Today was the day I’ve been waiting for; to catch Bobby and Sadie in the act. All signs were pointing to a typical spring what with their ramped up nest fortification and sticking closer to the park more often. But seeing them mate today was the clincher and hopefully all will go well this brooding season.
A fellow Hawk-watcher was the first to see both Hawks sitting together today:
Bobby on the left:
He left after 15 minutes.
Sadie left the building herself a half hour later:
I saw her fly toward the nest. She then left the nest and traveled north. Bobby was in the nest though:
Bobby flew north as well and they both circled around the Cardozo Law School about 7 blocks north of the park.
They both perched and the mating commenced:
He had been carrying a plastic bag with him (you can see it clutched in his left talons) below.
He let go of it when he mounted Sadie. The Hawks like to use plastic bags for soft nest material. I wonder where he usually gets his bags. Do they wind up on rooftops? Does he find them in garbage cans or stuck in trees?
Bobby and Sadie did some more circling and soaring.Bobby then raced to the park trees:
Sadie soon joined him in the nest:
Sadie:
Bobby incorporated the new twig into the nest frame:
Both Hawks flew north again. It was so cold and blustery and the sky was darkening and it began to sprinkle so I made my way out of the park.
I spotted who I at first thought was Sadie land behind the library but it turned out to be Bobby:
As soon as he took off and disappeared I left for keeps.