FLASH! IT LOOKS LIKE ROSE HAS NEW BEAU!

Big news from Pat Gonzalez of the New York Botanical Garden--

Friends:

A most amazing thing happened earlier today at the NY Botanical Garden. Both of my camera batteries were dead. I had packed all my gear into my shoulder bag and was heading on out to catch the bus home. At 3:35 PM, I had just turned the foot path along the Library building just under Rose and Hawkeye's old nest from last year, when this large red-tail landed on top of the building. I quickly yanked out my camera and shoved one of the drained batteries in it, hit the on button....then prayed. The screen came on and I began to shoot ignoring the flashing battery light. I'm firing away, when another large red-tail zoomed by, landing on a nearby tree. He stayed there for a minute or so, then took off, landing on the nest. The other red-tail on the roof then landed on top. After about 3 minutes, both took off behind the building.

I've attached three photos. I apologize for the bad image quality as it was overcast all day and I had to lighten up these pictures. They've also been cropped. Notice what appears to be a band on the right leg of the hawk on the roof? Also, notice the tail feathers of the hawk inside the nest?

Is it safe to assume that the one on top with the band is Rose and the one in the next is a new mate? You all know a lot more about this than I do. I want to get excited, but want to wait buying cigars for now. : )

Any help on this is appreciated. Thanks.

Pat Gonzalez

(Well I'd be nailing down the perfect cigar store, but you don't get to buy any until those little white heads start popping into sight. :-))

Donegal:

I just got this from Richard Fleischer regarding my last email to you about the two hawks. I'm standing by with cigars just in case.

Pat

Pat,

Thanks for the photos. In my opinion it looks like Rose. Were the two Hawks working on the NYBG nest? Last week or so I saw two Hawks rebuilding the Fordham nest. One of those Hawks looked like Rose. So we will have to see what develops. I am going to the NYBG tomorrow to see if I can see the Owls so I will keep my eye out for Hawk activity as well.

Rich

Good Luck tomorrow Rich, I can't wait to see what the new guy looks like. Will he be the compact swift model like Pale Male and Junior or the huskier type like Hawkeye and Atlas. Just think maybe Rose has a "type"!

Pat,

Thanks so much for hanging in there, getting the photos, and sharing them.

Rich knows Rose better than I do but I think that looks like her as well, She always makes me think of a pure archetype of a female Red-tailed Hawk.. Add the band, and her location and it's as near a sure thing as we can get without reading her band.

I've scrutinized that tail peeking over the edge of the nest but it's tough looking at the bottom of the feathers. Could you tell if Rose's Beau is a mature bird with the totally dark eyes? Just wondering if Rose has picked an experienced bird, who may have bred before and might well know what he's doing when it comes to his responsibilities. Or if she might have to do a little training as Isolde has had to do with Norman to get things running smoothly.

Were they actually bringing twigs or arranging the existing ones? Rose looks like she is definitely keeping an eye on the proceedings.

So at both of Rose and Hawkeye's old peaked nest sites, there has been activity. Thank you for that update, Rich. I'm dying to know what the rest of New Guy looks like and which site they will ultimately choose!

Things are certainly hopping when it comes to hawks the last few days.

STAY TUNED!

Donegal Browne