In the midst of the excitement of the first fledge, I sent John Blakeman the pictures I took yesterday of #3's ankles and feet just before s/he fledged, to see if John could determine the gender.
Della Micah
I also sent the picture of #3 (right) standing near to one of the twins (left).
Della Micah
John Blakeman's response:
"I think both of the birds in the photos you sent are tiercels --- but big and strong ones. The toes are just a bit too short for formels.
There is an outside chance of these being smallish formels; but with all the food they had, that's not probable. And the strong flight of the first-to-fledge hawk affirms the healthy diet.
Fledging sequence is not necessarily in hatch sequence. Too many fledge-promoting variables---few of which we know much about. Stochastic. Chance."
--John Blakeman
There is an outside chance of these being smallish formels; but with all the food they had, that's not probable. And the strong flight of the first-to-fledge hawk affirms the healthy diet.
Fledging sequence is not necessarily in hatch sequence. Too many fledge-promoting variables---few of which we know much about. Stochastic. Chance."
--John Blakeman
So there we have it - #3 is almost certainly a tiercel, and the twins are definitely a formel and likely another tiercel.
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Hi Della! I heard your interview this morning on KYW. You gave an expert overview of the young hawks and how their parents know their every whereabouts now that they are out and around the city. How exciting!
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