This week in Tompkins Square hawk chicks

The Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk chicks are growing up fast, morphing from fuzzy white nestlings into little adolescents. They still have downy heads and bodies, but their dark flight feathers are growing in on their wings.

This photo was taken Monday, May 13, while mom Amelia was in the nest.

Just a reminder that all my photos are taken from a long distance away, with a telephoto lens, and are heavily cropped.

Seeing the chick above with the dark wings, it's hard to believe this is how they looked just a week ago on May 6.  Check out the huge crop on this guy - it's as big as his/her head!  Dad Christo is feeding them well.

Showing some pin feathers on the wings:

And the beginning of some tail feathers:

Amelia preens one of her little ones.

A little sibling rivalry going on as one chick bites at another:

These photos were taken three days later on May 9.

Chonky chick! 

I love them at this age when they look so soft and blobby.

The chicks will quickly change going forward, growing taller and losing their white fuzzy down and developing brown body and head feathers. So far, the whole family looks healthy and content.