and sophisticated compared to her offspring, who have heavy, thick dark brown streaking on their bellies. At a distance the kids look like they are wearing cummerbunds. Mom and Dad look almost all white –white than white - underneath on a sunny day.

Ruby let us all admire and photograph her for several minutes. We used a large shrub as a visible boundary between us, a blind, and then she took off.

I thought we had seen all five hawks. I was absolutely certain we had seen four. The question was if the first bird was Lucy or Lucky. The bird with the vole did not look chicken-headed, or a hulk, She didn’t appear to have a waist. But she had looked very large to me when soaring, and noticeably larger than his or her father. The bellyband did not look as heavy as I recalled Lucy’s looking, but these birds are growing, changing everyday. Lucky has a full head of hair, so to speak. Except for Larry’s tail, I am no longer sure that I can clearly identify the oldest and youngest of the three amigos unless they posed together, even using a scope. We had good views. My first opinion on the bird with the vole was that it was Lucy, definitely big when soaring, and bigger than Buzz when perched. But the bellyband and the eyebrows seemed lighter than I think for Lucy.
The tail confirmed it was not Larry. I think Nancy was inclined towards Lucky. I now think it had to be Lucy.

The bird in the tree along the courtyard wall was small, almost certainly Lucky. And we are certain that the bird that swiped the prey out of the talons of its father was not the first bird we had been looking at. (Lucy or Lucky), because that bird had just been well fed. The bird that snatched a side of squirrel from its father was hungry, and was very adept physically, stealing the prey from a bird on the wire. (Says something about Buzz, too!)

Immatures soaring. Now they are TRUE Red-tailed Hawks! They have other milestones to achieve, but those will most likely be out of our sight. They must begin pursuing and capturing vertebrate prey, graduating from “cones and stones.” Over the next 4-6 weeks, Dad will be providing less and less food, and delivering it farther and farther away from the nest.

Their fledging had almost certainly been delayed because they had been raised on a small patch of concrete and sticks. They had no tree branches to “branch” to. They couldn’t develop their wings by coasting a few dozen feet from a branch in one tree to a lower branch in another. Even though Larry and Lucy had helicoptered up to the Atrium, it was not the same. For them the first flight was like jumping off the Empire State Building, and not knowing if your parachute would work. For Lucky, living up to his name, it was different. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, he was swept up by a wind that took him to a new land. Was he planning to fledge when he did? In my mind, NO WAY! I’ve never seen a hawk’s first entrance into free air space be a flight UP, not to mention flying backwards.

They will begin shadowing their parents in their normal course of events, watching while they hunt, and begging for food “in the field.” Out of the nest for just a month and a day, or a week less, they have ranged several hundred yards from their nest, farther than the average Red-tailed Hawk at that age. In the next month they must begin moving farther afield and farther from each other. Instead of constant pinging each other, they will have to begin texting their siblings. In a month or more, they may begin exploring on their own like a 16-year with his (or her) first car, returning when they are really, really hungry. Give them a few more weeks and one or more of the kids could be flying north, to explore northern new England and Canada.

They might be banded in New York State, as they bump up against the southern shore of Lake Ontario and see an unwary pigeon flapping in a clearing but fail to notice the bow net. They might be banded when they migrate south in October or November, as many (but not all) juveniles do.

Mom and Dad are likely to remain in the area year round. People should keep an eye open for them, and note when and where they see them. Urban redtails seem much less inclined towards migration than their country cousins. Perhaps it is the year-round availability of food, and the competition for nest sites, that keeps them hanging around their breeding territory, and even working on their nest or nests, in fall and winter.

I was at Fresh Pond Mall around 6 this evening. I saw Buzz soaring up over the railroad tracks. As I drove north on Route 16, I saw him soar towards the tall apartment building at 402 Rindge Avenue. He landed on the NW corner, next to another Red-tailed Hawk. I pulled over and got out. Buzz and Ruby were sitting side by side on the far corner, facing the slowly setting sun and a crisp, dry, cooling wind. Ruby was noticeably larger, but both were whiter than white. It seemed as though they weren’t merely reflecting the sunlight; the light was emanating from within them. They sat side by side, looking out on their world, and the three hawks they had brought into the world this year. And they saw that it was good.

Buzz elevated into the air and swung down, soaring in front of the building. It was eerie, because the shadow of the soaring hawk was black against the lighter-colored building, much easier to see than the hawk himself. Ruby sat there a minute longer, and then followed her mate. Time to feed the kids again. And it was good.

Paul

Paul M. Roberts
Medford, MA
phawk254@comcast.net

Monday, June 28, 6:20am - 8am

2 of the 3 juveniles were hanging out on roof railing above dumpster area... the dumpster truck pulled in and they quickly left. One flew back in low across the parking lot - landed on the chain link fence and proceeded to stalk a squirrel - alternating between running across the pine needles and tree hopping. (The squirrel was running up and down the trunks of various trees - further and further away from the stalker.) Lucy flew in to a small pine tree along the same fence and was being harassed by a very irritated Bluejay. For the most part she sat very still and kept the jay well within eye sight, occasionally she turned around or crawled/flapped to another branch. It was difficult to determine who the squirrel stalker was - the agility and concentration suggested to me it was Larry, but I couldn't really tell. After a spell, both birds became very attentive and flew off across the lot up to trees and back of building. Both were crying.

