Tompkins Square hawk fledglings are looking good

As I previously posted, all three Tompkins Square Red-Tailed Hawk chicks have fledged the nest. They all look great.

The fledglings are curious and playful, exploring everything the park has to offer. This one bites at some leaves on a branch.

Below, mom Amelia flies in with food (not visible in this shot). Two fledglings eagerly vie for the meal delivery while the third calmly watches the action.

As Amelia takes off, we can see she has left a bird behind on the branch.

The fledgling on the right takes the prize.

The other two patiently wait for another food delivery.

As always, we must stay vigilant and ensure these young birds stay safe. They are just learning to fly and haven't learned to be afraid of danger. There have already been issues with people and dogs getting WAY too close. If you see the hawks being harassed, call 311 and ask for the Urban Park Rangers or the Park Police. That said, it can take some time for them to respond, so it's up to us to look after them.

 

Tompkins Square hawk chicks have fledged

All three of the Tompkins Square Park red-tailed hawk chicks have fledged the nest and are exploring the park trees. 

The first fledge was June 11, the third was the 13th, and the second was either the 12th or the 13th. All three hawks are looking good as they awkwardly find their bearings in the tree tops.

 

While in the nest, the hawks were almost impossible to see, so I'm happy to finally get a good look at them.

This is the first family for parents Amelia and M2, and they have achieved an important milestone being able to fledge all three offspring. The young birds will continue to be cared for by their parents for a few weeks until they learn to hunt and feed themselves.

 

Stay tuned... 

Tompkins Square hawk chicks branching & exercising

Each day brings the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk chicks closer to fledging the nest. They are now exploring the branches of their nest tree and are getting ready to take that big leap.

To recap the last several days: 

May 29: M2 visits the nest and you can see the chicks still have a lot of white down on their heads.

June 2: The chicks have grown significantly taller and have a peachy color on their chests. Their wing feathers are nearly fully grown.

June 3: At least one of the chicks still has a fuzzy face.

This was the first time I saw one of the chicks branching. This one is perched on a branch just above the nest.

June 6: One of the chicks takes in the view from a higher branch.

June 8: The day was dark and dreary, but the chicks spent some time jumping around the nest, flapping their wings, and getting some exercise.

June 10: This was the first time I saw all three chicks venture out of the nest to explore the tree. Two are pictured here.

This one is looking very serious!

One of the other siblings:

After hopping around the tree for a while, all three chicks returned to the nest for a family dinner. M2 (left) delivered food while Amelia (center) fed the kids. One of the chicks is visible here, while the other two are hidden behind the parents.

Physically, the chicks look ready to go, so it's up to them to decide when they're ready.