COPULATION! Pale Male and Octavia Do It, The Albany Eagle Nest, and the Pond That Never Ever Freezes

Photo http://www.palemale.com/

Pale Male and Octavia copulate on one of the very handy for the purpose light fixtures on the Carlyle Hotel.  

And it isn't even  Valentines Day yet.

The games afoot on Fifth Avenue!  

Fingers crossed for a glorious season.

The Search for the Albany Bald Eagle's Nest.

According to the Wisconsin DNR Bald Eagle Map,  there are supposedly two Eagles nests in Green County.  

(There are very likely more Eagle nests than two but no one has told the DNR that as the local farmers aren't at all partial to the DNR showing up on their land and in their minds or possibly in truth bossing them around.)

Well the other day I got a tip that there was an Eagle's nest outside the small town of Albany near the water treatment plant.  

Alright!  I could contact the DNR as to finding it but what if the DNR didn't know about it yet?  The farmer whose land it was on, would be very unhappy with me and I wouldn't be getting within a mile of it.

I needed some genealogy introductions and there is no substitute for a local farm boy's expertise in these things.  

I talked to my friend Mike Albright, who has helped me through this sticky wicket before.  He grew up on a farm not that far from Albany and his parents still live there.  

Mike agreed to drive around with me today to try spotting the nest and if we saw it, he'd  do the necessary genealogy conversations with the farmers.

Sure enough, without leaves to obscure the nest, there it was way, way, way over there near the river, across a very large field, was the iconic cup shaped nest.  Any public roads to get us closer?  

Of course not, we looked. 

Now perhaps it doesn't look all that far away in the photo but this picture was taken with a zoom lens.  Trust me it is a lengthy trek from the road.  If one can get permission to trek it that is.

Typically, it isn't easy to actually figure out who owns any particular chunk of property so we drive around scrutinizing  mailboxes looking for names that might have some connection to people Mike knows.

We turn into a long driveway and head up toward the barn in which a man dressed for the weather is just carrying a large bucket full of something through the door.  Mike gets out and waits.

One can't just walk up to the barn and call out. Nope. One waits. 

Eventually the man comes out of the barn with a now empty bucket.  Mike waits for him to walk up to him.  He then says who he is and suggests he might know his father.  They chat.  Turns out the man not only knows Mike's father he also buys hay from Mike's brother.  Excellent.  He's been placed.  Smiles all round.

Then comes the explanation about how we saw this Eagle nest, we'd like to take pictures of it,  and did he happen to know who owned  the land over there by the river?

Hay Bob, what he's called around the Albright dinner table as Bob is a common name and this Bob does buy hay from brother Ron, certainly does know who owns that land.  Take that road, go round this way, can't miss it.

Sure do thank you.  We motor off.

It's about an hour to sunset and a flock of geese flying with purpose passes over us.  My mind goes click.  There is water here somewhere.

Now keep in mind the temperature has been hovering around zero or below for like forever around here and every body of water is frozen solid unless it is at the foot of dam or is very fast river.  Hmmm.

We follow Hay Bob's directions and turn into another farm yard.  It is time for chores so this farmer too is making his way toward the barn.  Mike gets out.  The genealogy conversation ensues.  I wait in the car.  

They chat.  I look around.  

Wait just a minute there is a pond across the road and it is definitely not frozen or under a couple feet of snow like everything else.  

I KNEW IT.  I knew there had to be open water the geese where heading for at this time of day.

The guys chat.  I sit some more. 

More Geese come cruising in and land in the pond. 

Mike and the latest farmer talk about Hay Bob, brother Ron, Mike's dad, and the eagles.

Turns out the farmer says one of the Eagles got a goose yesterday.  Geez.  That must have been some tussle, an Eagle taking a goose.

Smiles. 

Lots of them and the farmer tells Mike we can use his lane, a dirt road currently under loads of snow that bisects his field and heads right for the Eagle's nest.

Mike says, thanks so much but when we come we'll just pull off the road and walk in.  Would hate to get stuck and mess up your road.  

We get more points.  I look at the distance, the depth of snow, and the amount of camera equipment.  It will be a trek without question but worth it.

The light is beginning to fade.  More geese into that mysterious unfrozen pond across the road.  It must have a monster spring under it.

I just have to ask.  Why isn't the pond frozen?  Is there a spring?

Big smile.  Indeed there is and the pond has never frozen within living memory.

How cool is that?  One never knows what marvels might await once one steps outside the door.

Mike gets in the car.  I ask, so what's the farmer's name?

He didn't give it so I didn't ask.

Really?  Must be another rule.

I stop, once on the road again, for a few more pictures of the nest.  It is far far away.