Buzz made a brief appearance soon after - flying from the direction they had both headed to. Then enter Ruby, who landed in the top of "the" pine tree. She was soon joined by Lucky, who sat several branches away shrieking. We (I had been joined by Amy and Susan) imagined Ruby must be saying to him "You've already asked your father - don't ask me!") Eventually Lucky retreated to a different tree - still complaining. He hopped down to the roof's edge, and was picking up dead leaves and whatever else seemed to be up there. One of his siblings flew past - almost hitting Lucky's head and then flew back to join him on the roof.
End of morning visit,
Nancy

Great get together! Good people! Delicious food! Incredible photography! Glad to reunite with friends again!
After talking so much about the hawks I wanted to try for any siteings after the pot luck. Andy and I went to Fawcett St. were we saw Buzz drop off a rat to Larry. Larry put it on a roof nearby, Andy said to save it for latter. Buzz sat on a light pole in the parking lot with very wet feathers, he looked soaked, and started to shake and preen himself, he must of just bathed. That was a first for me to see. Larry sat close behind him a level lower on the same pole. They sat there for sometime doing their male bonding. Andy and I checked out Moulton St. but saw nothing else. It was worth the trip. Hildy

What a wonderful, WONDERFUL potluck picnic we co-created!!!
Carol W.

I heard from a couple of people to keep the blogging, they want the updates, so I gladly will. So, yesterday around 8pm Lynda and I saw Lucky and Larry on seperate poles on Moulton St. They both began to cry shorly after we arrived. Suddenly an adult fley by and dropped a bird{we assumed it was dropped off} for Larry and fly next to Lucky and touched beak to beak which prompted Lucky to follow the adult crying. We thought either a kiss or a piece of food. Who knows? We then proudly watched Larry eat the bird by tearing it as he ate and remove some feathers. It was a good siteing and we were just about to leave. Hildy

Hildy, please keep posting your sightings. I've been looking but haven't seen any of the kids since the night you and I saw Lucy, Larry and Ruby so I check this blog at least once a day for updates. Keep the information coming. I went to the usual spots today but no sightings. I decided not to go to Fresh Pond because I didn't know where to begin looking. Amy

At 4:15 leaving Fresh Pond with my dog, walking up Concord Ave. heading west. Heard the cry then saw a juvenile flying over Neville Place heading toward trees on Concord Ave. Moments later I saw an adult being chased by a starling and head toward a low roof on the other side of the street. Could not identify either one, happened too fast and no binoculars handy. Perhaps some hunting lessons at Fresh Pond.
At this point I don't know if I should continue to blog my siteings or are people ready to move on. Is anyone even reading the blog?
Let me know. Hildy

At 4:15 leaving Fresh Pond with my dog, walking up Concord Ave. heading west. Heard the cry then saw a juvenile flying over Neville Place heading toward trees on Concord Ave. Moments later I saw an adult being chased by a starling and head toward a low roof on the other side of the street. Could not identify either one, happened too fast and no binoculars handy. Perhaps some hunting lessons at Fresh Pond.
At this point I don't know if I should continue to blog my siteings or are people ready to move on. Is anyone even reading the blog?
Let me know. Hildy

Went by Fawcett and Moulton Streets tonight. Got a siteing of Susan, she is back fron NY. Shorty after, Leika joined us. We spotted an adult fly by and land on a building empty handed and a juvenile follow crying also landing on the building. The adult did not stay long, but the juvenile did. We also saw a juvenile fly from a tree in the parking lot to a pole as well as to a low roof. I think it was Larry but Susan thinks it was Lucky. It also could of been the same juvenile from the roof. At this point it is hard for me to identify them without knowing more of their individual markings. He would fly around from a tree to a pole because of harrasing mockingbirds as well as him watching me watching him with my dog. When he flew back into the tree in the parking lot, I gave him space. We saw him for the first time "stand up" to a mocking bird and assert himself. When the mockingbird landed next to him on the pole he sqwacked back and lifted his wings in defiance and didn't budge. The two birds had a serious conversation and eventually the mockingbird left. We were glad to see his maturity. Glad the rain cleared that humid air. Have a good night. Hildy

The day Larry first fledged and landed on the side walk and building ledges and parking lots, there was a mob scene of people taking pictures with cameras and cell phones, it was probably taken then.
This evening Amy and I saw Lucy and Larry on poles in the Raytheon parking lot. Amy spotted an adult on top of a nearby bulding and she thinks it was Ruby. We were both happy to see an adult around and neither one was crying. Did not see Lucky however. I am a worry wort,thinking Lucky is being reglected because he is always crying as well as being too young to learn to hunt. Amy reasured me that they all look great and they are only three weeks out of the nest. Hildy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05cdlpQtxzo&feature=related

Check out this short You Tube posting of supposedly Larry calling out. I wonder who took this video and where it was?

