Maturing Through The Lens

The sun is about to crest as I press my back against the trunk of a juniper tree and toss my camouflage blind over my head. I have a small window between the branches, where I observe (through my lens) the large Red Tail Hawk’s nest perched near the top of a tree, across the steep ravine. In the low light I nestle the legs of my tripod into the loose granite hillside and am reminded of the precariousness of my favorite hiding spot, part way down this steep revine. From here, the nest – though it sits near the top of its tree – is nearly eye level now. I sit motionless as I anticipate their early breakfast. This makes the fourth year this pair has nested here and the fourth year I have been blessed to witness and record such wonder.

The late spring snow has stopped falling and the mother hawk is leaving the nest for brief periods of time, this lets me know the chicks have hatched and just might be big enough to see at least the tops of their heads in the safety of their deep nest. Today’s reward comes early, after only an hour of waiting I am able to catch a glimpse of a fluffy white head. My heart jumps with excitement.  Soon there are two tiny heads bobbing around the seemingly oversized nest as they wake for their breakfast. Every three days I wait patiently for the parents to leave the nest to do their morning hunting, then I move ever so slowly into position to photograph the day to day activity for this new family. It has been more than a week since I first saw their tiny heads bobbing, and only now am I able to see a third downy-covered head. I peer through my camera again in doubt, and confirm yes, there are three chicks in the nest.

For the past three years this pair has had two chicks each spring, and now three. What a pleasant and joyous surprise. By the following week the chicks are just tall enough that I can see them constantly now over the edge of the deep nest. I can’t help but notice that the first two chicks are significantly larger than the third and that they spend time pecking at the head of the smallest chick several times each day. Over the next week his tiny head seems to be more pointed than round, unlike that of his siblings, and I begin to ask myself, is there a point at which I should stop documenting and begin to intercede to save the life of this tiny Red Tail Hawk?

The days go on and I am grateful my dilemma becomes more obvious. While the smallest chick never seems to fight back, he is continuing to grow and get stronger. Weeks pass and the tiny chick continues to flourish. He is still smaller than his siblings yet appears to be strong and resilient.

The chicks grow and learn so quickly. They continue to have their parents feed them but they begin pulling off their own food from the fresh meals. Their fluffy down is short lived as the beginning of feathers emerge. Their adolescent stage (between adorable white down and mature feathers) is made more awkward by their long legs and feet. Learning to balance upright proves challenging but their persistence pays off. Within a short 45 days these tiny chicks have matured into beautiful birds. What seemed to be an oversized nest is now crammed quarters, as they take turns moving around. They spend their days grooming their feathers in the warm spring sun and flapping their newly discovered wings.

It appears that at any moment they will take their first flight, flapping their wings hard and actually hovering several inches off the nest only to come right back down to the safety they know best. Nearly a week passes before it happens. It’s late morning and finally, I hear the shutter on my camera working as fast as I can set it as I watch the first chick take its maiden flight. It’s an amazing journey that brings joy to me heart as I hold my breath. His wings beat faster and faster, there’s no holding onto the nest anymore, yes, he is over the edge and flaps his wings hard to land safely in the tree next door. A small flight but a huge step in beginning the next stage of life for this magnificent hawk. The next day the second chick makes the same discovery of flight, but the youngest shows no interest in leaving the safe keeping of his nest. Over a week later he is finally flapping his wings with the same enthusiasm as his siblings, with just the right amount of wind and determination he too takes flight. In the quiet hours spent under my blind I have discovered a world other than my own. One that continues, in it’s own way, in nearly every neighborhood in every species of bird and animal. Spending the time to really watch them, being quiet enough in myself to hear what they have to say is amazing and beautiful. This spring break out your camera gear and get to know something you didn’t know before, discover the joy of getting to know your subjects. Experience the journey and share it with the world.