Nurturing Biophilia Feedback and Do Some Deer Actually Eat the Remains Of Dead Deer That Have Been Left Behind by Human Hunters? And Quicksilver the African Grey Parrot, Squirrel the Cat, and Tig the Basenji Check Out A Trunk

                            The late Athena of the Triborough Bridge Nest in Queens

 FROM SALLY OF KENTUCKY, regarding the importance of naming wild creatures that urban people in particular watch in various neighborhoods foster biophilia...

Agreed! Although I think that numbers might be able to have the same affect in watchers. The discussions of the recent disappearance and apparent loss of the Franklin Institute male "T2" are no less sad than those who mourn the loss of Lola or Athena or Hawkeye or Tristan. the eagle nest watchers on the IWS.org website use tag numbers as "names" for the most part, and when A27 a female that had been nesting for years at one nest went missing last year they were as upset as if hse had had a "real" name. They talk about the birds using their ID wing tag numbers as endearingly as you could want. I prefer names,I think it is easier to quickly connect to "Ziggy" or "Sabre" or "Atlas" than it is to attach to A40 and A48. But the attachment does develop in those that watch nests, whatever the bird is "named". Might be an interesting graduate thesis for someone to pursue.

Yes it would Sally.  I  wonder how one would quantify the biophilia for an animal with a number name vs a descriptive name.  Well...I have my masters and have been thinking about pursuing my Ph.D. and naming is one of my "things"...

I think it might take a little longer for an uninitiated person in a neighborhood to bond with an W712 name than say a descriptive name like Pale Male, which also helps in identification, but I might be wrong.  And certainly over time any "handle" for an animal does become a "name".

And next up long time blog correspondent Betty Jo of California--

  I loved your piece on Biophilia, Donna.  I had never heard the word before. Now I want to read Wilson's book.
Yes, Pale Male does look sweet!  Oh my--this spring he'll turn 24-- how amazing considering the dangers of life in NYC.  I too love behavior!  I don't have to see rare birds--I just love watching my backyard birds.
I even love the Monarch caterpillar's behavior--which mostly consists of eating very fast.  However they do go on "walk abouts"--sometimes just down the side walk and they can travel faster than I expected.  I don't name them because they move around too much, but I know now that they leave the milkweed and go to nearby plants and sit very still when they are ready to shed their skin.  
A casual observer may think they also eat the plant on
which they are resting.  I think they move off to suppress the urge to eat that milkweed must encourage. ?  a guess!
Anyway--thanks so much for your always interesting blog,
Betty Jo McDonald

Thanks Betty Jo. Grand to hear from you again.  Watching a creature just going about their business completely makes my day. 

Fascinating hypothesis:  They move off the plant that would distract and tempt them to eat instead preparing for the next "step".  I like it!

What would happen if they were in a huge field of milkweed with absolutely no other plants I wonder?

Would they then take a very long walk to find something else or would they just keep eating and the whole cycle would be disrupted?

Thank goodness that even if there was miles of milkweed, which is unlikely of course,  though some people have suggested should be planted to help the Monarchs to thrive again, there would be some "weeds" as no herbicides would be used the Monarch caterpillars would be able to move away from their temptation to eat and  do what they need to do.

Though many have taken phenological notes about what some creatures eat and when they reproduce for instance here is an example of why behavior study is important. The Monarch caterpillar needs another species of plant to go to shed their skin.  It is amazing how many creatures who's other behavior beyond the bare basics has not been thoroughly notated yet. 

In fact Wilson's belief is that there are still hundreds of thousands of species, most teeny in size, who are as yet unnamed scientifically let alone studied for behavior.

By the way, do you have any idea about how long they "rest" before shedding their skin?

My daughter Samantha who works at Dr. Pepperberg's Parrot Lab at Harvard, while getting her undergraduate degree, a double major...Ecological Science with an emphasis in Behavior and a second major in Theatre, (and what's theatre besides the behavior of Homo sapiens) at Brandeis has opened my eyes to just how much the "expected behavior" of those involved in science has changed in at least some quarters these days. 

 I was utterly delighted when she told me her Animal Behavior prof,  Dan Perlmann, (a former student of E. O. Wilson)  paused a slide presentation on various creatures during class one day and said, "Aren't they cute?"

I cannot  tell you how vindicated I felt.