- Ernie

Sorry, I clicked twice. Hildy

Went by Danehy Park to scope out a good area for the pot luck. The largest group of picnic tables are by the playground and marsh, closer to the Sherman St. parking lot, on the other end of the park. It is only a few minute walk from the New St. parking lot. There is only one sidewalk through the park so meeting up should't be a problem. Keep cool in this heat! Hildy

Went by Danehy Park to scope out a good area for the pot luck. The largest group of picnic tables are by the playground and marsh, closer to the Sherman St. parking lot, on the other end of the park. It is only a few minute walk from the New St. parking lot. There is only one sidewalk through the park so meeting up should't be a problem. Keep cool in this heat! Hildy

Hi All,

BAMBI and the"KIDS"

Last night a couple of us were on a street that's very industrial and saw Lucy and Larry on telephone poles about midway down. All of a sudden, a doe came sauntering across the end of the street! We could NOT believe it!
She stopped and looked down the street towards us. Larry was the closest and followed her with his head for a minute, but was nonplussed. Lucy was down the street too far to see her well and Lucky was out of visual range ,one street over, vocalizing. The deer then entered a little thicket behind a building and continued east.

Nature continues to bring surprises to the kids.
Cheers, Lynda

Hello Hawk Stalkers!
Looks like we may get a big turn out for our pot luck.
I suggest you bring chairs and blankets in case we are not able to
get enough picnic tables.
See you than! Hildy

Correction on "Nancy Given" (misspelled on her report I posted)

Sorry Nancy!

Nancy Givins: June 21 Mon 10 AM

I arrived at 6:45 - took a stroll around and didn't see any of the usual suspects in the usual places. I was on my way over to an adjacent street - when Leika drove in. She reported seeing Lucy earlier in the morning - she went back to take another look and I continued forth. On one of the poles towards the end of the street I spotted one of the kids - presumably Larry as it/he was tubular in body shape and QUIET. Went back to check with Leika - she had spotted another "kid" flying through the parking lot. We went back around the block to see that Lucky had joined Larry on the pole and needless to say was screaming (Leika did some recording - possibly a new phone ring!). Larry flew to a pole across the street. In the meantime I spotted one on them handicap railing entrance to a building across the street. A second flew in and landed on same railings.... Lucy and Larry. They look remarkably alike (when you can't see their tails) save for size. We had ample opportunity to see them side by side on the railings. We then spotted Hildy with a small group of workers from a nearby company (several of whom reported this was the first time they had seen them there - which makes sense if the hawks discovered this area over the weekend). Larry was climbing/crawling/hopping around on the ramp and railings and eventually flew off... then it became the Lucy show as she flapped about, investigated the bars on the railings - attempted to land on a slanted railing only to slide off (the stories Lucky could tell her) and then settled for hopping up the short staircase, stair by stair. Then a low flying sweep landing in the parking lot, joined by Larry. Larry hopped over to a grassy area very near where Leika was sitting (lots of photos) and then took off. Lucy remained posing for the camera. Lucky's shrieks seemed to be getting closer... as Leika and I were trying to leave... there was a commotion right above us as somebody landed in a tree full of screaming Blue Jays. Larry swooped up to a roof top and did his pinecone thing (a special request from Hildy!) Blue Jays continued screaming - I could see flashes of white and brown feathers behind sporadic moving foliage As we made it a few more feet closer to the car, another hawk came swooping through the lot... hard to leave all this activity....

NEW!!!
Check out Leika's Red-tail photo site. She tells a story with her photos and captions. Great learning tool for anyone, including children:

http://web.me.com/lnpnmobileme1/RedTail/Home/Home.html

PHAWK Report: 06/20/10

There are days when you pinch yourself and ask just how lucky you can be. I’ve been looking at hawks for almost forty years and have seen a lot of incredible things, but this morning was unique and oh, so special. I was alone at first, and walked around looking for the juvenile Alewife Red-tailed Hawks and saw NADA – nothing - around 6 a.m. About 15 minutes later, an immature Red-tailed Hawk hawk flew out from a building masked by trees, landing in a tall spruce. It was not clear at first who it was, but it sat there preening in the rising sun’s early glow. I was joined by Nancy Given. We tried to determine if it was Lucy or not. It didn’t look as big as I recalled Lucy, but she was not slim. Her widest girth was amidships, signaling this was probably Lucy. Larry and Lucky are slimmer birds, who could not wear hiphuggers without embarrassing themselves.

After some minutes, Lucy flew to and perched in a large willow, where she began hopping sporadically from branch to branch, balancing herself with her wings the way a tightrope walker uses a balancing pole. She did not look very suave or sophisticated in weaving to and fro on the willow branches. She looked like she would have failed a sobriety test. We then saw a second immature, Lucky or Larry, flying in from the trees along another building. We were not sure who it was though we had a decent view of its tail. Larry’s tail pattern is diagnostic with only partial thin dark bands at best in the distal portion of the tail. But this immature bird had his tail folded so tightly we saw only one rectrice, with pretty clear tail bands. The eyebrows looked lighter, and two days earlier we had agreed that Larry had a rusty look to his eyebrows. We didn‘t realize it at this time, but later we saw that the mottling on Larry’s back is cream-colored, whereas Lucky’s mottling is much whiter. This was Lucky, who sat still facing away for some time while Lucy hopped around and ultimately dropped down out of the tree and out of sight beyond the western fence.

