Tribute to a great hawk mother

On Mother's Day, let's celebrate the wonderful Franklin Institute hawk mother, Mom, raising her fifth successive brood of three eyasses.  Kay Meng took these pictures last Thursday (May 9) from the Board Room as Mom kept watch over, then fed the eyasses.

           Kay Meng


As she keeps watch, they eyasses sleep in a fluffy pile at her feet.

           Kay Meng


When they roll over and stretch out, coming in close to her razor sharp talons, she carefully curls her toes to keep the eyasses safe.

           Kay Meng


One of the eyasses sticks a foot out, and already it looks huge, but also perfect like all babies' unused feet.

           Kay Meng


Gradually, they awake.  This one's head is up, but eyes still closed.

           Kay Meng


Mom looks over the dinner selection - most likely pigeon, by the feathers...

           Kay Meng

... and carefully chooses the right sized morsel.  Everyone is awake now!

           Kay Meng

Beak starts to open expectantly....

           Kay Meng


... and here it comes!

           Kay Meng

After they were fed, there was moment of sibling bickering when #1 and #2 confronted #3.  You can see the little one pushed up against the window glass, but she did not back down.  It was all over in a matter of seconds.  They are definitely in their Little Alien stage of development!

           Kay Meng


A final portrait of Mom on the very top of her favorite tree - always keeping her hawk eye on her offspring.

          Kevin Vaughan

Eat, Sleep, Grow: Repeat!

Eat, sleep, grow is the sum total of the eyasses' activities these days. Every day, they visibly grow bigger.  Here they are today (Saturday, May 11) with #1 and #2 getting a mid-morning snack from Mom, while #3 sleeps on.

          Della Micah

Later on today, and all three are up and at it.  They are getting better balance and are starting to stand more upright.

          Della Micah

Their growth rate is astonishing.  Here's a day-by-day view since last Tuesday, May 7.

Tuesday, May 7

          Carol Kiefer

          Della Micah

Wednesday, May 8

          Della Micah

Thursday,  May 9

          Della Micah

Friday, May 10

          Pamela Raitt

Saturday, May 11

          Della Micah

Once the eyasses reached a week old, their thermo-regulatory systems started to kick in and they could generate their own body warmth, so we now don't see Mom sitting on them much.

          Della Micah

Additionally, the spring weather has finally warmed up in Philadelphia, and we're enjoying temperatures in the 70s and low 80s.  On the warmest days, they spread out to dissipate heat.

          Della Micah

When it's cooler, they huddle.

          Della Micah

#3 continues to wait at the back of the line to get fed.

          Della Micah

She uses her wings to try to push closer to the food supply...

          Della Micah

... but then gets squashed over by her bigger siblings.

          Della Micah

But she soon pops back up like a little cork...

          Della Micah

... only to get flattened again in the others' eagerness to feed.

          Della Micah

          Della Micah

Finally, she was able to poke up above the others and attract Mom's attention... 

          Della Micah

... and finally get fed.

          Della Micah

Both T2 and Mom continue to bring large sprigs of leaves to the nest.
Here, T2 arrives with maple leaves.

          Kevin Vaughan

Mom went for oak leaves...

          Kevin Vaughan

        

... and also walnut leaves.

          Della Micah

The leaves sometimes form a garland around the eyasses...

          Della Micah

          Della Micah

... and other times act more like a roof!

          Della Micah

No-one really knows for sure why the hawks keep bringing leaves to the nest.  Theories such as repelling insects or reducing food odors have been disproved.  Whenever a hawk brings leaves to a nest site, however, it does seem to indicate a strong commitment to that nest and to the other hawk.

I like to think that perhaps these urban hawks who choose not to build their nests in leafy trees are bringing the trees to the city window ledge, hoping to imprint leaves for when the eyasses fledge, so that they will be drawn to the trees across the street as a safe landing place after their first flight out of the nest.

T2 has met all expectations so far in providing sufficient food for Mom and the always-hungry eyasses.  The next meal is usually sitting waiting in the pantry at the edge of the nest bowl.

          Della Micah

Sometimes the next meal is in the bowl with them, but they are not yet able to feed themselves.

          Della Micah

While T2 has definitely mastered the art of hunting for his family, he still has difficulty with Mom's rules of where and when he can eat.

Rule 1 - You are not allowed to eat any food that I am sitting on.

          Della Micah

Rule 2 - You are not allowed to remove food from the nest.

          Della Micah

So put that down immediately...

          Della Micah

... and step away from the carcass.

          Della Micah

Rule 3 - You may not eat in front of the children.

          Della Micah

Rule 4 - If you break Rule 3, your food will be confiscated.

          Della Micah

Rule 5 - Mom is allowed to eat in front of the children.  (You can see the departing T2 down below the word "of" in the preceding sentence.)

          Della Micah

T2 had better watch his back whenever he thinks about eating on the nest!

          Della Micah

This Saturday afternoon, T2, in good graces with Mom, helped to feed the eyasses.

          Della Micah

As usual, the eyasses were super hungry so both haggards were kept busy stuffing those three little beaks.

          Della Micah

          Della Micah

          Della Micah

As always happens, when they are completely full, they collapse into their food coma...

          Della Micah

... until it's time to pop up and eat again.

          Della Micah

As night descended on the city, Mom settled in to stand watch over her offspring...

          Della Micah

 ... and there she will stay throughout the night.

          Della Micah


 Happy Mother's Day to the Franklin Institute's superb formel.