Jamie and Claire Sandhill Crane have once again returned to Thresherman's Park to forage in the late afternoon.
And this Fall they've come with two youngsters instead of just one.
And not to be overlooked, the remarkably feisty take-no-prisoners Bluebird flock is back with a vengeance as well.
SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE WITH LONG TIME CONTRIBUTORS--
From Betty Jo of California
Donna,
Yes, what about Hawk Mountain? And in California all manner of hawks and vultures (including Red Tails) congregate on the Marin Headlands north of the Golden Gate Bridge until they can get up whatever it takes to cross the bay. Migration is starting now but the roads are closed for construction, even to bicyclists and hikers so observation is difficult this year. We had a resting spot for migrating hawks here in Camarillo on lots which were destined for construction--surrounded by warehouses, but nearby were fields. They were resting on street lights. Where they went when they left here, I don't know! Very interesting discussion.
Betty Jo
Thanks Betty Jo....I haven't had time to get into it much as yet, but I'm wondering if those gatherings of dispersing and/or migrating raptors may not only be congregations conceivably from places that might be more seasonably inhospitable than NYC at times but also perhaps likely there are different tendencies due to species.
News from Hawkwatcher Jules Corkery about our Red-tailed buddy Atlas at the Triboro Bridge--
Hey, Donna!!! How nice to get a message from you today - on the same day that I spot Atlas sitting on a lamp post underneath his nest after a very long time of not seeing him or his family. I was getting nervous that something had happened. I suspect he's been enjoying the food supply on Randalls Island that the new sports fields, the sports people, and their sports trash bring. It's a beautiful thing!
Fascinating stuff from NYC's Bill Walters--Check it out.
SCIENCE September 14, 2010
Remarkable Creatures: Hybrids May Thrive Where Parents Fear to Tread
By SEAN B. CARROLL
As many as 10 percent of animal species and 25 percent of plant species may occasionally mate with other species, biologists estimate
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/science/14creatures.html?emc=eta1
From: Jeffrey T Johnson regarding the previous post featuring Quicksilver--
Ms Browne,
I hope you removed your car keys...otherwise I expect your next post to feature a photo of Quicksilver gleefully absconding with your car.
Jeff,
You are so right! Can't you just see him tooling away, tires screeching, complete with wrap around sunglasses, leaving me in the dust?
Barring that, if I'd left the keys with him for two seconds, he'd have removed the red panic button from the lock clicker, and I'd never have gotten the car alarm turned off. There isn't one remote in the house that still sports a red button.
From NYC Hawk Watcher Mitch Nusbaum--
9/17 12:27pm
One of the parents on Andrew's shoulder. What could she be doing? She flew off at 12:35.
Mitch, my take is that the hawk is watching prey patterns. The nest site does have a grand view.
From Robin of Illinois,
Check out this posting of the Lovely Fly Bys in NYC on James O'Brien's site--
http://yojimbot.blogspot.com/
Donna,
Yes, what about Hawk Mountain? And in California all manner of hawks and vultures (including Red Tails) congregate on the Marin Headlands north of the Golden Gate Bridge until they can get up whatever it takes to cross the bay. Migration is starting now but the roads are closed for construction, even to bicyclists and hikers so observation is difficult this year. We had a resting spot for migrating hawks here in Camarillo on lots which were destined for construction--surrounded by warehouses, but nearby were fields. They were resting on street lights. Where they went when they left here, I don't know! Very interesting discussion.
Betty Jo
Thanks Betty Jo....I haven't had time to get into it much as yet, but I'm wondering if those gatherings of dispersing and/or migrating raptors may not only be congregations conceivably from places that might be more seasonably inhospitable than NYC at times but also perhaps likely there are different tendencies due to species.
News from Hawkwatcher Jules Corkery about our Red-tailed buddy Atlas at the Triboro Bridge--
Hey, Donna!!! How nice to get a message from you today - on the same day that I spot Atlas sitting on a lamp post underneath his nest after a very long time of not seeing him or his family. I was getting nervous that something had happened. I suspect he's been enjoying the food supply on Randalls Island that the new sports fields, the sports people, and their sports trash bring. It's a beautiful thing!
Fascinating stuff from NYC's Bill Walters--Check it out.
SCIENCE September 14, 2010
Remarkable Creatures: Hybrids May Thrive Where Parents Fear to Tread
By SEAN B. CARROLL
As many as 10 percent of animal species and 25 percent of plant species may occasionally mate with other species, biologists estimate
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/science/14creatures.html?emc=eta1
From: Jeffrey T Johnson regarding the previous post featuring Quicksilver--
Ms Browne,
I hope you removed your car keys...otherwise I expect your next post to feature a photo of Quicksilver gleefully absconding with your car.
Jeff,
You are so right! Can't you just see him tooling away, tires screeching, complete with wrap around sunglasses, leaving me in the dust?
Barring that, if I'd left the keys with him for two seconds, he'd have removed the red panic button from the lock clicker, and I'd never have gotten the car alarm turned off. There isn't one remote in the house that still sports a red button.
From NYC Hawk Watcher Mitch Nusbaum--
9/17 12:27pm
One of the parents on Andrew's shoulder. What could she be doing? She flew off at 12:35.
Mitch, my take is that the hawk is watching prey patterns. The nest site does have a grand view.
From Robin of Illinois,
Check out this posting of the Lovely Fly Bys in NYC on James O'Brien's site--
http://yojimbot.blogspot.com/
Donegal Browne