Then we saw Larry fly in, though we weren’t sure it was him at first. He came in, landed, and then took off towards the feeding pole, but stopped short in a heavily leafed tree, providing fantastic views as he sat low on an open branch. With his back to us, it was clear THIS was Larry, with the bottom three or four tails bands partial or missing, quite different from the tails of his siblings. Lucky, now absolutely confirmed, was still perched in the willow.

After 10-15 minutes, Larry flew across a parking lot, over to its far side where he had had a spruce cone training session with Ruby about a week earlier. He landed in a tree but parachuted down onto the ground and began running around, pecking various points on the ground as though feeding on insects, but he wasn’t actually eating anything. He gathered clumps of pine needles in his talons and pecked at them, as though they held some exciting flavor. Larry then attacked several desiccated leaves on a fallen branch, the brown leaves rustling in the fairly strong breeze. He captured them with his powerful, pointed beak, ripping them from their home and letting the captive “prey” flutter to the ground. He then resumed dancing around on the ground, jumping up and down and flapping his wings as though he were on an electric pogo stick. He was having fun, reminding us of the day his mother taught him how to capture a large insect or small rodent on the ground, using a dried spruce cone as faux prey. Suddenly, Larry struck and captured his first “live” prey that we had seen. He pounced on and locked one talon around a small, dark rock that looked like a piece of stray asphalt. He “fought” it, hopping around with it in one talon as the rock tried to get away. Obviously, this was play, but like a young child playing with a toy kitchen cooking set, it was a learning experience as well.

Lucy apparently thought otherwise. She dropped down out of the tree unexpectedly and started giving Larry grief. She chased him, fanning her wings and raising her hackles, trying to mantle the “prey” rock and take it from Larry. Several times the two squared off, face to face, wings spread, heads down and hackles up, the prey between them. They were playing, but this was serious play. Larry hopped around with the rock as though it was alive and trying to run away. Lucy pursued. Larry dropped the “mouse”, which turned back into a rock. Suddenly, I felt a swish of air against my left leg ( I was wearing shorts) and saw Lucky flying just a foot or two from me and less than two feet off the ground as he glided in to join his siblings, alighting in a lower branch above the feuding siblings. The three amigos were together again! Leika had joined us in time to witness and photograph all this, and Amy had arrived too. It was a special moment for all of us.

Lucy is large. On the ground, she was so much larger than her first brother that we questioned how we could ever mistake one for the other. Lucy used her larger size to capture a much larger rock than Larry had, in one enormous talon. (In fact, she stretched her talon over a fairly large stump low in the ground, and encircled it all.) She started hopping around, preventing the apparently live and writhing rock from escaping. She mantled it so we could not see what she was eating (or perhaps because she was embarrassed at someone watching her capture and apparently eat a ferocious rock.)

Lucy and Larry continued to play “hop, snatch, and mantle.” I walked back to my car to get a new memory card and battery, and came back to find Lucy “in jail.” Larry and Lucky were on our side of a chain link fence, huddled together, beaks pressed against the metal wires, looking at Lucy on the other side. It was like they were visiting her at the penitentiary. I was told Lucy had flown up into a tree and then parachuted down on the other side of the fence, but she apparently had a difficult time comprehending exactly what the fence was. She could see her brothers on the other side but couldn’t join them, and vice versa. They all looked totally perplexed. An iron curtain had descended between the three kids, separating the oldest from the rest. This reminded me of what Lynda had written the day before, when she had seen Lucy, and a shortly thereafter, Larry, fly and crash head first into a 10’ high chain link fence. They had bounced back and landed relatively softly, compared to what might have happened, but she was concerned. Could the hawks not SEE the fence? I speculated that they could see the fence, but they were focusing their attention on what they saw on the other side of the fence, so they didn’t process it properly. (In fact, several days earlier Lucy had climbed up a chain link fence six feet high to retrieve the half-eaten meal she had inadvertently dropped from her perch. The deceased mouse had fallen just on the other side of the fence, and Lucy was not sufficiently experienced to take off and land on the other side of the fence just a few feet away. Also, as we all know, all Boeing 747s need a fairly long runway to take off and land!)

It all seemed relatively comical, the prisoner pacing behind the bars and the visitors shuffling around, to and fro, contemplating how they could spring her. Suddenly, a hawk exploded out of the pine trees at our side and landed awkwardly in a deciduous tress to our rear left. A flash of red tail. Dark eyes. BUZZ! The first sighting of an adult, of a parent, in over 150 minutes. Buzz sat up in the tree, where he was harassed by a Blue Jay. Larry exploded from the prison’s visiting room towards Dad. Suddenly, I heard a hawk calling plaintively. I saw a Blue Jay buzzing Buzz and imitating a Red-tailed Hawk call, but it was more than that. I turned to get a better look, stepping back, and was surprised to see that the plaintive Red-tailed Hawk begging call was also coming from Lucky, who had swiftly and silently (unusual for Lucky) flown to the light casement just a few feet above our heads, where he had alighted unbeknownst to us but was now pleading somewhat pathetically for food. We looked up into the eyes of a very close, very hungry, Red-tailed Hawk. If we had been somewhat smaller, we might have identified with what a meadow vole thinks shortly before it dies.

