We're addicted!

Yesterday we checked out a link our homeschool group sent out showing a live feed of a red-tailed hawk in Ithaca, NY. The hawk, known as Big Red, is a 9 year-old female and the camera is set above her nest. She has 3 eggs. One had already hatched and yesterday afternoon we got to see the second hatch. The camera runs all day and there is a chat running at the same time.

The kids and I have had a hard time peeling ourselves away from it. Even now, as I type, I have an uneasy feeling that something exciting might be happening in the tab next to this one -- should I just click over to check....?

Okay, I'm back. Big Red is still just sitting on her babies. That is what we see most of the time. Here she is with a vole, a pigeon, and a sparrow. And if you can't tell, she's not chatting it up with them -- those are dead animals she uses for food, for herself and the babies. That fact grossed out several of the people chatting yesterday. I'm not sure what they expected -- delivery from Dominoes?

Now occasionally Big Red gets up and we get a glimpse of those fuzzy-feathery little angels beneath her. Actually, they're a little clumsy and very amusing to watch. Not really angelic. But certainly out of this world, the human world.

Sometimes we get to see them with their dad. Yes, this is a very happy little family. Papa - Ezra - doesn't spend much time at the nest. But he hunts for them and occasionally gives mom a break. He takes a turn on the nest so she can hunt. I love that. The moderator said that he is always in the vicinity, keeping an eye out for trouble. He will defend his nest if he has to. I love that too.

The site is maintained by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology -- the same guys behind Project Feederwatch. They had to install the cameras and microphones 70 feet high. Here's a video that gives you an idea of what it took -- with some good footage of the happy couple as well.

For a little while yesterday, both hawks took a break from parenting and we had a great view of the hawklings. I started screaming, "Gabby, Bri, come quick, come quick! Everyone, hurry!" Max was totally freaked out, but I think the girls knew what the commotion was all about. We are just so into this, it is on our minds all day. We were even inspired to go birding. We went to the beautiful Peace Valley Park. I'll post about that this afternoon.

Poor Max received little trumpeting and banners when he came home from work. We were too absorbed in the Hawk Cam to listen to him talk about his day. Here he is:

"Pay attention to me. I'm cute too!"

I'm not sure if today will be any different. I checked on Big Red first thing this morning. Chick 3 is supposed peck its way out this afternoon. I'm sure we'll all be there.

Here's a visual timeline of our current homeschool "curriculum."
Three eggs
One chick out. Feeding time

And now there are 2!

A peak inside. When this was live, we could actually see movement in that egg! It is now about 1/4 pecked away.