Photograph by Mitchell Nusbaum
The day before the accident Mitch took this photograph of the Riverside fledgling making a kill east of the Henry Hudson Parkway on the south side of the playground at about W81St.

While I was scrutinizing the wheat field on the east side of the road looking for turkeys, these turkeys were scrutinizing and eating the oats in the field on the west side of the road working their way across the field with their backs turned.

We surprised each other.


I grabbed the camera and they got into a turkey line, took to their feet, and headed south.

At first I couldn't figure out why? Why not head for the other side of the field? And therefore put more distance between us. Then it became clear. There is a bit of a hill mid-field and they were heading for the rear of it. Therefore protecting themselves even better and in less time then it would have taken to hit the edge of the field and then the woods. Turkeys may look strange but contrary to report they aren't a bunch of dummies.

The mushroom eating squirrel courtesy of Jackie Dover.

Hi, Donegal:

Having just viewed the bagel-loving squirrel in NYC, I was reminded of a photo my daughter sent to me. This is a fungi-favoring, urban Texas squirrel. I have read that squirrels can tolerate fungi which are toxic to human beings.

This was my daughter's observation:"Our neighborhood has a mushroom-eating squirrel. I know that he feasts on mushrooms all the time because I looked up into this tree and spotted mushroom remains lying about."

Jackie Dover

Tulsa Hawk Forum

CROWS USING TOOLS
Since seeing this piece on PBS, I’d been looking for it again. Robin of Illinois found it!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/08/are-crows-the-smartest-bi_n_227865.html

And Good News Concerning the Triborough Fledglings from Avid Hawkwatcher Robert McMinn--

Jules and I saw all three juveniles perched on a rooftop at 21st Street & Hoyt. They were taking turns on a rat corpse and were remarkably civil about it (wonder how long that will last). We talked to a resident who was really pleased about the rat control and excited about having hawks on his rooftop.

We've been hearing them from our apartment and on our walks a lot and have seen one or two at a time but this was the first time we've seen all three together since July 4th weekend. They seem to be doing really well. The one that was the last to leave the nest is an amazing flyer. We sometimes confuse him for a parent when he swoops in from out of nowhere and lands seamlessly on a high perch. The one the Horvaths released last week has radically improved his tree skills.

We didn't see the parents [Atlas and Athena- D.B.] drop off the rat this morning but there's every indication that both parents are in the area working their red tails off to raise their young.

Cheers,
Robert

Having been taken into the care of wildlife rehabilitators, Bobby and Cathy Horvath, as their place of fledge is so dangerous and then released again after honing their skills, the Triborough young are doing swimmingly so far. Keep your fingers crossed!

Donegal Browne