What a greeting from his kids on Father’s Day. But Buzz had no food. In the background, I saw Lucy break jail. With her father’s appearance she got her wits about her and ran parallel to the fence, taking off and gaining altitude quickly, like a jet fighter on an aircraft carrier. She disappeared to the north, rising four or five feet along the fence before she climbed out of sight behind the large willows. She had to have wheeled rather tightly behind those trees, however, because the next thing I knew, she was literally screeching to a landing on the same light casement as brother Lucky. Trying to land on this small box, already occupied by the ex-runt, she had placed her back toe on the side of the box and her “forward” toes on the top, but this was unforgiving metal, so she lost a lot of points for her relatively graceless landing. She is BIG, and it takes a lot of time and experience to learn how to move that bulk gracefully. Lucy then joined the chorus of beggars.

All three hawks, with the occasional exception of Lucky, had been quiet all morning, but the arrival of Dad generated such pathetic pleading you would have thought the kids had not eaten in a week. Dad flew off to the weathervane. Larry pursued, followed by Lucky and Lucy, who landed briefly on an SUV before following her pater and her peers into the electric substation area, out of sight, as Buzz disappeared from the weathervane. We flushed one of the kids as we walked towards the feeding pole, but no one else was hanging around.

As we left at 9 a.m., an adult Red-tailed Hawk was soaring up over the substation, a grackle leaving footprints on its back. It had to be Dad. For Buzz, maybe this was a glorious morning because on Father’s Day (not officially celebrated in Red-tailed Hawk society to my knowledge) his chicks had survived two weeks, and in Larry’s case three weeks, out of the nest. But Buzz didn’t have time to enjoy any sense of satisfaction. He had to find food and somehow entice three different young Redtails to go TO the food, rather than take it to them. The teaching continued. It was clear these birds were still not feeding themselves with any regularity, if at all. Buzz still bore primary, perhaps sole, responsibility for feeding the three amigos. Around 10:30, Nancy returned and found Lucky on the feeding pole pleading to no one in particular for food. Perhaps Dad was near by again. It sounds like this next week will be a challenge for Buzz....

Best,

Paul

Paul M. Roberts
Medford, MA
phawk254@comcast.net

Lucy, Larry and Lucky were spotted together this morning! They seemed to be practicing using their talons to pick up small rocks and hold on to them--maybe Paul will write about this and give some insights. We also observed Larry sitting in a tree monitoring the movements of a nearby bluejay with great interest!

Tonight I found all of them together again sitting on top of a pole on Fawcett Street. It was amazing to see; the two older ones would fly a little ways and then come back, Lucky stayed put. They seemed quite relaxed overall, although Lucky yelled a little for Buzz and Ruby. Unfortunately they didn't appear while I was there.

Amy

Hello All!
We have confirmed a time and place for our first gathering since our chicks have fledged!
Date: June 27th
Time: 4PM
Place: Danehy Park, Cambridge, MA
We will meet in the Danehy Park parking lot off of New St., which is just past the Fresh Pond Cinemas, behind Staples, bearing right onto New St., Danehy park and the parking lot are on the left. Directly behind the mall.
Bring food and drink for yourselves as well as enough to share!
Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments are concerns.
Looking forward to seeing you all again! Hildy {617-489-1771}
{617-519-3755}

Hi folks,
A small group of birders were happy to see the three juveniles in a secluded part of ABT parking lot around 7:30AM. They were working on their new fledgling skills, still acting quite inexperienced and awkward. Lucy and Larry stayed in the same area, while Lucky was off, not to be seen most of the time. Lucy and than Larry stared at a squirrel through a fence, and Lucky carried around a small paper bag. Obviously they need much practice hunting. After a couple of hours, Larry cried which prompted an adult to eventually fly by. Glad to be able to see them, they are growing, even though Lucky looks more like a pigeon. Let's keep sending good energy to these guys to continue to learn and thrive. Since there was a very small group , the security did not seem to mind, especially on the weekends, but let's not start a large gathering there. Hildy

Hi folks,
Saw several hawks this evening between 7:15 and 8:30. Unfortunally for me, I couldn't properly identify them. Either they are maturing and changing their appearance so quickly or I may of seen another hawk family living on Concord Ave., according to Sarah.
The first sighting was with two other regulars. We heard and saw a juvenile crying in a tree in ABT parking lot. We didn't know if it was Larry or Lucy. Soon after, another hawk, who we couldn't identify, landed on a branch close by. The crying juvenile and the other hawk flew over the buildings towards the west. As I was walking up Concord Ave., I saw three guys staring at a telephone pole at the end of a street off of Concord Ave. Hoping they were hawks, which they were, I joined them, thrilled to see two juveniles. I couldn't identify them accept I knew they were juveniles because of the brassy chests. The larger one was eating contently on middle of the pole while the smaller one sat on the end of the pole whinning. The bigger one would not share. After the bigger one finished it's meal, the smaller one slithered over closer and closer. The bigger one ignored it. Finally the smaller bird started picking at the bigger bird. Picking it's head and wings, even causing it to loose it's balance. The bigger bird didn't seem to care, no reaction, but eventually flew back toward the ABT lot. The smaller bird sat there for a while, looking around, then when I wasn't looking, flew away. I headed back to ABT parking lot to see if I could get one last peek, but was unsuccessful. However one my way home up Concord Ave., across from the Shell station, I spotted a hawk, hanging from an extended branch over Concord Ave., and the hawk was watching the traffic. Hold on tight! Hildy

Hi All,

This early morning , there were no sightings of any of the family behind ABT, so Leika and I took a quick swing through Fresh Pond with no luck there either. We came back to find Paul watching Lucky, in the feeding pole vicinity. Lucky may have been waiting for breakfast, but soon flew to the TD Bank roof.[He must know about the special on free checking accounts] He then flew toward Fresh Pond.

