After the first hawk fledged, things were pretty quiet on the nest for a while. The remaining two kids had a nap, then the middle child woke up and had a look in its eye...
![Seconds from fledging](https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3911/18416646653_40af09a35b_b.jpg)
It started flapping, but looked more determined.
![Seconds from fledging](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/270/18849641488_a2ae6f44de_b.jpg)
It kept looking at Most Holy Redeemer church, where both parents sat atop the cross.
Suddenly, it was up in the air! A collective cheer rang out in the street below, where a crowd had gathered to watch.
![Fledge!](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/433/18417121503_9e52aacb69_b.jpg)
It managed to get really good height, flying higher than the 12-story building.
![Fledge!](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/378/19032248682_2ffd3fba54_b.jpg)
![Fledge!](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/350/19011569346_e858fd94ce_b.jpg)
![Fledge!](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/304/18850137088_d027c8a740_b.jpg)
It flew high over the intersection of Avenue A and 3rd Street, then banked left and sailed east on 3rd Street towards the church, where its parents still perched.
![First flight](https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3909/18850942290_1e772187bc_b.jpg)
It then made another left turn and headed straight for a ledge on the south side of the clock tower of the church.
![First flight](https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3725/18850948590_0d2825f0d7_b.jpg)
![First flight](https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3908/19033132892_b05ec1162b_b.jpg)
It sort of dove in face-first, but stuck the landing.
![First landing](https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3876/19033140382_365e2c2faf_b.jpg)
![Safely landed](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/429/18851820478_390ec8d1ac_b.jpg)
Did I just do that???
![Fledgling #2](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/488/18851830248_20cdeee57f_b.jpg)
Here you can see the fledgling on the lower ledge just as dad Christo takes notice from the cross above.
![Dad, mom, and fledgling #2](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/331/18853311259_63887be0c1_b.jpg)
Christo then came down lower to check on the fledgling. He is on the green ledge on the left, while mom Dora remains up top.
![Mom, dad and baby](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/516/18853329179_480d8f4e2b_b.jpg)
Christo then moves closer, on top of the globe on the upper left.
![Dad Christo looks down on his fledgling](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/347/19013290736_6a373d27a3_b.jpg)
Thinking the fledgling would stay put for a while, I went to look for its older sibling. To my surprise, a short while later, a fellow hawk-watcher let me know the fledgling had flown from the church all the way over to PS 63 just west of Avenue A. When I arrived, I found it near the ball court being mobbed by a gang of robins and sparrows (welcome to the real world!), but it seemed ok otherwise.
I left it practicing its moves on the high bar.
![Fledgling #2 goes exploring](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/271/19034210582_bcf01334b4_b.jpg)
I was really impressed by this fledgling's flying skills. Two days later (today), I watched it soaring and catching thermals like a pro.
To recap, this hawk hatched on either May 1 or 2, putting it at 50-51 days old when it fledged.
See more photos on my Flickr page.
Two Hawks NYC also has a post on this fledge.
Urban Hawks has nice photos of both fledges as well.
Previously.
Still more to come...
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