About 3 months ago, I was following a Cooper’s Hawk through a small park near a shopping center on the Somerville/Cambridge border. As it came to rest on the top of an old abandoned building, I noticed that it had flushed a large adult Red-tailed Hawk from a ledge off to the side. After the Coop left, I checked out where the Red-tail took off from, and found a well placed pile of twigs on top of a covered grate platform. A nest!

Over the rest of the spring, I’ve been fortunate enough to watch two adult Red-tails start a family at that nest - and today got to watch as three handsome chicks successfully fledged, ready to take on the world. Here are some of my favorite photos from this location throughout the spring.

March 17th - Adult over Inman Square.

April 2nd - Close encounter with Adult Female.

April 21st - Adult Male on the hunt below the nest.

April 21st - Parents on the nest, incubating the clutch. Likely very near to hatching day.

May 16th - First look at the three chicks, about three weeks old.

June 4th - First fledgling, first flight, meeting some annoyed local songbirds.

June 4th - Last two chicks in the nest.

June 4th - Parent delivering meal to Chick #1.

June 5th - Chick #1, sunny second day out of the nest.

June 9th - Chick #2, getting used to handling a stiff breeze.

June 9th - Chick #3, rodent meal delivered by parents.

June 9th - Adult Male eating a young sparrow.

June 9th - The kids getting used to the neighborhood. Chicks 1-3, pictured L to R.