We went back to the feeding pole area and saw Larry sitting atop a telephone pole- looking so handsome. Although there was a deceased robin on the ground nearby, he took no interest. Paul said it wouldn't be typical for a hawk to eat a bird that's been dead for awhile [it had dew on it] unless it was extremely hungry- perhaps in winter.
Larry eventually flew off toward Fresh Pond, and it may not be much longer before the feeding pole becomes a thing of the past.

Happy hawk watching,
Lynda

PHAWK Report: 06/17/10 1 PM

I’ve heard and expressed considerable respect for Buzz and Ruby and how they have worked and raised three young this year. Larry stole the headlines by fledging first, and surviving challenges from buildings, highways, and cars. Lucy won the admiration of many for staying in the nest until Lucky had fledged. Lucky, that little rascal, however, has won the hearts of so many women. It’s obvious when you hear them talk about him.

Today, early, Leika had Lucy on the condos, calling rather softly, and Larry, who flew towards the trees of Fresh Pond. Then no hawks for over an hour. Two Black-crowned Night Herons flew over, but it was quiet until an employee from CVS or Trader Joe’s walked out back briefly and asked, “Is that a hawk?” Lucky had snuck in from the north or east, shielded from our view by trees, but obvious from the employee’s position and relatively close in the electric substation. He sat there. And sat there. And sat there. A chorus of House Sparrows sat on the same fence, chastising this poor, hungry waif who had never taken a House Sparrow from a nest – though he might have eaten a few when delivered to him. Lucky preened now and then, but he was only 20 yards from the feeding pole. We all knew what he was doing.

Buzz did too! We didn’t see Buzz or Ruby. No “Pea Pod” deliveries to the feeding pole. Frustrated, Lucky flew over to the feeding pole and other poles in the neighborhood, obviously just waiting around for the “mouse sandwich” truck to fly in. No luck, however. Suddenly, a hawk swooped in to the feeding pole. Buzz with a McMouse Muffin from the other side of Alewife Brook? No. In fact, it wasn’t Buzz at all. It was Larry, looking for that easy breakfast as well. After a relatively short time, Larry flew off to the north. Lucky then flew down towards Concord behind the CVS and sat in the trees and on a post. He was calm, relaxed, and quiet, but waiting. While perched, he coughed up a casting, or pellet, a small mass of indigestible materials he had swallowed while eating. In this case, without benefit of dissection, it looked to be predominantly mouse fur.

Lucky hopped from branch to branch, and then onto a utility wire, where he had some difficulty balancing himself in the breeze. He shuffled his feet along the wire, the way a non-acrobat would shuffle along a high board between two tall buildings – always sensitive to the threat of falling off. He didn’t win any points for confidence. He then flew across the street, landing on the edge of the Abt building. Suddenly, we saw Lucky flying ass backwards again, facing north but flying south! Shades of his very first flight! He had landed on the solar water heating panels - which are smooth- on the steeply angled Abt roof. His talons couldn’t get a grip on the glassy surface as he flailed at the air. Lucky began “ice-skating” backwards down the roof! He skated back down onto some shingles, where he was finally able to get some traction and rest. After a few minutes of obviously deep thought, at least deep for a hawk less than eight weeks old, he tried skating up the roof again to no avail, sliding back to the shingles, and ultimately flying to a safer, easier pole. An intense learning experience.

Meanwhile, Sarah heard a call down near the pond, and found Buzz sitting high in a tree on Concord Avenue with a Blue Jay in his talons. We expected a swift delivery to the feeding pole, but we were wrong. Buzz took the “Great Circle” route behind the condos, out of Lucky’s view and ours, apparently going onto private property to feed Larry, or possibly Lucy, but not the hawk that now was not living up to his name.

He had been sitting near the feeding pole for over two hours without any success when I left. As if to stimulate some Pavlovian response in Buzz, Lucky flew to the feeding pole itself and just sat there, alone and without food as I drove away.

Best,

Paul

Paul M. Roberts
Medford, MA
phawk254@comcast.net

Leika: 06/16/10

Below is a report on some interesting learning behavior Lucy exhibited including "climing a fense"! Here is a quick link to Leika's photo slide show with captions:

