Downtown Holyoke’s Red-tailed Hawks settle into new nest

It seems nearly official: the Red-tailed Hawks that made their home on a Race Street fire escape last year appear to be moving into a new nest at a nearby industrial building.

Don Cooper and Stephanie Pierce both photographed the hawks on the new nest in the past week, and on Sunday I finally had my chance. After spotting both hawks in Lyman Terrace early this afternoon, the hawk above flew in to the new nest with a large stick shortly after I arrived at the site. It sat on the nest for about 25 minutes before setting out again.

The new site is a little more secluded than the last, but it’ll offer this year’s brood much more safety when they’re ready to fledge. That’s a good thing, for them and for me; I’m not sure I could take a second year of watching young hawks learn to fly at a busy intersection.

Below, a few more images I captured today, including a visit to City Hall by both adults: