A Tale of Two Juveniles

 In my last post, I shared some photos of Greater Roadrunners (our beloved New Mexico State Bird) engaged in courtship rituals. This story happened a little later, in July 2020, when the Roadrunners were being seen in family groups: Most often two adults and one juvenile. The Cooper's hawk juveniles had also fledged, and were quite conspicuous everywhere I went as they tried to figure out how to be raptors. I was walking through a brushy area when I saw this juvenile Coopers sitting on a low shrub.

The next thing I noticed was a Roadrunner, pacing back and forth in front of the Hawk. This was curious. What was going on?

I moved to the side to watch, and try to figure it out. The Roadrunner kept pacing. At some point, my movement disturbed the Hawk, who flew further south to another shrub. As soon as the hawk left, another Roadrunner emerged from where it was hiding in the shrub, just below the Cooper's Hawk! Next, both of the Roadrunners went up into a nearby tree. To my surprise, yet a third Roadrunner flew into the tree!

 I figured it much have been the juvenile hiding in the shrub, and one of the parents watching out for it by pacing in front of the shrub. It was the third family member joining, and the way they all went into the tree, that seemed especially curious. As if they were checking in to establish their bond after a somewhat disturbing incident. Such a sweet surprising moment.  The family hung out together for just a few minutes before heading off separately again to forage.