http://web.me.com/lnpnmobileme1/RedTail/My_Albums/My_Albums.html

Hi Everyone,

As per Amy's report this morning was a beginning of quite an eventful day especially for Lucy. Lucy is now having her own
"pine cone" lesson with real prey as Buzz watched over her with
love and pride. Here is the rest of the report of what had happened after Lucy ate her meal.
After Lucy finished her meal she flew up onto the wire looking very sated and proud of her
new accomplishment. She left the half eaten carcass on the ground, as she had
yet to figure out how to fly with prey in hands (talons).
While Varsha, Amy and I were having our "so proud of our
hawk daughter" moment, we met a pest control guy, John Malis, who also
took an interest as to what was happening. As soon as we pointed to the
carcass that Lucy left behind he wanted to take care of it right away (him being the pest control guy and all),
but Amy convinced him to come back in an hour
in case somebody else might come back for the for the left over later. He agreed and left.
Fast forward one hour later he came back and took the carcass away since no other
hawks came to claim it. THEN! After a while Sarah (Varsha and Amy had left by this point and now I was joined by
Sarah) and I saw Buzz came back to the exact spot where an hour ago Lucy had her breakfast.
He had come back looking for Lucy's left over!
Buzz hung out there cocking his head trying to figure out where the left over went. He knew that Lucy was not yet able to
fly with it so he assumed the left over would still be there.
He walked around the area over and over staring at the spot where the carcass was until a passerby shewed him away onto
a nearby roof then flew away. Amazing. I just wonder what he would have done with the left over had he come
back before the 'breakfast table' was cleared..... we will never know.
I think we were all so heartened to see Lucy being challenged by this next stage in her development while Buzz
stayed firmly in the background ever so careful not to invade her learning opportunities. What a great moment.
Later Lucky came by the feeding pole to see if anything was left for him.
Slim pickings.... he had missed the breakfast bell entirely. That was SO Lucky.

On another note:
I have created a little Alewife redtail family website. Please find the pictures from today's events at this
url:

http://web.me.com/lnpnmobileme1/RedTail/My_Albums/My_Albums.html

I will be adding more pages as I go along.
I will let you know when there is a new page added.
I have also blurred some of the more graffic parts out so
people won't get grossed out if they are having lunch or something.
It will look like Court TV where the witness' face is blurred, but you will still get the idea.

Happy Hawking,

Leika

PHAWK Report: 06/15/10 11:20 AM

Larry fledged two weeks ago yesterday. Lucky one week ago Sunday, and Lucy a week ago yesterday. The nest has been empty for a week! I’m happy to report that all have survived their first week out in the cold, cruel, world (knock on wood). That is an accomplishment in itself. All three kids were seen healthy ... And quiet.. this morning by Lynda and Leika.

The kids are changing in many ways. On Saturday, Susan Moses saw Larry, Lucky, and Buzz on telephone poles behind Trader Joe’s. Buzz then flew off and Larry joined Lucky on a pole, where they both called, obviously hungry. Buzz returned to an empty pole with food, where Dad was joined by the two boys. Larry got to the post first, and got the food. Buzz then flew off the to the CVS sign and observed while Larry sat on the food and Lucky looked on hungrily. Apparently the food was not properly prepared to Larry’s liking, but after staring down at the carcass for a while, he started pecking at it, then eating. Larry ate it all. Lucky, getting nary a bite, sat on the very same post screaming, but it was not clear if he was screaming at Larry for not sharing, or at Buzz, for not bringing him food...or both. (By the way, Hildy reports that she can clearly identify Lucky by his vociferous vocalizations. Several days ago she was walking along the parkway where Lucky had been spending much of the day on the large reddish-brown office building next to the Best Western, and heard Lucky’s plaintive vocalizations being repeated by a Mockingbird! Can poor Buzz tell the difference?)

Buzz returned to the area with food, landing on a vacant pole. Larry, apparently sated, was already gone, but Lucky flew to Buzz’s pole, grabbing the food and pushing an understanding Buzz out of the way. Quoting Susan, “So imagine my surprise to hear Lucky still screaming. He stared at the food (which I think was a chipmunk), and tried to pull on it, but he didn't know how to "get it open." He just kept screaming for awhile and then finally just sat down on top of it! Unbelievable. He would cry now and then and Buzz just stopped by and landed on the other pole, but didn't go help him, and then he (Buzz) flew away. ”Lucky was still crying, staring at the food, in need of assistance. He finally began to peck at it and tried to rip pieces off, but wasn't having much luck. But, hunger must have gotten the better of him since he kept trying and eventually won the battle! He's still having trouble, but it looks as if he is getting some good chunks. I guess that's how they have to learn. Buzz and Ruby know what they're doing. Pampering the kids does not help them survive on their own.” Later Lucky dropped the remains of the prey to the ground and just stared at it. Buzz brought in more food to another pole and Lucky flew over and took the prey, while Buzz flew off once again.

On Sunday I observed from the overpass in the morning. I didn’t see the kids at all, feeding, perching high, whatever, but Buzz and Ruby were clearly keeping an eye on them. Buzz flew in from near the railroad tracks and landed in a tall spruce, revealing a hidden Ruby. Buzz landed high in the tree, and Ruby moved up to join him, but she was so heavy that the branch on which she attempted to alight bent beneath her, dropping her down a level, where there was an instant replay. The second branch couldn’t hold her either, and she had a soft landing onto a branch several feet down from Buzz. Shades of Lucy, who is even bigger! Both parents were touching as they sat there, very alert, watching activity on both sides beneath them. (They were not in the common pose that looks like they are bored and nodding off.) Buzz flew off near the tracks again, watching something beneath the canopy. I assume it was one or more of the kids learning to fly beneath the radar.