There is no question that "Science"  now allows joy and humanity in at least some of its halls.  And let me add whimsy and a sense of humor, Perlman has also invented a water soluble "glue" to make sand castles last longer.

 But back to biophilia and Ed Wilson,  readers can stream the NOVAepisode, "Lord of the Ants" (beginning with one of Wilson's Bioblitzs in Central Park) and the Bill Moyers Journal featuring Ed Wilson on your computer at the links below.  He is brilliant enthusiastic optimistic scientist  and writer (25 books and counting) who is also pretty much a hoot. Go for it.
 NOVA
 Lord of the Ants
 http://video.pbs.org/video/98004963

 Bill Moyers  The Journal: E.O. Wilson

http://video.pbs.org/video/1415023723/ 

 AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND ACTUALLY KIND OF  CREEPY...

 Deer browsing on the verge between a cornfield and a woods.

These deer are doing what one would expect deer to do.  When the snow melts, deer often browse in spots where field corn has collected.  Normal behavior for an herbivore.

Well, the other day I was talking to Samantha (the daughter studying animal behavior) on the telephone and she asked me if I'd heard about deer eating the remains of human killed deer that had been dressed in the field, and the innards, organs, etc. left in the woods?  

Hunters are supposed to deeply bury or carry out the parts they aren't keeping but sometimes the bad mannered and lazy don't.

I said, NO!  I hadn't heard of that.  

As it turns out there had been reports of this sort of deer behavior in recent years.  And as you might imagine these reports were originally discounted...too much Pabst Blue Ribbon. 

Come on Deer are herbivores.  Besides everything else they don't even have the teeth for the job.

Finally a study was done and yes, just in, some deer have begun to consume hunter's leavings.

As Sam said, "I always did wonder how omnivores evolved."

How could this happen? 

 Well, there are far fewer members of natures clean up crews than there used to be due to poisons, trapping, "varmit control", and lack of proper habitat.  Therefore many ecosystems are missing many of the creatures that once evolved to live in those systems and do various and sundry jobs.

It appears other creatures are now adapting to fill in the voids.

How creepy is this?

Nature is beginning to fill in.

P.S.  This is new stuff and  I've not found anything about the topic online.  If anyone does find more information on this behavior do please let me know.

And as you might have found the above disquieting...a preview of a whimsy....  Remember some time ago I went to see what "the junk man" had for possible cheap storage?   Well I'd gotten an old trunk for a couple of dollars and it had been in the garage ever since.  Today I dragged it into the laundry room to make an attempt at cleaning it. I went off to find the vacuum and now a preview of .... Quicksilver, Squirrel, and Tig Check Out A Trunk....

I hadn't been gone more than two minutes and Squirrel was already in the trunk and Quicksilver was thinking about joining in.

 Squirrel then checks out the nail sharpening capability of  vintage trunk wood....

Silver bombs down to the trunk from above and Squirrel almost leaps out but puts on the brakes.  If he had leapt out Silver would have laughed and that would be embarrassing and that's what Silver had in mind in the first place.

Silver scrutinizes and Squirrel sniffs.  Both pretending that they aren't paying any attention to the other.  Wrong...to be continued.

And last but not least in from Robin of Illinois, how prevalent were  lemmings this Snowy Owl breeding season?
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/a-snowy-owl-bonanza-thanks-to-a-little-stubby-legged-arctic-rodent-the-lemming/2014/02/16/57c08cfe-94c9-11e3-83b9-1f024193bb84_story.html

Pale Male and Octavia, Dr. Pepperberg, Griffin, and Athena Plus Quicksilver the African Grey Parrot Takes a Bath, and a New Red-tailed Hawk in the Neighborhood

                                                                               
Photo courtesy of http://www.palemale.com/
Octavia flies in from the left, North, and Pale Male takes off center like a bullet and then heads uptown, North.  Hawkwatchers surmise that there was some business that Pale Male felt he needed to attend to up there...such as a possible intruder.

Not all "intruders" mean to intrude.  Sometimes they just wander into the territory and can be easily made to feel they should retire to other regions when Pale Male comes their way.

 (left to right) Griffin, Athena, Dr. Irene Pepperberg

A double heads-up concerning an article about Harvard's Parrot Lab from Robin of Illinois, and Samantha of Brandeis--
(Video of Griffin and Athena the African Grey Parrots with Dr. Pepperberg besides.)

