Monday, June 16, 2008

Urban Hawk Updates: Fordham and Divine Plus New York Magazine



A report from this season's chief observer of the Fordham nest, Chris Lyons plus all Fordham images today were taken by him---


Donna,


I took an overly long morning break, and headed over to Collins Hall--didn't see any sign of activity from the ground. Made my way quickly up to the roof of Dealy Hall--there were two fledges perched on the railings.

I found what I assume to be the same two youngsters up on the roof of Dealy Hall today, once between 12-1pm, and again around 5pm. I don't know where the other one is, but apparently not on Collins Hall, where the nest is. Fledging seems to have taken place entirely during the weekend--I know all three were on the nest when I left the campus last Friday. Possible one or two of them fledged and them came back, but I don't think so.


(Now it may just be the light, but have you noticed something which tends to happen at Fordham but rarely in Manhattan? D.B.)


Not long after I showed up the first time, Hawkeye landed on the railing to my right. I didn't get a picture, and he flew off quickly--didn't see if he was carrying anything. Then an adult appeared from the direction he'd disappeared into, and quickly delivered a young rabbit, which one of the two fledges quickly mantled and took position of. This adult then landed in the same spot I'd originally seen Hawkeye, and proceeded to watch the meal--and me. I was so busy trying to change camera batteries, and snap more photos, that I failed to notice that it was Rose this time, not Hawkeye (note the leg band).

Then an adult appeared from the direction he'd disappeared into, and quickly delivered a young rabbit, which one of the two fledges quickly mantled and took position of.


She gave me what I interpreted as a rather narrow look, but was pretty tolerant of my presence overall. Of course, the young could have easily escaped me had I been a predator--maybe the concern was that I might try to steal the rabbit. I had to watch out that I didn't frighten the intently-feeding youngster away from a much-needed meal.
It was a beautiful little rabbit--couldn't have been out of its own nest for very long. We don't see cottontails often on campus--much less so these days. Might have been caught in the Botanical Garden. Obviously an ideal lunch for a young hawk, and easy prey for whoever caught it.

Later, I saw both of the adults perched up on the floodlights for the football field. Hard as I looked, I couldn't see a third fledgling anywhere.

Something I noticed--Rose gripped the railing very securely in her talons while she was up on the roof with us. However, the closeup I took of the feet of one of the youngsters shows a much less careful grip--one foot only, and the talons are splayed outwards--apparently still a secure enough footing to stay up there

And look at that posture in the last pic. Teenagers.
Chris Lyons

CATHEDRAL DIVINE FLEDGLING REPORT FOR MONDAY, 6/19, FROM FILM MAKER ADAM WELZ--


I spent from approx 8 am to 11:30 at Morningside with Francois Portmann.


We found one of the Cathedral fledges flopping around in tall trees on the slope below the Cathedral, roughly halfway between the nest and the western most baseball dugout.



One parent (female, I think) spent much of the first hour perched on the hospital, and flew by her youngster once. No feeding was observed. Youngster was clearly hungry - whining a lot as the morning wore on and was being mobbed by Catbird, Red-wing Blackbird, Eastern Kingbird, Baltimore Oriole.


Adam Welz


MORE OF STELLA HAMILTON'S PHOTOGRAPHS FROM SUNDAY'S DIVINE DOUBLE.


(My apologies they didn't go up with yesterday's report. I was having upload issues with Blogger.

All Divine Photos by Stella Hamilton

Here she is. Just minutes before Divine 1 made the leap she sat on top of St. Andrew's head, foot tucked and curled, seemingly as if she weren't going anywhere.

But there is that upraised look of interest...


5:26pm A parent (conceivably Isolde as she tends to this position for combat) sits on Gabriel's horn as an intruder comes bombing towards her.


Then of course there is Divine 2, who unbeknownst to us humans had made the leap after his sibling and was now attempting to climb the fence between himself and the nest.

An example of the climb with the feet and flap with the wings ascension technique.

Completely tuckered out, he rests.


Having lost some ground, like the chip off the old block that he is, Divine 2 goes for it once again.
Urban Red-tails in New York Magazine by way of Carol Vinzant.
http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/47828/
Red-Tailed Hawks Have Bird Baby Boom
The eyases are all right?

P.S. Dear readers, Are you lacking responses from your email to me for some days now? Don't worry I'm not ignoring you, I'm not mad, nor have I gone utterly round the bed. I'm just very very behind--but catching up. Though it may take me awhile as eyasses seem to be jumping out of nests round every turn and they need to be attended to at first so they don't get into any trouble.
Donegal Browne
Donegal Browne.

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