DOUBLE PREY DAY FOR THE DIVINES, 28 MAY 06

DIVINE MOM ARRIVES WITH

DOUBLE PREY

ALL PHOTOS-DONEGAL BROWNE

Divine Mom arrives on the nest with the goodies.

Below:
Note the difference in maturity of the two
eyasses by their feather.




Divine Dad on Gabriel's Horn watching over
the nest.




DIVINE RED-TAIL FIELD NOTES 28 MAY 2006

Temperature 76F.
Wind light and variable
Mostly sunny
Humidity 57%

4:56 When we arrive, there isn't a hawk to be seen. Before we can take the equipment out of the bag, Divine Mom flies into the nest with prey in both talons and beak.

5:05 Mom prepares a young pigeon and a small rodent. Tail to us, one eyass visible at edge of nest, Mom leans in and and makes tearing motions, feeding.

5:15 Visible eyass gets some.

5:27 Visible eyass goes to edge of nest, defecates. Mom continues feeding in several directions.

5:54 Mom snaps at big fly with beak.

6:37 Divine Male discovered on Gabriel, facing south.

6:56 11 screaming crows fly from the NW into Morningside Park.

7:15 Divine Mom off nest and to N. Divine Dad continues to perch on Gabriel.

7:18 The wind is up and the temp has fallen. My daughter Samantha is cold. We decide to go home. In the meantime, the peacocks are mentioned so we'll have to walk past the Cathedral Grounds to see if they are around on our way. We are lured onto the Grounds by peacock thoughts.

7:35 Around the back of the Cathedral from the south, we catch sight of Gabriel again, and Divine Dad is still there. We unpack the scope. We watch DD.

7:47 Divine Dad takes off. Lost in trees. We start to walk back to the gate. And what do we see...A PEACOCK. A blue one. Mr. Peacock begins to draw a small crowd. Suddenly the albinistic Ms. Peahen appears and we follow her around a corner. She disappears. And thus begins another saga for another day.

Back to the Divine Red-tail Family.

Divine Mom places prey behind Elder who has
already eaten.



Divine Mom tears small bites.


Elder changes position.



As Elder has pushed in, she gets a bite, in between many bites
for Youngest who is far behind pillar. Don't be confused by the
hump in the pillar. Look for the little beak coming from behind it.
(Yes, I know it is fuzzy. It is
documentation...not art.)




Angels are known for their androgeny, right?
And this one shows both "sides" distinctly.
Here with Divine Dad checking it out, the feminine.
In the final photo today, see the masculine side.




Note fluffy hatchling feathers giving way to
fledgling feathers and that Pale Male gold genetic
inheritance.



Divine Dad on Gabriel, the masculine side.

Amazing, yes? That's ART!