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/12/polly-want-a-vocabulary/

 Six month old Athena

Note that Athena's eyes are darker than Griffin's.

African Grey Parrot "babies" have dark eyes which gradually lighten over their first year or so.

 AND QUICKSILVER BATHES IN THE ROASTER...

 

I do wonder why he always has this internally absorbed...somewhat psycho expression when he bathes?

And he plunges back in.

What has he done with his head?

Ecstasy. 

Silver bathing is extreme frenetic movement...

Juxtaposed with stillness and an internalized expression.

A leap back in with flapping....more frenetic movement.

 Stillness.

A leap out!

And he's done!  He hops off and it is time for  the hair dryer.

He never talks during a bath.  Are the tactile sensations just  much too self absorbing?

I was driving along when I looked over and realized that a tree in this grove next to a house had a bright spot that just didn't seem to belong there.  

Sure enough there was a Red-tailed Hawk pretending to be part of the trunk of a tree.  She evidentally was quite intent on whatever she was watching as she didn't seem to notice that the car had stopped.  (No I didn't turn off the engine, just in case.)

 After a few moments she did deign to give me a look.

But then she turned her head and though still likely keeping me in view,  looked off into the distance.  She made my day for not immediately fleeing when she knew I knew she was there.  I'm going to be keeping a look out for her, she's my kind of hawk.

Happy Hawking!

Donegal Browne

Pale Male's Earlier Poisoned 2012 Fledglings Return to Central Park!

       Photo courtesy of Henry Willson / Senior Staff Photographer, Columbia Spectator
  Cathy Horvath releases one of Pale Male and Zena's previously poisoned Fledglings in Central Park.

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2012/10/15/young-hawks-return-wild-after-battle-rat-poison

I received an email this evening for Ellen Smithson, who recently relocated from Tucson, Arizona to NYC and who just happened to be enjoying Central Park when she stumbled upon the release of the two fledglings of Pale Male and Zena.  They who survived a bout of secondary rat poisoning under the care of Cathy and Bobby Horvath of WINORR, Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation.  

Ellen wrote in part-

I was taking a walk in the Ramble when I saw a long haired park ranger and a dark haired woman painting the toe nails of a large bird.  

I thought to myself, "Only in New York City".

There were others looking on during this phenomena so I too stopped to watch what might happen next.  

It was one of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen. Two hawks  flew from the hands of a person into the freedom of  air and sunshine.  A sun that flashed off the gold in their feathers.  

Two hawks which were poisoned by anonymous people who'd set out to kill rats and who had been brought back to life by people who cared enough to do all the tending it took to get to this spot on this day.  It was a blessing.

I was told that there wasn't any guarantee that these birds wouldn't be poisoned again and that, I found, a very tragic thought.  How can people be so thoughtless?  Is there no other way? 

I then got my first look at Pale Male later.  I was befriended by some  very nice hawk people and we saw him fly over the younger hawks. I guess he recognized them as he didn't chase them away, which I'm told he would have done if he didn't know them.  

I think I'm going to like New York City after all. 

 Many thanks Ellen, and if you can be intrigued by people painting nail polish on a hawk's talons and wait around for the second act.  I think you definitely have the stuff to "like" the Big Apple.  Keep in touch!

Opera Star the third fledgling of this year's nest on 927 Fifth Avenue is believed to have succumbed to secondary rat poisoning,  as likely, did his mother, Zena.

A few of the  known lost to secondary rat poison are Ginger Lima, Pale Male's mate before Zena,   Hawkeye, mate of Rose, at the Fordham nest, Athena, mate of Atlas of the Triborough nest, and Intrepid, the beautiful Riverside Park Mom, who had lost three eyasses still in their natal feathers on the nest, due to secondary rat poisoning in a previous season. 

Though Pale Male's fledglings were poisoned while in or around Central Park by eating already poisoned rats, they were also released back to the area.  There are any number of reasons for doing this which include their familiarity with their natal territory and the fact that when it comes down to it, secondary poisoning is a problem all over the country. 

 Though Central Park has reputedly done what they can to remove poison, there are buildings which face the park which undoubtedly have not.

 Nowhere is truly safe for them. 

