Day 39---Unusual Behavior : What just Happened?

The sun came out and so did the hawk watching eyes. I hear the Bench was full and then some for most of the day. Many thanks to all who contributed their help, time, and energy to the report. Now if we could just figure out what actually went on. Keep reading and you'll see what I mean.

4:44 pm WHAT! Is Lola about to mantle?

Sigh, looks like it's just a stretch.

5:05 Lola watches Pale Male circle above The Crows building. Most who noticed thought that he was circling to get her attention so she'd know where he'd stashed her dinner. Then suddenly about 5:07, Lola got up and called to Pale Male and left the nest with speed. No one seemed to be able to figure out just what was going on in the next two minutes. I can't figure it out from the photos either, can you?

(The photographer, who wishes to remain anonymous due to blurring, was pretty harried so these are definitely documenting material.)

For nearly a minute, from 5:08.02 to 5:08.56 the nest is empty.

5:09 Lola looks into bowl for some moments. (Sorry, no one timed it. They were all desperately trying to figure WHAT JUST HAPPENED...AN INTRUDER??? Though no one I communicated with saw one. Something with the eggs????)

5:15 Lola head in bowl, turns eggs?, settles back in.

5:41 Pale Male sighted attempting to gain enough altitude to get to the nest. He flies back and forth between Woody and Fisher, flapping, attempting to find an updraft, back and forth, back and forth, makes the nest level but flies by, finally he lands on the nest with what must be Lola's very heavy supper.

5:42 Lola goes over to Pale Male, picks up the big rat at his feet, takes it to nest left and begins to eat with vigor. (PM seems to have removed the head. A snack? Or just to reduce the weight? Fell off on the way?)

5:44 Suddenly Lola picks up the rat again. (Just look at those big fat rat feet.)

(Correction: After many machinations we've decided the prey was actually a squirrel. So it's big furry squirrel feet. For details see the next post up. D.B.)

5:45 Lola begins walking toward the bowl of the nest. The Hawk Watchers hold their collective breathe. Is she going to start feeding? Has there been a hatch? She gets to Pale Male's side near the bowl, , his nictitating eyelid comes into play, (?), she lays the rat down, picks it back up and Lola then turns back and heads to the left side of the nest again. ?

5:58 Back on her side of the nest, Lola continues to eat.
5:59 Pale Male waits alert, while Lola finishes her dinner. Katherine Herzog reports Lola ate external portions, parts of fur and possibly the feet.
6:?? Mocking Bird attacks Pale Male in the air, and when he lands on the Oreo Antenna the harassment continues.

7:04 Pale Male sits on the Oreo Antenna , he deserves a little sit down time, and Lola who's deep in the nest hasn't been seen since about 6:40pm.

Donegal Browne