The Riverside Park Red-tail Nest, Blackwater Eaglets, and NY Botanical Garden Wildlife

Photograph by Francois Portmann
Cars rumble past the new Riverside Park Red-tail nest. This time in a nice sturdy crouch of a tree instead of out on the end of a limb.

Photograph by Francois Portmann
Both hawks are mature enough this year that both sets of eyes have gone dark.


Photographs by Francois Portmann
A tiercel's work is never done when it comes to choosing and transporting twigs.

Photographs by Francois Portmann
But there is time for exuberant flying for bonding as well.

Photographs by Francois Portmann
Has this twig been chosen from the ground instead of being clipped?

Photographs by Francois Portmann
That takes balance.

Photographs by Francois Portmann
Why are some twigs carried in the beak crosswise and some in the talons lengthwise? One thing is that those in the beak would need to have a balance point that was beak size.

Photographs by Francois Portmann

Photographs by Francois Portmann

Photographs by Francois Portmann
Proudly atop the nest, checking the view.

Photographs by Francois Portmann

Photographs by Francois Portmann
This stick would not be very beakable.

Photographs by Francois Portmann
Taking a break in nest building to make something to go into the nest.
Note the tiercel's curled under talons. As Francois says, "Quite the balancing act."

Photograph by Francois Portmann
Speaking of which, is isn't as if the formel can dig her talons into the metal of a lamp post. She looks to be keeping them both in position by pure pressure through the tips of her talons.

Photograph by Francois Portmann
Bark, an important ingredient of nest building is often used in the bowl of the nest.

Photograph by Francois Portmann

Photograph by Francois Portmann

Photograph by Francois Portmann

Photograph by Francois Portmann
BEAUTIFUL !!!

Courtesy of the Blackwater Eagle Cam
Thanks to Robin of Illinois for the screen capture and as she says, "They are getting soooo big!" And boy, aren't they? The growth of young raptors continues to astound me no matter how many times I see it happen.

Photo by Pat GonzalezThe NY Botanical Garden Red-tail has a good scratch. Very smartly closing her eyes for the process. For as Pat says, "Yikes. Look at those talons." And here is some footage she shot as well--Donegal:
Here’s footage of some water fowl I shot earlier today at the NY Botanical Garden. I can’t find this white duck in any of my guides. She or he is always surrounded by both male and female mallards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ4nHYApk4k&feature=channel_page
Also, here’s a male cardinal eating some of the unshelled, unsalted sunflower seeds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_J_V8UU_bw&feature=channel_page
Pat