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Steve Wolfe  > The Red-Tail Hawks of Kaiser Hospital, Harbor City, California > May 29 --- A Fledgling Grows Up
With one of the hawklets temporarily out of the scene, Mina and Willie still have their hands full with the other 2. On Thursday May 27, one day after First Flight for the 2 eldest fledglings, the 2nd First Flighter is checked out by the Wildlife Rehab people for trichinosis (prognosis: Negative). However, they can't get to the 3rd hawklet as it's still up near the nest, so it's unknown whether it too contracted the trich. A television crew from Channel 5 arrives, goes up on the roof of building opposite the nest, and interviews the SBWR volunteers and Kaiser's Dr. Neil Gulati. On Friday the 28 the 3rd hawklet finally takes the plunge (hopefully not literally) and joins Mom, Dad and sibling in exploring the trees and buildings on the Kaiser campus. As they don't hunt on their own yet, Mom (mostly) and Dad must make deliveries to wherever the hawklets are...
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Steve Wolfe > Meanwhile, Mom is perched in a nearby eucalypus tree providing me an opportunity to do a few portrait shots.
Steve Wolfe > Her feathers are fantastic --- but need constant attention.  It's worth quoting in full what Charles Preston writes about "preening"
in "Red-tail Hawk" --- "The Red-tail uses its bill to collect oil, produced by the uropygial gland at the base of the tail, and to meticulously preen its feathers, one by one.  During a preening session, the feathers are often partially erected, giving the hawk a fluffly, almost comical appearance...Preening is an important activity that helps waterproof the plumage, remove external parasites, and clean and repair damaged feathers."
Steve Wolfe > May 29 --- A Fledgling Grows Up photo
Steve Wolfe > Mina's attention is momentarily distracted by a passing plane...
Steve Wolfe > Then Mom checks up on the hawklet, seemingly to see how the meal has gone.  It's hard not to give "human" qualities to much of the interaction I observe going on between the Red-tail family members, and this episode is no exception. Here it looks as if the hawklet is explaining to Mom why it didn't  "clean its plate"...
Steve Wolfe > and is waiting for her reaction.
Steve Wolfe > Mina examines the, er, "remains"...
Steve Wolfe > The hawklet says "Well, I really wasn't that hungry"....
Steve Wolfe > To hear what I heard during this "exchange" --- the Red-tail Hawk Talk --- you can go to this page    http://www.hawk-conservancy.org/priors/redtail.shtml     and click on the rectangular box next to "Voice".
Meanwhile, Mom is perched in a nearby eucalypus tree providing me an opportunity to do a few portrait shots.
 > Meanwhile, Mom is perched in a nearby eucalypus tree providing me an opportunity to do a few portrait shots.
Meanwhile, Mom is perched in a nearby eucalypus tree providing me an opportunity to do a few portrait shots.
Camera: Panasonic (Dmc-fz20) |
More details: exif |
Original size: 926px x 734px |
Current: 379px x 300px |
Other sizes: Small • M • L |
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Keywords: may
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