Heat wave has Holyoke hawks scrambling for shade

I had a brief moment of panic when I went to check on the Red-tailed Hawks today and found no birds on the nest.

Had I totally mis-judged when the chicks might fledge?

No, it turns out. The brood, and one of their parents, had just moved over to a shady spot on the platform where they’ve made their home this year:

(c) Greg Saulmon 2013

The chicks’ flight feathers are coming in, but their heads are still pretty downy, making me think they’re a little bit younger than last year’s brood at this time. The little hawks fledged on June 4 in 2012.

Here’s another recent shot of the brood:

(c) Greg Saulmon 2013