Althouse: "The third and smallest of the family of Red-Tailed Hawks nesting on the roof of Weeks Hall on the UW-Madison campus finally left the nest..."

June 8, 2012

"The third and smallest of the family of Red-Tailed Hawks nesting on the roof of Weeks Hall on the UW-Madison campus finally left the nest..."

"... [yesterday], a few days after his siblings. He/she may return to the nest for a day or two, so we'll leave the webcam up for another few days at http://hawkcam.ssec.wisc.edu."

24 comments:

edutcher said...: I wish him well.

As long as he stays out of OH.; 6/8/12, 9:22 PM
Wally Kalbacken said...: Look at the mess they made!

Good riddance!; 6/8/12, 9:38 PM
wyo sis said...: I love that flight! The way the three left the nest reminds me of kids at school. The first have all kinds of enthusiasm and bravado. They flaps around and makes a big deal and finally, in a flurry of feathers and wind, fly. The last, after watching and gaining strength simply take off with less fanfare, but more finesse.
It takes both kinds. The strong and daring don't have as much finesse, but those who try later need the early less graceful example in order to dare to be more perfect.

Or maybe they are just eggs laid at sequential times and mature at their own rate, sequentially.; 6/8/12, 9:48 PM
Mark said...: I loved the whole "Holy shit, am I actually going to do this?" vibe. Good luck to Runt.; 6/8/12, 10:07 PM
Palladian said...: Or maybe they are just eggs laid at sequential times and mature at their own rate, sequentially.

"The Runt" (a terrible nickname; it wasn't really a "runt", more likely it was simply a male, as they're about 20% smaller than female Red-Tailed hawks) hatched four days after his two siblings, so it made sense that he flew later than the other two. But of all their first flights, I'd agree that his was the most graceful and deliberate.

The family will stick together for about 6-7 more weeks as the fledglings learn to hunt and continue to mature. Sadly, they won't live in the nest anymore so we won't be able to continue watching them. Hopefully the adult pair will choose the same spot to nest next year, and we'll be able to watch another brood.; 6/8/12, 10:23 PM
MadisonMan said...: Hopefully the adult pair will choose the same spot to nest next year, and we'll be able to watch another brood.

They did nest there last year also. And three or four years ago there was a nest around the corner.; 6/8/12, 10:38 PM
avwh said...: I just saw the last (also the 3rd) peregrine falcon make its first flight last week. Saw it test its wings, flirt with the edge of the ledge where the nest was, call out, back off, and do it all again, for 75 minutes - until it finally took off.

Pretty amazing stuff:

http://allenh.zenfolio.com/p776007346

The parents made themselves very scarce during this time - until it was in the air, and then one of the adults flew with it. The fledgling couldn't get enough elevation to the other bridge tower it aimed for straight on, so it had to circle around to get high enough.

Beautiful creatures...; 6/8/12, 10:41 PM
Petunia said...: Apparently one of them has already started hanging out at a UW fraternity. There's a link to the pic in the comments section of the cam page.

Now that he's fledged, he's ready to pledge!; 6/8/12, 11:00 PM
Mark said...: Eat a squirrel for me, Runt.; 6/8/12, 11:13 PM
Titus said...: fucking awesome.; 6/8/12, 11:14 PM
traditionalguy said...: With Windmill power being sold as if it's real, the Hawks are one more reason we must defeat Obama and his Green energy Con-men before they kill them.; 6/8/12, 11:29 PM
Chip S. said...: Apparently one of them has already started hanging out at a UW fraternity.

Lori Berquam tried to warn them, but you know how fledglings are.; 6/8/12, 11:46 PM
Wince said...: Sob, they grow-up so fast.; 6/8/12, 11:52 PM
AlanKH said...: So the hawklings are showing more self-reliance than the Recall protesters.; 6/9/12, 1:08 AM
MaggotAtBroad&Wall said...: One of the Decorah, Iowa Bald Eaglets decided to "branch" (hopped out of the nest and is now roosting on a nearby branch) this morning for the first time.

The cam operator was up and was able to pan, zoom, and tilt the cam, so everyone who was up watching the streaming video this early saw it live. I haven't done enough research to know if the first branching leads to the first flight, or if branching is a confidence building exercise and the eaglet will return to the nest.

The Peregrine Falcons at Great Spirit Bluff will probably fledge within a week or so.; 6/9/12, 6:17 AM
Aridog said...: @avwh ... great photos of the Peregrines on your link, showing almost every step of their "exercise and test" phase before first flight. Your photos #46 & 48, of the adults in flight, are fantastic images for identification. Should be in a guidebook or text book.; 6/9/12, 7:05 AM
Tank said...: Last year a red tailed hawk committed suicide (or self murder?) on the concret patio behind our house. I think he was diving for a squirrel (we, of course, root against the squirrel) and missed.

Called the police about what to do with the "body." They said, "We don't handle that, nor does the town. Why not shovel him into a doubled up garbage bag?" So, I did. Yeeeechhhhh.; 6/9/12, 8:00 AM
pm317 said...: Kudos to UW hawkwatch team. The camera angle was great and we all got a life lesson on hawks, eggs to flight.

Was the dad hawk ever at the nest? I never caught him visiting the nest.; 6/9/12, 8:26 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Is that a green jobs?.. the cleanup?

Hawks Create Green Jobs.; 6/9/12, 8:39 AM
Tregonsee said...: I recall a similar moment for me 40+ years ago. I had to use an airplane of course, but had the same reticence. Fortunately my instructor did not give me time to get cold feet.; 6/9/12, 8:53 AM
pm317 said...: Tregonsee said...
-----------------

Some things are done by not thinking too much about them. Having children is one of them. If you start thinking about all the ups and downs they have to go through in their lives, it is an unnerving task to bring them into this world. It is a huge responsibility enough to scare many to not attempt it. But hawks are different.; 6/9/12, 9:01 AM
The Drill SGT said...: Tregonsee said...
I recall a similar moment for me 40+ years ago. I had to use an airplane of course, but had the same reticence. Fortunately my instructor did not give me time to get cold feet.

It was 38 years ago for me, but as we both know, any idiot can take off on his first flight in a Cessna 150. It's landing that is iffy.; 6/9/12, 12:30 PM
avwh said...: Thanks, Aridog.; 6/9/12, 5:06 PM
Unknown said...: Hi there. Great work on the Hawk watch. I live in Toronto, Canada, and earlier this week, my wife, Jean, and I came upon an adult Red-tailed Hawk in Markham, Ontario. We have read that stalking a hawk is no easy task,that you have to sneak up on them when they are looking the other way. Well, this Hawk was only looking one way when it landed, and that was right at us! Fortunately, we had our camera with us and got some good pictures and video. We have posted them for anyone interested at: http://frametoframe.ca/photo-essay-red-tailed-hawk-sighting-markham-ontario; 11/9/12, 12:22 PM