Highbridge Park, Brancher or Fledgling

By D. Bruce YoltonHighbridge Park Red-tailed Hawks

I went up to Highbridge Park today, and found the “window” from the path that provides a view from below.  (Thanks to James and Robert for directions.)  I arrived to what looked to be an empty nest but knew from the angle that the eyasses might just be on the other side of the nest.

What’s this?  The movement came from twenty feet above the nest.
A youngster.
Now are you a brancher or a fledgling?  You’re still in the same tree as your nest.
One of the parents kept circling over the nest in a pattern that seemed to say “Follow me, Follow me.”
Another fly over by the parent.
An eyass appears on the nest.  So, two are accounted for.
Then a second eyass appears.  So, all there young ones are accounted for.
They get close for a bit, two heads stacked.
The eyass looks up at its older sibling on the branch.
And our brancher keeps looking at the parent circling overhead.
So, you didn’t let me know if you were just a brancher or real fledgling.  I do know one thing for sure, you aren’t going to be in this tree next weekend!