Life is for the birds

Mother red tailed hawk, obviously weary from the long travails of child birth and rearing, is starting to give the two chicks longer and longer periods of solitary independence in the nest.

She stays at wings length, a position that affords her a bit of peace but not yet too far, caring nothing for the compositional problems that she leaves for the poor photographer.

Still haven't seen a male this year, quite unusual. Dad must have gone out for that proverbial pack of smokes.

Soft and fluffy little guys, I still can't get quite close enough. Maybe If I focussed a little better?Anybody have a Sigma 150-500mm with a Nikon mount they aren't using?