  Tantalizing.


Once I get home, I load the pictures onto the computer and crop the nest closer.

Look very closely at the left top edge of the nest.  I do believe there might be an eagle head resting on the rim of the nest.  And there appears to be the slightest touch of yellow, the only bit of yellow in the photo, where the beak would be.


Is it possible that Mama Eagle is already sitting the nest?


MORE TO COME, INDEED!


Donegal Browne

Copulation Location Criteria, and Span of Time Plus Where do ducks "do it"?

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

Pale Male and Octavia copulate on a favored light fixture on The Essex.  No matter the mate, she often chooses that particular spot to present herself to Pale Male.

Which gets me thinking about Red-tailed Hawk criteria.  They definitely have criteria for nest building as we've discussed before.

What would be the criteria for the spots chosen for copulation?

I would think that having the hawks protected from the rear might be advantageous.  In this case by the building.

But the male would still need a route to fly to the female without any undue obstructions.

Though the female will perch at the ready in a place with a somewhat obscured view, I would  think part of the male's responsibility would be to make sure there were no intruders to which they would be vulnerable for the limited time Red-tail copulation lasts.

Digression Alert!  

"Treading", to use the archaic term,  in the avian specie we most regularly see, is rapid by mammal standards-- often less than 15 seconds. 

This makes evolutionary sense as the pair isn't at their most alert against possible attack during these interludes.  They are vulnerable during copulation.

Why is it then, in African Grey Parrots for example, copulation between pairs can last comparable periods of time to that in humans?    

What is the evolutionary advantage in lengthy copulation for some species and not in others? 

I would posit in some species it has to do with building stronger pair bonds. 

Hawks go through a lengthy courtship which tests their abilities of flight and of hunting acuity.  The coordinated moves of courtship give them time to learn the physical cues their partner displays in flight and changes in flight patterns which will be very important in coordinating defense of the nest later on.

And as only the pair holds the territory they must be ready at any given moment to hold that territory.  They can't be off spooning when a concerted attack to take over the nest site occurs. 

What characteristics do humans and African Greys have in common?  

Both species have a tendency to live near their own kind.  Therefore there are other cooperating members of the species who will be "holding the fort" while the pair is entranced with each other for lengthier periods of time?

Both species are intelligent and can talk.  Could bonding in both species be linked in some ways to finding pair synchronicity through speech and coordinated movement during lengthy copulation? 

My,  my, my.

More thoughts on that later... 

In the meantime....what about DUCKS?

Photo courtesy of Francois Portmann   Mallard Copulation
 Of course, ducks do it in the water. 
 
Amazing wildlife photographer Francois Portmann took stunning photographs of Central Park waterfowl in February. 

 Do check them out.  
You will be very glad you did.

http://www.fotoportmann.com/birds/

Donegal Browne

Blakeman on Out of Season Red-tail Copulation, More Pale Male Fledgling Spotting, and Two Updates

Photo courtesy of www.palemale.com

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BLOGGER HAS DECIDED TO DOUBLE AND TRIPLE THINGS IN THIS BLOG, I'VE NO IDEA WHY, AND IT WON'T LET ME DELETE THE MULTIPLES SO IF YOU'VE SEEN IT BEFORE KEEP GOING DOWN UNTIL IT PICKS UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF PREVIOUSLY.  MY APOLOGIES!!!!!!

Karen Anne Kolling of RI, the woman with the gonzo deck, brought this photo of Pale Male and Zena copulating out of season to John Blakeman's attention for his opinion on the matter.  

John's take? 

Summer copulation is more common than generally thought, particularly among well-bonded pairs. It demonstrates a strong relationship, and is one of the most (but untypical) social things Red-tails engage in.

I'd like to think it's not so much unlike sex among two committed humans. 

Life is good when this happens, both for the hawks and the humans.

--John Blakeman

 NOW ONWARD AND UPWARD TO MORE FLEDGLING SPOTTING OF PALE MALE AND ZENA'S YOUNGSTERS WITH OUR MAN IN CENTRAL PARK, JEFF JOHNSON--

All fledgling photos and commentary in italics by Jeff Johnson.  Unitialized commentary is mine.

Donegal,

Apologize for the delay in getting this to you. I had nothing for 06 July as I was unable to get to the Park.

(No problem Jeff, your doing great, and any fledgling spotting you do makes our day! )

Started from 82nd Street at 1445 and worked around behind Temple of Dendur MET without seeing any Red-tail activity. I was hoping to see some Pale Male or Zena  hunting at Cleopatra's Needle, but no joy. First fledgling spotted just above the east entry of Glade Arch. Metadata time 1541.

