The Odd Couple - Alta Plaza Hawks

First, Ill start with a couple of images from the Palace of Fine Arts lagoon. While stalking a juvenile Night Heron, I saw a flash of yellow emerge from the reeds and clicked the shutter to reveal a Common Yellowthroat. The first I've ever seen, so that was a treat. And just a reminder that the beauty is in the details - please click on the images to get a closer look.
I stopped by Alta Plaza park to see what the hawk situation was like and found it very very calm. After twenty minutes surveying the park I settled in to photograph the sparrows and a woman with three dogs walked by apologizing for disturbing the birds. I told her I was anticipating the birds would fly away and was waiting for that moment to take my photo.

Suddenly the sparrows that were still foraging on the ground leapt en masse into the trees. A roaring sound, like opening a car window while at freeway speeds, grew up out of the silence as a dark, wavering, plummeting, shape appeared over the rooftops. I recognized the shape of a hawk in full stoop, and by the time I raised my camera, the hawk, with talons outstretched, checked its dive and pulled up three feet above the woman's miniature poodle. Changing its mind at the last second,, the Red-tail swerved hard to the right and landed in a blossom filled tree next to the sidewalk to compose itself. It was only perched 5 feet above the ground. This was as sincere a hunt as I've seen, and I feel if that dog had been by itself, the outcome would have been quite different. The moment was impossible to photograph as it happened so quickly.

Sitting in the tree after the poodle hunt.

I surmised that this was a female as there was a companion in the area too.

Wings askew, head level.

Talons out for the kill.

Banking hard left.

Gathering nest material. Moments earlier she had been grasping at tree branches to wrest them loose.

Her companion, a juvenile male I assume. This is not the same dark bird as was in the park a few months ago (the bird I called Leroy) This one has a band on its right leg, and it's patterns of behaviour differ markedly from the previous juvenile which was unbanded.

They followed each other all over the park and ranged between 4-8 blocks from the park on further flights. This might encompass Lafayette Park as well. We'll see how this develops. It would be remarkable to have a new nesting pair in this neighborhood. Does anyone know if coupling between adults and juveniles occur and whether they are ever successful?

A favored tree for evading Ravens and having a clear view of the park. Here the male departs with a start.

It was remarkable to have two hawks flying low through the park vocalizing much of the time. People actually began to take notice, although I suspect taking a poodle as prey would have garnered them more attention.

Calling out with a raspy voice, not as clear and piercing as the adult bird's.

The male banks to give a beautiful view of juvenal plumage.

While the female goes hunting.

The wet ground kept most gophers safely underground.

Time to search for greener, er... gopherier, pastures. Both hawks depart and leave me with a lovely last image.

Perched on the cathedral's steeples with Bernal Hill as a backdrop. The male on the left and the female on the right. What an exciting day. I feel that this is going to be a great spring for hawk-watchers in the city.