The Red Tail Hawks have left the nest

Today, our morning walk began with a Harris Hawk on the telephone pole by our gate.

In the state land, the dark Red Tail female was perched on a blooming saguaro far east of her nest, but greeted us just as aggressively as always. Click here to follow this years brood from the beginning

Doesn't she look great with her wings spread wide and the morning sun behind her?

And now she's coming at me. Screeching constantly. Why?

That's why: one of the chicks is out there. Not quite a third of a mile from the nest, but he must have been flying to get this far. He seems to be the smaller of the two youngsters. The nest is empty, no idea where the other chick is, hopefully around somewhere.

Randy kept his distance from the hawks and gave Frodo and Laika another good brushing

A last look at the nest two days later: Mom is still scolding Cody and me, but the young ones are hidden somewhere, close by no doubt.