Zena Over Nights Plus Vince and Rose of Fordham Take to the Nest

 Photo courtesy of palemale.com
The word from the Hawk Bench in Central Park, is that Zena, Pale Male's new mate, over nighted on Saturday, the 24th.  She likely laid an egg that day, but it is also possible she just had the feeling that it was time to "get situated" to lay an egg. 

 The incubation day count for the Fifth Avenue nest, starts on the first overnight but the span of days between that day and when hatching/feeding behavior is noted tends to run longer than the time frame noted in the literature for Red-tailed Hawks,   which is 28 to 35 days.
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 Photographs of Rose (above) and Vince (below) by Chris Lyons, one of the chief watchers of the Fordham nest.
 

From Chris Lyons of Fordham-

I saw them [Rose and Vince] copulate Monday before last, but hadn't seen either of them on the nest until today, Wednesday,--a head briefly poked up over the rim of the nest--it was Vince, giving Rose a break from her incubation duties.  I found her perched on a tree on the other side of Martyr's Lawn, and got some photos.   Her banded leg was clearly visible. 

I believe this is Rose's ninth consecutive incubation--seven at Fordham, once over by St. James Park, once at the Botanical Garden.  All her known breeding attempts to date have been successful--the last one remarkably so, with four fledged young.   

 And here we have the plucky Vince, named for former Fordham student, Vince Lombardi.  Yes, the football coach who spent many winters in the snow of Green Bay, WI with the Green Bay Packers.  Note the signature relaxed tiercel pose seen in many a photograph of  Pale Male and also of Tristan, late of the Cathedral Church Nest of St. John the Divine.

 And why is Vince plucky?  Because upon his appearance after the demise of the beloved Hawkeye, and his bonding with Rose, Vince was often seen perching rather close and staring menacingly at the Great Horned Owl Dad who was guarding the family's nest cavity. 

And here we have the human habituated Vince turning round, prey in talons, with what could be construed as a questioning look, as in---And you want WHAT?

Donegal Browne