Pale Male and Octavia's Fledglings Meals, the Fordham Hawks, Isolde and Norman's Fledgling Gets Mobbed, Francois Portmann and the Thompkins Square Red-tails

Photo http://www.palemale.com/

As usual Pale Male, the Monarch of Central Park, keeps a calm eye on the Central Park fledgling situation. 

Andy Andrews reports that all is going well with the youngsters and Pale Male was seen delivering a rat and two pigeons to his progeny today.

Photo by Robert Schmunk

 One of Isolde and Norman's fledglings checks out the Robins that has been mobbing her today.

For more news on the Morningside Park Hawks of the Cathedral nest go to http://morningsidehawks.blogspot.com/

For those who missed the June 19th Fordham Redtailed Hawk Update from Chris Lyons, plus a follow up of today's update,

I'm sure all of them have left the nest by this point, but I had been unable to find out where any of them were, or if they'd survived the dangerous leap from that apartment building on Webster.  
This morning, coming in to work, I heard begging calls from a tree alongside the path coming in from Fordham Road, by the library.   I looked up and saw a young Red-tail being fed by an adult.   Just one. 

I don't think this youngster could fly across the tracks, but my guess is that he or she followed the treeline in that little strip park on the other side of the tracks, until he or she reached the north side of Fordham Rd., at which point the crossing would be much easier.   And still pretty perilous, but obviously successful. 

Possible the others are still on the far side of the tracks.   We'll see.

I won't have any time to look for them today, but I'll try tomorrow.

Today's, June 27th, Fordham Red-tailed Hawk Update from Chris Lyons--
Sightings have been scarce this week, but there are at least two fledglings on the campus now.   I'd give a lot to know how they got here.   Rich Fleisher says he's seen two adults together since one was found dead on the Metro North tracks, so it's unclear whether Blanche lost her mate and got a new one, or if this was a completely different adult Red-tail who was killed.

At some point, hopefully, I can at least figure out how big the family is now.  

Chris

As many of you will know, the second Fledgling has come off the Thompkins Square Park Nest.  

And a note from chief watcher of the Thompkins Square Hawks for many years, Francois Portman in response to some questions of mine...

2nd fledge yesterday, the 24th,
both fledges are around the nest area and getting food delivered,
so far all good,
greetings,
francois

 And a link with more photos and details about Shaft's rescue-

http://evgrieve.com/2014/06/baby-hawk-down.html


Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

The-First-Fledge-Off-The-Thompkins-Square-Park-Nest-Goes-Down-an-Air-Shaft Saga. and Rock and Roll Raptor Loving Ranger Rob Saves the Day

    Photo by Francois Portmann http://www.fotoportmann.com/birds

24 hours before Christo and Dora's first fledge took the big leap.  He's strutting his stuff flap hopping like a maniac.

June 23, 10:49AM  The first fledge of the Thompkins Square Park Nest takes the big step off the nest and glides over to the buildings on 9th Street and out of sight.

Time passes and hawkwatchers wait for a visual sighting, the sound of begging, anything...Nothing.  They begin asking people if they've seen the young hawk.  Also nothing.

More neighborhood folks begin to search as well.  What is going on?

A little after 6PM a relentlessly searching resident of  9th Street discovered that the young hawk was down an air shaft between two buildings.

Trapped Hawk?  Time for Ranger Rob!  

According to his Facebook page, at 6:15 Park Ranger Rob Mastrianni was in Brooklyn giving guitar lessons.  By 6:30 Rob had cancelled his last student and was heading for 9th Street to institute a rescue.

   

                  Photo by Francois Portmann http://www.fotoportmann.com/birds

At 2:21 PM, Monday,  I recieved a jubilant email from Francois Portmann, long time watcher of hawks in Thompkins Square Park and lest we forget the creator of the gorgeous layout of  Snowy Owl photos  published in Audubon Magazine not so long ago.

  Francois wrote-1st fledge...is  now in the park, up in trees, after being trapped in an air shaft between buildings in the East Village for almost a day following his first flight.
Big ups to Ranger Rob!

Big ups to Ranger Rob indeed!!!

Rob reports that 1st fledge was in good shape and in perfect feather so immediately was taken to a tree in Thompkins Square park...at which point  parents Christo and Dora were on the scene overseeing the situation so no need to  worry about 1st Fledge's after fledge care and feeding.

(This youngster is thought to be male and it seems to me that most if not all young hawks I know of  who end up in air shafts are boys.  Why?  Are they just the right size, females being ever so slightly larger?) 

Happy Hawking!!!
Donegal Browne    (This is the second post of the day, therefore scroll down to see the first.)