4:52PM I've already been looking at this for twenty minutes without taking a photo. After spending so much time at the Fifth Avenue nest I'm down to my fourth and last Nikon battery, when I think I see a full head pop up for just a second and then nothing. I begin to think I must have been hallucinating. When I'd first arrived, I thought sure I could see just the tip of her tail and felt very relieved. Then I realized on focusing that what I was looking at wasn't a tail tip at all but rather a twig. It happens sometimes.
4:56PM Did a twig just move several inches---on it's own? Wind? Hawk?
5:06PM I can see her in the photograph but I didn't see her head at the time. She was putting her head up for only a few seconds and then quickly disappearing. Rob Schmunk arrives. Which is lovely. One of the perks of watching hawks that keep the same nest site is that Rob and I haven't seen each other since probably last July but here we are again, standing on the corner catching up, and waiting for the hawks. It gives the feeling, if not the reality, that at least some things are stable in live.
5:24PM Finally after an hour I can safely say she's still up there. That's a relief.
6:32PM Another hour has gone by. No food or break.
6:45PM Still looking. Still waiting.
6:56PM By now James http://yojimbot.blogspot.com/ has arrived. And it's grand to see him as well. We also haven't seen each other since last season. For a rundown on how Norman got his name on a street corner go to Rob's site-- http://bloomingdalevillage.blogspot.com/
7:01 PM There hasn't been a sign of this guy since before 4:30. (No, it's not a great photo but it shows nicely what I'm about to talk about. Wait and see.) He shows up without a meal for Isolde and he has a crop bulging like an overfed eyass? At that moment it was a good thing that he'd already been named otherwise it might well have turned out to be Pig Boy had it been up to me.
Though here he does look like a Norman. Whatever he looks like, Isolde has had it. (Good thing it wasn't Charlotte, she might well have snatched him bald headed.) Isolde has truly been very patient but undoubtedly she is very hungry. She comes off the nest, and heads for the Plant Pavilion, Norman follows. They circle once.
7 12 PM Isolde takes off in search of food and Norman takes to the nest. I hope she leaves him there all night. He needs to learn a few rules. Like, you don't stuff yourself until your mate , who has been stuck on the nest for hours if not all day, has been fed.
How many times have I seen Pale Male eating Lola's leftovers? And often the leavings were little more than a bunch of soggy feathers and bones. But then Pale Male has had lots more practice in what keeps mates happy and healthy, now hasn't he? It will be interesting to see how Isolde teaches Young Norman nesting etiquette.
We three, wait around until nearly 8PM, but Isolde doesn't return and Norman doesn't pop his head up. Will he sleep on the nest tonight?
Next UP: Pale Male and Lola, a Peregrine Update, Plum Brook Station Eagles from Blakeman, all on tap and coming soon.
Donegal Browne
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