FLASH! Fifth Avenue Second Eyass Fledges and A Roundup of NYC Red-tail Nest News!

Photo by Robert Schmunk
The beautiful Isolde of the St. John the Divine Cathedral nest with dinner for the "kids"
  
Chief watcher Robert Schmunk writes-
 Everyone in the cathedral hawk family was presented and accounted for Tuesday evening, with the children all getting fed, and some posing for pictures.
 More....
http://morningsidehawks.blogspot.com/

From Jules Corkery, a chief watcher of  Andromeda and Atlas-

Tonight, Andromeda lured the 2 babies to the trees inside the tennis courts probably for both dinner and roosting for the night.  She is such a good mother. Haven't seen Atlas in a while so will try to spot him before we leave town for a few days. 
 
Jeff Kollbrunner's update on Mama and Papa of Briarwood

Mama and Papa's three have fledged their nest in Briarwood. One fledged last Wednesday June 5th and the other two together on Saturday June 8th in the morning. They are all doing very well. The last couple days the first fledgling is flying between the building his nest is located and the building rooftop across the street. I hope to post some images of the fledglings this evening on my Facebook page JKNatureGallery.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/JKNatureGallery/351444228237283  

From Peter Richter, the hawkwatcher with a close eye on the Queens Hawk scene.
 
Hello All,

Just a quick update on the Queens nests:

St.John's University had 2 successful fledges and one that needed rehab. The rehabilitated female fledgling was released this past Sunday and is being monitored by the university staff.

Astoria Park has 2 successful fledges

Flushing Meadow Park had one successful fledge and one that needed rehab. The rehabilitated male was released this past Sunday and I will visit tomorrow to update its status.

There were no nests built this year at the IDCNY Building in Long Island City or the New York Hospital of Queens in Flushing.
I haven't had a chance to visit the Woodside nest in a few weeks, but saw 2 eyasses in the nest last month. I visited Randall's Island last Saturday but a concert on the island kept me from seeing any fledges in the area.

Regards,
Peter

 
Photo courtesy of palemale.com 

"Two" did a stealth fledge without an audience today. And "Three" is now solo on the nest.  She is still hop flapping and it likely won't be long before she's down killing sticks and rocks in Central Park with her siblings.

Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

Fifth Avenue, Astoria, Briarwood and Fordham Updates! Plus John Blakeman on Late Hatching Third Eyasses

Photo courtesy of www.palemale.com/
 Two of the eyasses on the Fifth Avenue nest of Pale Male and Octavia 

 From Jules Corkery of the Astoria nest  of Atlas and Andromeda-
 Saw a little fuzzy tippy top of someone's head as Andromeda reached down w food yesterday !

 From Jeff Kollbrunner of the Briarwood nest--
Yesterday a visit to the Briarwood nest yielded a surprise, a third Eyass!! The little one must have been seeking warmth under Mama on all the prior visits to the nest. The Eyasses are now 14-15 days of age.

I have posted new photos of the Eyasses, Mama and Papa on my Facebook page, JKNatureGallery.

Best to all !
Jeff

THERE'S A HATCH!  From Chris Lyons, chief watcher of Fordham Vince and his New Girl--

Based on yesterday's observations, I'd say there's probably three hatchlings, still in the floppy stage.   They are maybe slightly behind the normal timetable, but not by much, so Vince must have found a new mate very quickly, if Rose did indeed perish at the time we think she did. 

I've got a friend who works in real estate in Manhattan, and she's going to try and track down the building management for me.  If all else fails, I'll just go around to the back of the building and look for the super.   

Saturday, May 4, from Rob Schmunk-
 http://morningsidehawks.blogspot.com/
A quick overview of the red-tail nests north of 110th St in Manhattan (Island).

Inwood - I've seen several reports of feeding behavior at the new
nest. I don't know when the hatch was but it may have been as much as
two weeks ago.

Highbridge Park - The hawks abandoned the new nest a couple weeks after the female had already started brooding and moved to an even newer nest close to last year's site. Given the uncertainty on when the switch was made, hatch could be anytime in the next two weeks.

Washington Heights - From the look of things today, I think a hatch has occurred in the last couple days.

CCNY - James reported seeing feeding behavior this past week.

Cathedral of St. John. - Feeding behavior first observed Sunday two weeks ago. Given the nest location it's likely to be another weekbefore anyone spots a nestling and possibly three weeks before we're sure how many there are.

Other uptown sites that I do not know the status of are Randalls Island, the new CPW nest, and whatever is going on at RIverside in the 80s.

And last but not least, the third eyass at the Franklin Institute was hatched three days later than the second and therefore is a bit of a Tail End Charlie, being decidedly smaller than the other two.  John Blakeman explains....
 http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/

HAPPY HAWKING!!!
Donegal Browne

Andromeda and Atlas, Rose and Vince, Pale Male and Zena's Rikki

Photo by Peter Richter

 This is Andromeda, the mate of Atlas who took over from Athena from she died of poisoning three years ago.  Andromeda is one of New York City's dark beauties.  In the time that  Andromeda has been Atlas' mate, she has produced 7 offspring.