BESIDES...another reason why Central Park would be best, at least in my opinion,  is as these birds were so young when they were poisoned they had not had the time to be trained thoroughly by their super hunter father Pale Male in his many hunting techniques.  The ways of hunting are not innate for Red-tailed hawks.  They must be apprenticed to hunting by their parents.  The better the training  the more chance they have of surviving their first year, when a very high percentage of  young Red-tailed hawks die.

I'm hoping that Pale Male will pick up where he left off  as hunting mentor.  I realize that in young Red-tailed fathers the training of their offspring may come from hormonal urges.  A hormonal level that after six months Pale Male may not feel.  But just perhaps Pale in his many seasons of training young hawks, has the cognizance to know what they need and will do it because he knows it needs doing not just because his hormones tell him so. 

Donegal Browne

A HAWK SEASON OF DESPAIR- Four Gone in a Month

 Intrepid broods eggs.  Her three eyasses that season were accidentally poisoned on the nest by being fed a poisoned rat.

 Photo Donegal Browne

2011-Young Ginger Lima, recently deceased,  tends her eyasses fathered by Pale Male- photo courtesy of palemale.com

                
From Myisha Priest,  hawk watcher,  NYU professor,  and the host of a seminar that 

celebrated the wildlife of New York City --


                                    Donna,                                    
   I just read the news of Intrepid. Heartbroken. She was singular in her ability to persevere. Though I guess they all are, which is one of the reasons we love them. Remember when her beak was broken and she made it through the winter anyway?
  What a sad hawk season. Violet, Lima, the Southside hawk and now Intrepid. Yet they say that grief is the price we pay for love...
 I send wishes for peaceful rest for those who are gone, wishes for better times for those who are here, and kind thoughts to the hawks and the tender (and bruised) hearts of those who love them.

 Myisha your note is beautiful.  Thank you.  I am afraid that my heart, among many others, has been bruised very badly this time around.

There have been times of despair before for those who love and attempt to succor New York City's urban hawks but the last year, which includes the long drawn out travail of Violet due to  human failure, has been, I think, the darkest.

Though there is no proof and may never be, as the testing of the very common Red-tail Hawk for poison is low on the list of priorities for the financially strapped New York State Wildlife Pathology budget, the known evidence points to secondary poisoning as the cause of death in this  latest wave of unblemished beautifully feathered corpses.
 Poison is also arguably a possible vector in the disappearance of Pale Male's mate of many years, Lola.

Today I am at a loss as to what more we can do soon enough to help the now living survive.  For assuredly what we have done has not been enough to save those who are gone and my feeling is that only luck has allowed those who still live to continue their lives.

Education is slow.  Poison is fast.

If mature, city-savvy hawks such as Intrepid, and before her, Builder,  Athena, Hawkeye, Ginger Lima, and Lola to name a very few, have not found any clues to warn them away from the rats that killed them, there likely aren't any clues and the death toll will only continue. 

Can we find a strategy that works with the rapidity that poison does?   

Hawkeye of Fordham, mate of Rose and the father of many, many well fledged young died of poison.  Photo Donegal Browne

Photo Donegal Browne

Athena of the Triborough Bridge nest,  a mother for many seasons, died of  rodenticide secondary poisoning leaving a clutch of eggs.  Her mate Atlas attempted to hatch the eggs on his own, but with no one to hunt for him or spell him on the nest so he could leave to hunt and eat,  the eggs were sometimes unattended.  They never hatched.

 FROM NEW YORK MAGAZINE

Yet Another Red-Tailed Hawk Found Dead

• By Noreen Malone

It hasn’t been a good late winter for New York’s red-tailed hawk population. The first big news came when the first lady of New York’s hawks — Pale Male’s latest love interest — was found dead. Shortly thereafter, the body of another unidentified red-tailed hawk was found in Central Park. There was also a young hawk found dead in the park, which was mostly ignored outside of hawk watching circles.  But now, yet another  bird, this one a Riverside Park resident, has bitten the dust, bringing the recent death toll up to four.

 READ MORE

 Intrepid, Riverside Mom hunts.  Before she died, she had outlived a mate and three eyasses who had all died of poison.                                                      Photo Donegal Browne

EDUCATE AND ORGANIZE YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ABOUT SANITATION, RATS,  SECONDARY POISONING AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THE RAPTORS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

Thanks to Rachel Shriff for posting flyers about secondary poisoning and the dangers of second generation poisons in her Queens neighborhood.

