Divine Hatch! Parental Clues

BEHAVIORAL CLUES FOR A HATCHING

5:35pm Tristan hunts rodents for dinner. He made two separate trips to the nest with prey between 6:30 and 7:15pm.

6:58:12 pm Tristan after standing on the nest for much longer than usual, stares into the center bowl and then into the right corner. I hadn't noticed the little white blob over there until I followed his eye.

Perhaps he's as confused about what that little white thingie is as I am. At first I thought, strange dead leaf? Weird reflection off stone? But it seems to have changed position slightly in the next photo down of Isolde staring. And then it disappears altogether when she feeds in the far right corner, last photo.

6:58:48 pm Isolde stares down into the bowl of the nest. Typical hawk behavior when there is a hatch. (White blob slightly visible behind twigs far up-right nest.)

7:01pm Isolde feeds center.

7:04pm Isolde changes position, body jerks that denote tearing of prey, then a stretch to right nest and small pokes. (The white blob is no longer visible.)

Isolde also did something in a context I've not seen before. She stood on the edge of the nest near Andrew's hand and did back strokes with her feet/talons. Both feet at the same time. I've seen Pale Male stand on the main portion of the 927 nest, look outwards and do it during a particularly hectic invasion of two unwanted RT visitors. But that seemed aggressive. This seemed more like calm "housework". Perhaps with all the landings on that nest edge it had begun to sag into the bowl and she was pulling it back into it's proper position?

From 4:00pm to 8:00pm many many things happened. It's going to take a bit to sort it all out, so do check back in for more.

Donegal Browne

FEEDING AT THE DIVINES

Isolde on Tuesday, feeding? I wasn't positive.

But this evening, good news, Isolde fed on the nest at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, without a doubt. We've had a hatch!

I saw feeding behavior and Rob Schmunk http:/bloomingdalevillage.blogspot.com/ and my daughter Samantha Browne-Walters looked and concurred. No definitive sightings of eyasses. We're checking the photos but the eyasses, (two feeding positions), are likely too small to be seen over the edge of the nest yet.

Check back for photos and the report later this evening/morning.

Donna

Red-tail Update! Looks like a hatch at Fordham!

And just what does Tristan of The Cathedral Nest know that we can only guess?

From Chris Lyons, dedicated watcher of Rose and Hawkeye of the Fordham nest in the Bronx...

"Well, I'm pretty sure I just watched (and photographed, and digital videotaped) Rose feeding very small chicks, while Hawkeye watched in rapt fascination. I didn't see the chicks. I know those movements, though. Keep an eye on City Birder." http://citybirder.blogspot.com/

And from Jeff Kollbrunner, of JK Nature Galleryhttp://www.jknaturegallery.com/ and the Queen's nest of Momma and Papa. The site of the Audubon hawkcam. Hope is fading that the third egg in the nest will hatch. Although the two eyeasses that have hatched are doing very well.

(And I must say, the two eyasses are truly beyond cute in their raptorie kind of way. And do be careful of the wonderful Hawkcam. It's utterly addictive. Here's just one example. I keep finding myself taking notes on how many seconds Momma sleeps vs how many minutes she stays awake at three and four in the morning. D.B.)

For a look at Pale Male Jr. and Charlotte's new digs go to Lincoln Karim's site www.palemale.com/

Donegal Browne

BELOW FIND THE THURSDAY AT ST. JOHN'S REPORT ON TRISTAN AND ISOLDE

Thursday with Tristan and Isolde at St. John's

Tristan alert and maybe even concerned, he's got the Pale Male angle to his brow going, but that comes later....first

5:14pm Tristan on Gabriel backed by heavy clouds. It didn't look promising at that point but the sun did manage to shine intermittently for the next hour or so.

5:27pm The nest with Isolde in there somewhere.

5:37pm Isolde on the nest. (Torso between the Saints head and index finger.) Tristan comes off Gabriel and looks to be going to land on the nest but does a very close pass-by, than a second. Even with two people watching the next sequence is pretty exciting to keep up with. See Rob Schmunk's blog as well for additional info and photos. http://bloomingdalevillage.blogspot.com/

5:41pm Isolde leans down, picks up prey and comes off the front of the nest, north, holding it in her beak then transfers it to talons. Tristan flies onto the nest. Isolde circles out of sight above hospital than lands on corner of roof near 114th with prey and begins to eat.

5:42pm Tristan comes off the nest and lands in a tree just inside the park at 114th and Morningside. Rob says it is a favorite spot. It is almost directly across the street from the roof corner in which Isolde has taken prey to have dinner.

5:43pm The nest is empty. Isolde who has been eating with gusto on the roof of The Plant Pavilion of St. Luke's Hospital, picks up her prey and flies south.