All of Andromeda and Atlas' young have fledged for this season and are leading watchers a merry chase .

Next up word in from Chris Lyons a major watcher of Rose and Vince at the also prolific Fordham nest--

Found all three eyasses perched fairly low, a few hundred feet from the nest, quite close together (though not in the same tree), and all enjoying the shade on this very hot day. 

I don't know the fledge dates for any of them, but at least two were still up on Collins Hall earlier this week.  All seemed healthy, and a good thing they got off the nest ledge, which will probably be hot enough to fry the proverbial egg before long.  No sign of the parents. 
Chalk up another successful nesting season for Rose, whose winning streak is approaching legendary proportions.

Fledge dates are always a problem at Fordham because the fledglings have easy access to trees and rooftops from this nest. They can easily go on and off the nest at will, and they do- repeatedly.  This makes it very tough to tell when you see one go off this nest that it is actually the first time they've taken to their wings. 

Photo courtesy of palemale.com

Pale Male and Zena's Rikki surveys New York City from the roof .   What a brave new world to explore.

And a link from the NYTimes from long time Contributor Betty Jo MacDonald about houses made of whole trees.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/garden/05tree.html

 

Happy Hawking 

Donegal Browne

PALE MALE HAS A HATCH! FRANKLIN DAD LIKELY DEAD. ATLAS AND ANDROMEDA HAVE A HATCH!

 Photo courtesy of http://www.palemale.com

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, GOOD NEWS

 Good News--

Photographer Rik Davis, a fixture at the hawk bench for many years, called Marie Winn, author of Red-tails in Love, with the news of a hatch at 927 Fifth Avenue.  Lincoln Karim also states that Pale Male is busy hunting for his new family.

 Bad News--

 Contributer Linda Maslin sent in possible news of the Franklin tiercel.  We do not have a positive ID, but the area in which the hawk was hit could be indicative.

Mike Thierfelder

Hello, I have unfortunate news about what happened to Dad. On Saturday morning at about 6:30 AM I was driving east on I76 when I witnessed a Red Tail Hawk struck and killed by a small truck in the left lane several car lengths ahead of me. The location was just west of the 30th street underpass, between the BFB split and the 30th oncoming ramp. Given the location and timing this was certainly Dad.

The bird came out from under the truck, skiddied accross the road ahead of me and ended on the right shoulder. I am positive it was a red tail. He may still be there on the shoulder. Sorry it took so long to get this out. I heard about this Tuesday morning and was unable to ever get through the FI phone system to a real person. So I applied to your group and had to wait for acceptance
Mike T.

 Then an update from Tulsa's Jackie Dover, by way of Robin of Illinois--
"Carolyn Card Sutton Just returned from driving the area of I76 described by Mike. Most definitely the red tail killed there was Dad; it was so VERY much his primary hunting grounds; directly across river from the Schuylkill Banks Park across off ramp from Spring Garden Bridge next to Art Museum where we have watched him so many times over 4 years. Unfortunately, although I drove the route twice, there was no sign of Dad on the shoulder of the road. There are many construction crews/lane closures in area, and I believe some worker or other cleaned up the remains.. The area there was very clean (no trash, litter, anything), considering all the 24/7 traffic.".............
Now we know.

A memorium in photographers for Franklin Dad,

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/CI9iG9dm

GOOD NEWS

Update on Astoria Park/RFK Bridge Hawk Nest

From Jules Corkery, major watcher of the Astoria Park Nest-

Hi All

This morning, Atlas brought food to the nest so we got to see both parents - they look alert and well fed.  After Atlas left, Andromeda brought the rat around to the back of the nest and two little grey downy heads popped up above the nest to greet her for breakfast.

They are still only visible when they are super active so we're not sure if there are any others.

Good luck, little family.

Jules and Robert

Jules is also a community activist and urban hawk educator who, particularly since Atlas' original mate Athena was poisoned leaving eggs on the nest, has been out there spreading the news about the dangers of secondary rat poison.   She's now distributing NYC Audubon's brochure/flyer about safer rat control.

Just an example of what we can all be out doing from house-a-fire Jules referring to the flyer  NYC ,

The Astoria Park Allliance would love to distribute the flyer!  It's My Park Day is May 19th - we come in contact with an estimated 500 park patrons.  We will have volunteers from NY Cares,The  International High School, Green Shores NYC, and a few others.  We also will be presenting at our Community Board 1 on May 15th. 

 I'd also like to bring flyers to our Astoria Civic Association meeting and give some to the local BID, Central Astoria Local Development Corp.

Thanks!

Jules

Here is the link for the  flyer

http://www.nycaudubon.org/images/protecting%20raptors.pdf

 The end game would be to have Brodifacoum and Difethialone, the second generation poisons that give hawks no clues of their presence,  made illegal first in the communities where we live and then everywhere.

 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

Working Our Way Through the Back Log To "Migration" and Beyond

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/

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