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

Jeff Johnson Looks For Zena, Opera Star Hunts Tangerine, and Ranger Rob to Rock for the Horvaths

Photos and commentary in italics by Jeff Johnson

As many of you know, Pale Male's mate Zena is missing and hawkwatcher Jeff Johnson has been on the hunt for weeks.  I've had computer trouble so we're a bit behind on his posts, but we'll catch up.

Donegal,

Reached the Park around 1650 and searched on the west side still hoping that Zena is just frequenting areas where she's not usually seen. 

Buff color pigeon fooled me into thinking it was Pale Male. Metadata time 1734.

 This little glade is usually teeming with all manner of small birds and rodents. It seems a great place for red-tails to hunt. Metadata time 1734.

 Beresford SW Tower check. No Red-tails visible. Metadata time 1740.

 Beresford NW Tower check. No Red-tails showing. Metadata time 1740.

 Oreo antenna check from the Great Lawn with no Red-tails visible though they may have been around for there were several veteran hawk watchers along the SSE and southern perimeter of the Great Lawn as I passed through. Metadata time 1746.

 927 Nest check from the Sailboat Pond with nobody visible. Metadata time 1802.

 Tangerine is a Box Turtle brought into the Park for some outdoor time. This is a different turtle than the one I saw the 6th of July. This owner regularly brings his turtle into the Park for R&R. When he learned I was looking for red-tails he said he'd been warned recently by a friend that hawks of any sort will consider turtles as fair game. I thought this was the same sort of alarmist rhetoric that people also proclaim about poodles and cats being snatched up by "Chicken Hawks". I told him I thought this was highly unlikely behavior and anyway he had nothing to worry about because I'd not seen nor heard a Red-tail since getting into the Park.  Wrong headed thinking on my part. Metadata time 1810.

 As happened yesterday, Opera Star swooped into the local air space from out of the blue. If Tangerine's owner had not stepped in as a shield, Opera Star would have made physical contact with the Box Turtle. There was a flurry of wings and waved arms with Opera Star brushing the denim jacket the owner was wearing and then flying past. I was incredulous while the guy crouched over Tangerine nearly shouted "Did you see that? Did you see what just happened ?"  It all took place in a matter of seconds and I got a streaked useless blur of the actual hunting pass. Opera Star flew around to perch in a tree about ninety yards to the SSW. Metadata time 1817.

 Opera Star keenly interested in Tangerine. Maybe it's just the learning curve of hunting the right prey that's involved here. Metadata time 1817.

As we know Red-tails are opportunistic hunters and willing to make a strike at just about anything that appears prey-like, eatable, the right size, and possible.  Beyond the usual voles, rabbits, and other rodents in the country plus pigeons, rats, and squirrels in the city, depending on their environment, Red-tails have been seen eating any number of things, including skunks, ducks, snakes, and lizards.  I watched a fox and a Red-tail compete for a road-killed skunk one afternoon.  (The fox won.)

Opera Star keeping tabs on Tangerine. Metadata time 1818.

His attention is diverted to a squirrel behind him. Metadata time 1719.

 For several minutes he seemed more concerned with the nearby squirrel than watching Tangerine. Metadata time 1723.

 Then Opera Star looked fixedly at Tangerine and launched from the tree. Tangerine was scooped up into his owner's arms and Opera Star changed course in his dive and grabbed wing fulls of  altitude so he could overfly the Playground and find a north side perch. Tangerine was hastily evacuated from the Park by an owner who now has aerial threats to be on guard against in addition to the  wayward foot steps of pedestrians. I'm amazed that Opera Star made two serious attempts on Tangerine. As you often say Donegal, "Never underestimate a Red-tail". Metadata time 1825.

Note that Opera Star didn't seem the least concerned about Tangerine's owner, nor does he appear to have a totally empty crop and therefore desperate.  This is a very human habituated hawk who for whatever reason is fixated on that turtle. I've never seen a hawk take a turtle but that of course doesn't mean they don't. Though how they'd get into the shell is another matter.  (I suppose there is always the old, nab, fly high in sky, and drop method.) 

Is it the orange splashes on the turtle that make Tangerine so tremendously alluring?  Or is it possible that our urban Opera Star, Central Park being rife with turtles in its bodies of water, has stumbled across and eaten turtle before?  

And let's face it, once the technique is down,  a  turtle is ever so much slower than a squirrel.

Opera Star perched in a tree on the north perimeter of the Playground by east 77th Street.  Metadata time 1826.

 Playground scene. Metadata time 1826.

 Opera Star's six. Metadata time 1828.

 Playground scene from the NE. Metadata time 1829.

Back to the east side of Opera Star's perch, we see a very brave squirrel chittering at the Red-tail who's an unwelcome guest on this tree limb. Metadata time 1831.

Playground scene from the south perimeter. Metadata time 1837.

 Squirrel continues to berate Opera Star. Metadata time 1842.

Still giving that Red-tail an earful of squirrel chatter.  Metadata time 1443.