On Monday, I saw Lucy resting on private property, and then flying off, and Larry was on one of the telephone poles behind Trader Joe’s. The key event was that after coming onto the pole, looking for food, he got NADA, nothing. (In fact, he flipped the paltry remains of earlier prey off the pole. No scraps, puhleeze!) But Sarah and I were pleased as punch when Larry blasted off the pole in pursuit of a Mourning Dove, the first time we’ve heard or seen anything about any of the kids pursuing live avian or mammalian prey (excluding spruce cones). He pursued the dove between thick trees, so we could not see if he was successful or not. But he landed on a rooftop shrouded by trees, prompting someone in the building to walk out onto the roof to look, and flushing Larry. I doubt that he was successful, but actually pursuing prey in flight after two weeks out of the nest was a great sign.

Today, all three kids were seen on private property, suggesting they have been roosting close enough to each other to be aware of each other’s presence, even when they are not pleading for food. Lynda and Leika reported that Lucy and Lucky flew of towards the trees of Fresh Pond Reservation, the first evidence we have of Lucy venturing into the reservation. The kids really are growing up.

Some may think even a little anthropomorphism is inappropriate, inaccurate, or can be excessive in recording wildlife observations. We know that some, perhaps most, people impose their value systems on what they observe. I may be guilty of this. I have observed multiple raptor nestings and have been impressed by investment the parents make in the entire reproductive process, and their concern for their young. Clearly, most of it is instinctual, but there are individual differences in how birds act and respond. I’ll never forget the male Osprey holding an enormous fish in his talons for most of the day, waiting to feed it to the last surviving chick in the nest, almost ready to fledge. But the chick had not survived, and would never eat that fish. That male Osprey was clearly in shock and mourning, trying to fathom what had happened.

The Alewife Redtails have provided a truly rare opportunity for many people to observe nest building, courtship, incubation, and the growth of three very distinctive chicks. We’ve had the chance to observe that birds do have different personalities, and behave differently. We’ve had a chance to see how birds behave instinctually, and how they learn... How parents help (the kids would say “force”) the young to learn, and to become independent.

I am so impressed by Buzz, by what a provider he has been to his mate and his young. He has been providing adequate food for FIVE Red-tailed Hawks for almost two months. Enough so that the third chick, the late “love child”, the runt, had been able to survive. This past week, and perhaps the next, are probably the most challenging of the year, and perhaps his life, as he is now feeding five LARGE, mobile, active Red-tailed Hawks. He has been absolutely incredible.

I had my doubts about Ruby at the beginning, when the chicks were hatched. Buzz and Ruby had different food delivery strategies and tactics than I had seen previously with Redtails. As the chicks grew, my doubts were erased, especially on the hottest day of the year when the three chicks were broiling on that ledge in full sunlight in 95 degree heat. (About 20 observers were broiling as well, but they could go to Whole Foods or McDonalds for cooling refreshment.) The three chicks huddled against the windows of the atrium, trying to find the shade they had lost, and perhaps the insulated glass was cooler. Remember, these chicks are not able to drink or sweat to cool down. Ruby flew in as the last vestiges of shade were devoured by the relentlessly moving sun and stood there, spreading her wings high over her chicks, shading them for a protracted period of time. Wow.

Buzz goes back occasionally and sits on the peak of the atrium, above the nest. Ruby has gone back at least once and spent 45 minutes in the nest. Nostalgia? In one of the tenderest moments of the season, after the young had fledged, Buzz brought prey to Ruby — for Ruby -- on a telephone pole. It was clearly a special moment for both. They sat there together somewhat awkwardly on the small pole, and then Ruby began to eat as Buzz flew off. Once Buzz was gone, Larry rocketed out of the trees onto the pole his father had just vacated. He started grabbing at the prey his mother was eating, literally trying to take it out of her talons. Ruby continued to eat for a little while, as Larry screamed. Mom then lifted off, leaving half the prey for her second oldest chick. Shades of Mrs. Cleaver....

The day that Lucky helicoptered into a strong, gusty wind and found himself blown skyward and backward onto the roof, Buzz and Ruby went soaring in tandem over the railroad tracks and the apartment buildings. Amazing people who had never seen it before, they “kited” together into the stiff winds, standing still in the air next to each other like two kites on the end of one string. Buzz then soared over Ruby, and stooped down, fully extending his legs and talons above his mate. I couldn’t hear any calling in that wind, but it had to be there. They were clearly reaffirming the bonds that had gotten them through this long, challenging period, and I can’t help but believe they were celebrating their kids’ accomplishments. You are not really a Red-tailed Hawk until you fly.

The bonds between siblings should loosen over the next few weeks. Perhaps Larry will actually begin catching his own prey, and Lucy and Lucky start pursuing their own. Exploring Fresh Pond is part of that. Few if any people might see those milestones, or know what they are seeing, but sometime soon observers should start seeing immature Red-tailed Hawks soaring over Alewife Brook Parkway. (You’ll see thin, dark brown bands on a lighter brown tail, and heavier dark streaking on the more obvious belly bands of the kids.) That will mark the end of another, major chapter in the lives of the Red-tailed Hawks of Alewife Brook Parkway. The world at large awaits them.

Best,

Paul

Paul M. Roberts
Medford, MA
phawk254@comcast.net

Lynda,
Thanks for that update. I would really like to see the "kids" hunt successfully on their own knowing that is the next big hurdle. I just need to have faith. Hildy