This fall, they have taken over the pinnacles of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as their favorite daytime perches. As befits her senior status, Mom usually takes the highest spot.
Last week, however, they shared the same perch, gazing out at their sublime city view.
They then moved down to another favorite perch - the outstretched paw of one of the iconic gryphons that guard each corner of the Museum.
Their increased desire to perch high above their territory may have been caused by October's incredibly exciting arrival to us, but not to Mom and T2, of a Bald Eagle to the river area near Boathouse Row behind the Museum.
A Bald Eagle is one of the few birds higher on the food chain than a Red-Tail Hawk, thus clearly a cause of concern for them.
Bald Eagles are fish eaters so this visitor augurs well for the improving water quality of the Schuylkill river. The Boathouse Row area is a favorite fishing spot for many birds as the dam below the boathouses provides an ever-pouring supply of food.
Waterfowl sit along the edge of the dam and choose their meal.
The eagle often perched in the trees on the silt island between the dam and the boathouses.
Mom and T2 took up positions in trees on the island to guard against this impostor.
The eagle did not seem in the least bothered by them, and during late October/early November flew in regularly to fish this area.
Sometimes the eagle was on the ground at water's edge....
.... and other times, swooped past the boathouses
.... or soared high above.
.... which overlooks Boathouse Row.
Boathouse Row is one of the best-loved spots in Philadelphia, and provides endless opportunities for gorgeous images.
As the trees lost their leaves in the fall, it became much easier to find the hawks. Here's Mom in one of her favorite London plane trees, showing her large thickly spread chest markings, and the broad shoulders that give her silhouette an elongated heart shape.
This contrasts with T2's narrower shoulders, and more delicate chest markings, as well has his noticeable white chin.
When they sit together, these differences are very apparent, as well as Mom's bigger size.
Mom's chest markings are more like stripes...
... whereas T2's are definitely spots. Kevin took this picture on December 11, the day after Philadelphia's first early heavy snowfall.
Both hawks have their favorite fall and winter look-out perches. Mom is making her presence known on this bare branch...
... while T2 takes a more ecclesiastical view.
Along with surprisingly early and frequent snowfalls, we have also had some extremely low temperatures in Philadelphia in recent weeks. The gorgeous Swann Fountain in Logan Square, adjacent to the Franklin Institute which usually flows freely...
... gradually started to ice up at the end of November.
Each magical creature's gushing...
... slowly started to freeze..
... until the entire fountain was locked down in ice.
In between these unexpected blasts of winter came beautiful warm fall days for the hawks to enjoy.
Whatever the weather, the hawks these days can usually be found somewhere on the Art Museum.
Our superbly talented photographers have captured some remarkable images this fall and winter of the hawks on the Museum, and I am so very appreciative for their skill, artistic vision... and endurance!
Carolyn adapted LuLu's theme song from "To Sir with Love" (Don Black and Mark London, 1967) in her caption for this lovely image:
"If you wanted the moon, I would try to make a start
But I would rather you let me give my heart ….. To T2 with love."
As noted, Mom always takes the highest spike on this bronze carving at the apex of the roof line of the Museum.
Sometimes T2 perches lower down...
Other times, he sits closer....
Usually, though, it is Mom who takes that high point for herself, looking out on and guarding her territory from sunrise....
... through the day incoming
... watching
... and taking off.
The outstretched paw of the gryphon is another favorite perch for Mom.
When necessary, the hawks have an amazing ability to cling strongly to the most challenging of perches.
Here is Mom five days ago, staring down Dinko Mitic's lens. The combination of her ruffled chest feathers from preening and the camera angle make her appear almost white chested.
But once she settled her feathers back with a couple of wing stretches, it was clearly Mom again!
As we end this bittersweet year of hawk watching - from the spring uncertainty of whether T2 would choose the Franklin Institute ledge for his first nest, through the happiness of his first three eggs hatching, watching the eyasses grow and then successfully fledge, to the heartbreaking loss of F1 and F2, closely followed by Peanut's injury and slow recuperation, then to the joy of his recovery and release at the end of the summer - let's rejoice in the continued well being of Mom and T2 as they rule the skies above Philadelphia.
Here are some gorgeous big flight images of each of them, all taken this fall and winter.
First, here's T2:
And now Mom:
Kevin Vaughan's clever poem (with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore) is a fun way to wish all hawk fans Season's Greetings, and the happiest New Year. Let's get ready for another wonderful year with the hawks!
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