5:44pm Isolde flies off the roof, through the trees, and onto the nest, prey in beak.

5:49pm The sky darkens and a few big plops of rain fall. Tristan reacts sharply.

Isolde deep in nest.
6:26pm Tristan is back on Gabriel's horn. Isolde still deep in nest.

6:40pm Tristan preens on the tip of Gabriel's horn before roosting.

And just what will tomorrow bring???

Donegal Browne

Pale Male and Lola In The Rain- Wednesday

4:40pm Pale Male on the railing of Stovepipe in the pouring rain. Though his feathers seem to be shedding the water well.

5:09pm Lola peeks out and looks at the sky. Pale Male?

Pale Male lands on the south, right terrace just above the tree line of the The Fisher Building. Note the corner of the railing looks just a touch taller and more pointed than those above it.

5:26pm Pale Male on the Fisher Building terrace with prey.

5:31pm Pale Male lands on the nest from the south.

5:34pm Lola rises from the nest while Pale Male watches.

5:36pm Lola eats some feathers.

5:43pm While Lola eats Pale Male goes nest right and watches from a new angle.

5:46pm Pale Male and Lola shelter together from the rain for a few moments, protected by the overhang of their nest.

5 47pm Lola heads for the bowl of the nest and Pale Male whets his soiled beak on the masonry.

5:48pm With a last look out at the pouring rain, Lola, crop full, settles into the nest. Pale Male swoops off towards the Linda Building.

6:10 Pale Male on Linda 4. Lola is deep in the nest, invisible from the ground.

6:35pm The rain falls and the day fades with Pale Male viewing his domain. Foot tucked, he watches the patterns of prey for another day and yet another season.

Alice and the creatures of Wonderland

In Central Park just as in Wonderland the endings of some chapters are not necessarily what we or she might wish for. But then again Pale Male still reigns and the Central Park Book is still being written...

Many thanks to Katherine Herzog, Ludmilla Stern, Stella Hamiltion, Robert Schmunk, Georgiana Spelvin, and the grand Marie Winn.

Donegal Browne

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Wednesday- More To Come on Today at Fifth Ave.

Pale Male, with Lola's dinner, takes a moment and looks out at the rain.

The Divine Hawks, WI Cardinal, and Cranes

3:39pm The Divine nest, looking empty as can be, but we know better. Though it takes ever so long to prove it. (Many thanks to Ludmilla Stern.)

5:05pm Tristan arrives from the east, lands on the nest and looks down, one assumes at Isolde, who has been snugged down in the bowl for some time.

5:05pm Tristan looks over his shoulder, just checking. Whether he came with or without prey isn't clear but if the trip was just to stop in to see if Isolde wanted a break, she didn't. He glided off to the northeast and then into Morningside Park. Giving everyone, I understand, a gorgeous view of his underside.

5:12pm Isolde finally comes up for air and shows her face fleetingly.

5:13pm Isolde rouses her feathers.

5:48pm Isolde's bottom appears on the left side of the nest.

5:49pm Isolde resituates herself to nest left and then disappears deep.

THE WISCONSIN REPORT

Sometimes perseverance just might pay off. Mr. Singing-Til-You-Drop Cardinal was getting a response today from down the block. I haven't seen her yet, but Mr. C must have as he seems to be redoubling his efforts if that's possible. (No new photo as he kept singing behind a thick Spruce branch.)

The Sandhills are still coming through and the International Crane Foundation just had their annual count up in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

Donegal Browne

A Visit to the Divines and Mini Updates from James Lewis

Tristan's gorgeous red tail...

4:38pm Though I'm told by today's reporter, that at this point in the process, nothing, is about all he'll see for much of his time watching at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, as this nest is so very deep, it wasn't quite true Monday.

4:52 Aha! What's that? The first sight of Isolde, her tail.

5:03pm Isolde rouses her feathers.

5:19 Another look at Isolde's tail, this time mid nest.

5:21 Isolde's tail far right.

5:29pm Tristan arrives with Isolde's dinner. He stays in this position and then crosses the nest and looks out towards Morningside Park, then exits from this side and flies out through the treeline to the north.

Isolde eats with her head obscured from view.

Isolde behind St. Andrew's head.

5:59pm See the pale gray feather tip, just above St. Andrew's index finger? That is the tip of the primary feather at the tip of the pigeon wing that Isolde is having for desert.

James Lewis, an original Regular at the Hawk Bench, and the creator of a marvelous chart of information concerning Pale Male, his mates, and his progeny reports on Monday at 927 Fifth Ave., "Nothing new at the nest today." And also that the Fordham hawks have not moved their nest as has been rumored but are sitting eggs in their usual spot.

Donegal Browne