The hawks are downtown, but where is their nest?

Holyoke’s resident downtown red-tailed hawks are still in the neighborhood — but, well into the nesting season, I still haven’t found this year’s nest.

They spent the past two years on a fire escape at High and Dwight streets. In 2013, they nested at Open Square. And, in 2012, it was another fire escape, at Dwight and Race streets.

This year, it’s a mystery. I had a tip that they were living at the old Holyoke House hotel, an vacant building at Maple and Suffolk streets. It’s certainly up their alley, with a large fire escape that overlooks the also-vacant Victory Theater. I haven’t found any evidence of a nest there, although it’s possible it’s in some nook or cranny that’s hard to spot from the sidewalk.

Here’s hoping I can find it in these final few weeks before this year’s brood is ready to fledge.

Below, one of the adults in Heritage State Park this week.

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