A Mystery Evening Hawking in Central Park...Sheesh!

All times PM

3:38:46  It was pushing 90 degrees in Central Park today.  Octavia spent a good bit of time with her back to the sun.

4:08:78 Octavia, panting, turns around to watch something....Pale Male?

  4:44:22 Octavia crosses the nest and stands to partially shelter the eyass on that south side of the nest from the sun.

4:54:20 Octavia crosses back to the north side of the nest and reshelters the eyass there.  The eyass on the south end is looking a little livelier.

5:12:27 There doesn't appear to be a dearth of prey on the nest.  Whenever an eyass shows interest, Octavia feeds them.

 5:17:02 Large surveys the area...and pants.

5:57:32  Pale Male sails in from the tree line over the bench. (West)

5:57:48 The is the building just past the "the lions" and  such an unusual landing spot we don't even have a name for it.

 5:58:46 Approximately a minute later a much smaller black bird comes after Pale Male.  Did PM choose this high and obvious spot so the smaller bird would continue to chase him?  There is the old chase me until I catch you Red-tail ploy for catching prey.

 6:40:57  Octavia may be watching Pale male.  The eyasses are becoming a touch more active.

 6:54:01 Beginning to loose the light.  Octavia is fixated on something happening to the west and looks as if she is deciding to take off toward it.  Her view of things is sooooo much better that what we humans have from the ground.

I look around and all the other hawkwatchers are gone.  I pack up and hit the path towards the westside.

 7:06:52  Just as I am just about to clear the treeline above Bethesda Fountain, I see a hawk being chased by numerous passerines.  Is this Pale Male still being chased by passerines?

   I watch this group go.  Then turn to my left to continue on my way...

7:07:40 I am now facing west.  Another Red-tail zooms through the foliage in the direction in which the previous Red-tail is being chased, North.  Okay who is this? Sheep Meadow Red-tail or Fifth Avenue Red-tail? 

7:12:08  I turn left to the Sheep Meadow to check if I can see either of those hawks in the group of trees where their nest is.  No joy. 

TOO MANY HAWKS NOT ENOUGH HUMAN EYES, BUT  OCTAVIA KNOWS!

Happy Hawking

Donegal Browne