Stella Hamilton Chronicles Pale Male and This Year's Fledgling Plus Documents Two Very Interesting Red-tailed Hawk Fledgling Behaviors.

All hawk photographs by Stella Hamilton
5:23PM One of Pale Male and Octavia's fledglings in a tree behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

5:32PM  Second fledgling playing.
 Play at this age often consists of "killing" inanimate objects.  Young hawks leap on a rock or a stick, grasp it with their talons and hop up and down on it repeatedly.  Often hilarious for watchers but an important skill set for young hawks to master for later success in hunting.  

5:53PM Third fledgling in tree on Cedar Hill.  All accounted for!

 6:18PM  Pulling worms and eating them.
In this photo Stella documents the first behavior she documents that I've never seen in fledglings. (There is also a second behavior coming up.) This doesn't necessarily mean it is rare but I wonder how many others have seen it as well.  Shoot me an email or chime in on the comments section if you've seen it as well.

6:20PM  Handsome third fledgling.

This fledgling,  the pale headed one in particular, truly is a beauty.  They're all beautiful in their own way but perhaps we're a little prejudiced, having watched the charismatic Pale Male for so many years. 

6:31PM Third Fledgling again.  Swooped down on greyhound and chihuahua!
Looking fierce.  This youngster also has Pale Male's brow.  Note the fledgling didn't actually sink his talons into the dogs.  More skill informing "play".

6:44PM  Autumn leaves?
This guy really wants to jump on something.

7:27 PM  Yummy beetles.

No the fledgling isn't actually purple.  Low light is causing some aberrations of color.  The important part is the beetle eating.  This is the second behavior I was talking about.  How many of you have seen beetle eating in Red-tail fledglings?

7:57PM  Pale Male on the roof of the Met.
The Monarch of Central Park oversees his progeny safely through yet another day.

Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

Looking for Zena- August 22, Jeff Is Still Out Looking for a Sighting of the Present But Elusive Mate of Pale Male

As per the three previous posts in the last 24 hours, photos and commentary in italics by Jeff Johnson.

Donegal,

Made my first ever morning visit to the Park looking for Zena, thinking she may be cavorting with Pale Male during the earlier hours when we haven't been able to search for her.

Started at the 72nd Street entry with the intention of checking new areas to the west. 927 Nest check with no joy. Metadata time 0914.

 Bale of turtles congregate with a backdrop of pea soup green water north of Bow Bridge. Metadata time 0933.

(Well dear readers, didn't I tell you that Central Park is full of turtles so the two tries by Opera Star on Tangerine may not have been his first when it came to turtles.) 

No joy finding any Red-tails during a brief DE perimeter look along The Ramble and I proceeded back to the Sailboat Pond.  927 Nest check no joy. Metadata time 1000.

 Gently swaying in a breeze was Pale Male in his south cedar Hill pine. Same one he graced last evening and many other times. Metadata time 1007.

 Another angle. Metadata time 1009.

 Pale Male south Cedar Hill pine scene Metadata time 1010.

(Now there's a perfect Red-tail throne if I ever saw one.  Pale Male truly is the Monarch of Central Park.) 

He's very comfortably at ease in this perch. Metadata time 1021.

 Settles himself a little more suitably in a slight breeze.  Metadata time 1031.

 Though I was loath to leave his company I ventured over to the west as far as the Bridal Path hoping to spot Zena. Beresford, 241, and the cache tree  checks were no joy so I returned to the east side expecting that Pale Male will have flown to another perch. Metadata time 1042.

 But no, just like a true friend Pale Male was patient and waiting in the top of his pine.  Metadata time 1102.

 Pale Male scoping things out. Metadata time 1104.

 He launches to the SSE. Metadata time 1108.

 Continues to the SSE. Metadata time 1108.

 Banking now to the SE. Metadata time 1108.

 Soars due east. Metadata time 1108.

 Scanned areas down to the Sailboat Pond hoping he was going to rendezvous with Zena but no joy all the way to a 927 Nest check. Metadata time 1116.

 I had to depart scene and there was a Red-tail on the Oreo antenna watching me go. Metadata time 1124.

Pale Male?  Opera Star?  Zena? 

This is the fourth post in 24 hours so keep scrolling down if you missed one.

Happy Hawking!

Donegal Browne