Not content with it's verbal harangue, the squirrel now leaps onto the same limb with Opera Star and edges closer. After seeing a fledgling Red-tail go after a seven inch diameter Box Turtle I wouldn't be surprised to see that this intrepid squirrel knows martial arts.  Metadata time 1845.

No ninja style attack here, as Opera Star looks backward the squirrel skitters away. Metadata time 1846

I had to depart scene without seeing how this interaction played out. Didn't see Pale Male or Zena either, though i hope they may have been around the southern perimeter of the Great Lawn an hour or so ago.

Jeff

 

Remember Ranger Rob?  He who helped rescue one of Pale Male's poisoned fledglings and then delivered her to the Horvaths for rehab?  Well during those days I discovered that Ranger Rob has an alter ego who is a dynamite guitar playing rocker!

Rob is doing a benefit with his band at the Mercury Lounge, NYC,  on August 25th for the wonderful rehabbing Horvaths.  Check out the link below!  Spread the word!  Be there or be square!

http://www.mercuryloungenyc.com/event/144747

Donegal Browne

Jeff Johnson Spends Some Time With Pale Male and Opera Star, the Healthy Fifth Avenue Fledgling

Correction!  Due to distance and bad light Jeff Johnson may have misidentified Zena as Opera Star in some instances in this post.  More on this coming up! 

 Photographs and italicized commentary by hawkwatcher Jeff Johnson, who's been out daily helping to document the doings of the Central Park Red-tailed Hawks during the crisis of the two poisoned fledglings.  And today, still soldiering on in what looks to be a day with poor light and  threatening rain.

 Donegal,

Reached the Park just before 1400 and elected to probe quickly through the known haunts and then recon the west side more than I have been doing previously.

Oreo Antenna check from arch below Cleopatra's Needle.  1344 Metadata time.

 927 Nest check nobody visible.  Very overcast in the Park right now. 1404 Metadata time.

Jeff,  what is the grayish "something" which appears to be on the nest carriage, off to the right of the nest?

Still Hunt with "still no Pale Male". 1417 Metadata time.

Oreo Antenna perch check with no one visible. 1420 Metadata time.

 Beresford Tower check crossing The Great Lawn going west with no Red-tails visible. 1444 Metadata time.

 Rather than scan from ground level I moved along the path above the Park wall following Central Park West. Just south of a playground there near the corner of 84th Street was a Red-tail profile on the north roof tower corner.

1448 Metadata time.

 Building on 84th Street scene. 1452 Metadata time.

This is a building that is not visible from the Hawk Bench and therefore doesn't have an idiosyncratic name.

All these enlargements have been pushed in PhotShop CS6 and are borderline for ID credibility on their own. Based on looking at the Red-tail for almost an hour through 12x25 binoculars I think this is Pale Male. It's not readily apparent in these over saturated frames but the white patches near his wing leading edges and the dull grey coloration of his head and neck were  unmistakable through binoculars. 1452 Metadata time.

I moved steadily north trying to get better angles, but the distance for a 200mm lens can't be overcome. 

1457 Metadata time.

 Positive building ID. 1457 Metadata time.
  Note the street number on the awning.

 1504 Metadata time.  

Pale Male looks to be hunting and possibly watching prey patterns for later use.

1509 Metadata time.

 Pale Male readies himself to launch. 1510 Metadata time.

 Pale Male launched due south. 1510  Metadata time.

I scanned the Beresford and along the avenue south to the far wing of the American Natural History Museum and though I heard a Red-tail call near 78th Street it was distant so I headed back to the east side of the Park. Beresford SW Tower no one visible. 


Beresford NW Tower no one that is a Red-tail is visible. 
1514 Metadata time.

Back on the east side of the Park and a 927 Nest check shows a Red-tail in residence. 1603 Metadata time.

 It looks like Opera Star. Pushed enlargement. 
1608 Metadata time.

 1608 Metadata time.

Opera Star readies himself to launch. 1616 Metadata time.

Opera Star flew into the trees NNW of Kerbs Cafe by the Sailboat Pond. He wasn't vocalizing but he looks like he misses his early fledge days. 1622 Metadata time.

Had to depart the scene with Opera Star restlessly zooming from tree to tree and without having seen Zena anytime today.

Jeff

Perhaps Opera Star is learning to get into silent, quiet, hunting hawk mode,  in hopes of nabbing one of those pesky squirrels that keep eluding him.  

Though no doubt being weaned by one's parents isn't the most comfortable stage of life for any creature, Pale Male, the savvy experienced parent,  has taught many fledglings hunting lessons plus his personal "tricks of the trade".  And  I think that Opera Star will have learned Pale Male's lessons well.  He will soon be a grand hunter, just as his father is.



Next up--Hawkwatcher, photographer, and videographer Lincoln Karim took some very interesting footage of Pale Male in the rain.  The Monarch of Central Park uses his wings as an "umbrella" during the worst of a rain shower to shield his torso from becoming saturated with rainwater.  

He's a smart bird that Pale Male.
http://palemale-store.stores.yahoo.net/

Donegal Browne