In memory also of all the hawks unnamed, who have died of secondary poisoning and human negligence. 

Donegal Browne

Red-tailed Hawk Updates--The Late Athena of Astoria, Mama and Papa in Briarwood, Rose and Vince, and Isolde at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine

The late Athena feeding her eyasses, May 2009

Wildlife rehabilitator Cathy Horvath, with an update on Athena's necropsy--

Hello everyone,

We just got a call from the DEC about the necropsy of Athena . It seems that she did not pass by getting hit by a car like the doctor that examined her had thought. She was poisoned by eating a rodent. Again.

I couldn't believe it, but all the testing that was done so far points to poison. There is one more test that they would like to do with the liver , but it is a very expensive test and they have to hold off for a while. They will be sending us the findings that they have so far, then we will post them to everyone . This is too to0 sad. So everyone please keep happy thoughts in your hearts that Athena's eggs hatch . Thank you to everyone for all the help and effort it took to gather her eggs up. It will be an amazing thing if they hatch !

Bye,

Cathy and Bobby

Thank you Cathy. I kept wondering what had occurred that caused Athena to be hit by a car after avoiding them all these years. And as it turns out, she hadn't lost her awareness of motor vehicles, but rather once again it is likely rat poison that has caused the passing of another of New York City's much watched and loved Red-tailed Hawks.

I still have my finger's crossed that we'll get a little miracle of a hatch from she and Atlas' eggs.

From Jeff Kollbrunner, long time watcher of Mama and Papa in Queens--

Hey Donna,

Here are some images of the nest, two are when Mama was still sitting on eggs taken on 4/5. The other two images were taken on 4/12 when I could see two of the nestlings at about 3-4 days of age with Mama.

Best, Jeff

As the first hawk progeny in Manhattan came from Pale Male, who is obviously pale as are some of his fledglings, we've always wondered where the darker hawks who mated with the pale ones came from. When I looked at this photo of Mama, it made me think of Isolde. There is something similar about their eyes. And as Mama and Papa have been in business for at least 16 years, it is possible that they have supplied some of those mates.



The other day, when I got Jeff's update that there were actually three eyasses on the Briarwood nest, I asked how often Mama and Papa produce three eyasses. Here is his response.-

Donna,

Mama and Papa typically have two eggs/nestlings on a fairly regular basis. The anomalies are as follows, they produced one egg/nestling on two separate occasions (seasons) and that was when there was human interference with those nests and they had to rebuild and have second clutch. Last year they had two nestlings and one perished in the nest at about two weeks and the second nestling successfully fledged. However, they have produced three eggs/nestlings more of late, this years nest and two years ago all three successfully fledged.

All the best, Jeff

That is a sweet hawk expression if I ever saw one.

Some thoughts on Rose and Vince of Fordham from Pat Gonzalez our contributor who keeps her eyes peeled at the New York Botanical Garden--
Donegal:

I saw Rose and Vince at the Garden two weeks ago flying above the museum building. But sadly, I've never seen them sitting on the nest there.

They both have been working on the nest at Fordham and mating at the NYBG, (Look at my youtube video. That day, I saw them mate three times.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26kJMIrIHbo

With this in mind, could Vince possibly be sterile?

Pat,

It may be that Vince just isn't quite old enough to be highly fertile and therefore no eggs were produced. I'd hate to call him sterile exactly, as that seems to be insinuating a more permanent condition. Though technically that could be the temporary case as he is still very young. Perhaps a possible immature sperm count would be a good way to put it.

Next up the nest at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine.

Photo by Mitchell Nusbaum

Hawkwatcher and astronomy buff Mitch Nusbaum's comment-Around 3:00PM, Thursday, a hawk, who I assume to be Isolde was visible from this spot. What could she be doing? (I do think it is Isolde. D. B.)

Different formels have different styles and Isolde very seldom spends much time perched on the lip of the nest unless there has been a hatch. Though neither Mitch nor Rob Schmunk, http://bloomingdalevillage.blogspot.com/ , (click the link for Rob's latest post), last I heard, have seen the poking motions of feeding. Isolde may be waiting for an eyass to make its way fully out of the shell or the eyass is unencumbered but has not started to beg as yet. They ordinarily don't start begging immediately.

I'm back in NYC though currently it is the 40's and raining actively. I'll try to get over and check on the Cathedral nest tomorrow, Saturday.

Donegal Browne

Red-tail Updates:Nest for Washinton Sq. Park RTs, Lola Sits, Cathedral Nest, Triborough Nest

Photo by Zach L.
Hello Donna,

I believe you commented on my blog "Old-NYC" sometime ago on a picture I posted of a Red Tailed sitting atop Judson Memorial Church off of Washington Sq Park. Anyway, I periodically see one or two large Red Tails flying around the park (I've seen them for about 2 years now) and just today I spotted one with two sticks in it's beak landing atop 1 Fifth. It appears they are in the process of building a nest at the very tip top of the building, just below the brick spire on the top. I've seen them perched on 1 Fifth many times but I've never noticed a nest.

- Zach

www.oldlongisland.com/

Thanks Zach for the exciting news! We've been wondering when the Washington's Square Park hawk might find a mate and nest. It looks like you've zeroed in on the spot. Keep your eyes peeled and keep sending in your updates. We'll all be waiting.


Photo by Zach Lemle
Hello Donna,

I sent the email about the two hawks that are building a nest on 1 Fifth Ave next to Washington Square Park...I managed to get some photos today so I thought I'd send a couple to you...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4410201845_f5547872be_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4410968916_1b20ccb79e_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4408798513_fed4391d98_b.jpg

- Zach
www.oldlongisland.com

Photo by Zach Lemle

And another beautiful shot from Zach from the roof. We can't wait to see and hear more Zach so keep you eyes peeled and keep us updated.

And from Central Park Hawkwatcher Ed Tindale--

I'd thought that Lola wasn't leaving the nest for the last couple of days but only stayed until dusk. Today I stayed watching the Fifth Avenue nest of Pale Male and Lola until it was dark and I believe I can confirm that Lola never left the nest and is now sitting.


Great news, thanks for you vigilance Ed!


And from Morningside resident Lara Larson, big news about Isolde and Norman--

Donegal,
I was excited last week when I was walking my dog, Tag, and thought I saw one of the St. Andrew's nest hawks fly into the nest at the Cathedral bringing a stick. I decided to stand and watch for them on Tuesday and sure enough the hawks are working on the nest. I saw a hawk bring three sticks and put them in the nest. I d0n't know which hawk. I can't tell them apart yet.

Lara

Super news Lara, keep watching and let us know how it's going. If you happen to have a camera try for a few photos too! They don't have to be perfect as they are for documentation so don't worry about that aspect.

And Isolde roosts once again on the fire escape, an update from Nara-

Hi Donna,
Our friend is back tonight after a long hiatus (she last roosted with us during that first snowstorm several weeks ago, on a Wednesday).
So what does this mean? Do they roost for the night in other locations even once they've started their nest? Or does her presence mean they haven't yet started their nest? Just curious...

Nara


Hi Nara,

Great to hear from you.

Isolde and Norman are likely working on their nest but once there are eggs Isolde will be on the nest for the night for months to come. First incubating the eggs and then brooding the eyasses. She usually won't roost elsewhere until all the young ones have fledged. Then she and Norman will roost in spots where they can keep an eye on their youngsters.
D


And from Jules Corkery, chief watcher of the Triborough Bridge hawks--

Hi All!
Atlas and Athena seem to have chosen a nest site for 2010. The site
is very close to the 2007 nest which is on the south side of the
bridge behind the tennis courts. It's about 20 feet over and slightly
higher than the old nest. It's underneath the roadway and is on a set
of 3 black pipes (there are large road signs on that section of the
bridge so these pipes might be for electricity to those signs? just a
theory). Atlas and Athena attempted to build their last year and then
moved to the north side of the bridge. The sticks they had laid there
last year are still there so they're building. Robert saw Athena
jumping up and down on it today

Jules

And a tidbit from Jeff Kollbrunner, chief watcher of Mama and Papa in Queens. Mama and Papa are notorious for switching nests sites from year to year. It appears tht they have given up tree nesting for the moment and have moved back to working on a building nest for this season.

And lest we get too Red-tailed Hawk glutted, (Is that even possible?), from NYBG contributor Pat Gonzalez--

Friends:

Here's some amazing footage of Great-horned owls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15x4twkEVak&feature=related

Pat

Donegal Browne