 Walking onto the stonework this frame gives location to the fledgling and a look at her temporary cooling pool. Not many Red-tails have their own personal pool attendant. [Lincoln Karim] His website is palemale.com (as you've noted above) of course. Fledge is looking decapitated on the right upper corner.

Metadata time 1544.

While Red-tailed Hawk eyasses are on the nest they get all the water they need from the food  they eat which is brought to them by their parents.  But as the weather has been so hot and dry while these particular fledglings are learning to hunt on their own, just in case, water is available if they feel the need for some.

Interestingly it was a matter of conjecture for many years whether Red-tailed Hawks even drank water, as some Red-tails live in quite arid territories.  Of course the hawk watchers of Central Park knew they did because Pale Male and later his mates have very little problem doing everything they do in front of humans.

Close look shows its just  a quirk of fledge preening and camera angle.

Back behind the preening fledgling was a second one being tempted by a furry snack.

 Furry snack gets away on the left hand side of the frame. Metadata time 1546.

As mentioned previously, furry snacks in the guise of squirrels, are a tough meal to catch as they take correct hunting technique  to nab in the first place, and in the second-- a perfectly coordinated strike to get away without a nasty bite on the ankle.

Fledge 2 turning around

 Fledge 2 now turns back to look around for the squirrel.  Hasn't eaten yet but looking healthy and not begging. 

 Metadata time 1550.

 Check of the 927 Nest from north end of the Sailboat Pond. No one visible. 

Metadata time 1622.

 Back at Glade Arch a fledgling has hopped onto the SE corner. Metadata time 1637.

  Corner sitting fledgling seen from below stonework.

 Walking out WSW of stonework…fledgling is almost unseen on corner behind brush.

 Fledgling overflew Glade Arch from WSW into a large tree in the east. Metadata time 1647.

 Same fledge goes back due west. Metadata time 1648

 Lands in a tree in Dog Hill roughly in a line with 78th Street to the left. Metadata time 1650.

 Another fledge zips into a tree right above me. Now things get confusing...

Two fledges erupt out of the treeline over Glade Arch (one of them the 78th Street frame) and land in the grassy brush at the far north end of Dog Hill and look to begin fighting. 
Metadata time 1652.

 I got a poor frame of a Red-tail then hedge-hopping from NNW going due east. I think it's Pale Male who had just dropped a meal into the spot those two fledges flew into. Fledges must have been reacting to this drop. Metadata time 1652.

 I try to get some frames as I hurry over  Two fledges are really going at it, so it must be a food drop. 
Metadata time 1652

 I've moved onto the grass so to go directly to the fledge fight and I'm trying to get some frames on the move. In this one there are three Red-tails. they make a triangle if you use the red shirt as a long diagonal. 
Metadata time 1652.

But there's a Red-tail in a tree behind me to the east at the edge of Dog Hill. Metadata time 1653.

 Second close frame it looks to be a mature Red-tail…too dark to be Pale Male….Zena ?

Jeff, it's always hard to tell when the light isn't the best, but does this hawk have a red tail?  Or did something else give you the impression this was a mature Red-tail? 

You're right if it is an adult, it would have to be Zena as the head and belly bad are far too dark  to be Pale Male.

  In the upper left corner is the Red-tail that I spotted above and behind me…I doubled back to show perspective of what was transpiring.  Metadata time 1653.

  Fledge fight at north end of Dog Hill drawing a crowd now and I'm finally getting close…within 20 yards now.. Metadata time 1653.

 I'm across the walkway now from the fledgling fight. 
Metadata time 1655.

 One appears to be getting control and is trying to mantle something, but I can't tell what it is. Metadata time 1655.

The two look to be the larger "female" fledges and they go back to face to face confrontation. 
Metadata time 1655.


It is the I can look bigger than you can momentary stand off.

 Abruptly, they stand down and one looks off while the other resumes mantling and then pecking at something. I still can't see what it is. Metadata time 1655. 

Again the two face each other and this time I look for food, but still see nothing identifiable. 
Metadata time 1656.

Things are heating back up and the two go face to face some more. Metadata time 1656.

 They move into the vegetation. Metadata time 1656.

Same fledge goes back due west. Metadata time 1648

Lands in a tree in Dog Hill roughly in a line with 78th Street to the left. Metadata time 1650.

Another fledge zips into a tree right above me. Now things get confusing...

Two fledges erupt out of the treeline over Glade Arch (one of them the 78th Street frame) and land in the grassy brush at the far north end of Dog Hill and look to begin fighting. Metadata time 1652.

I got a poor frame of a Red-tail then hedge-hopping from NNW going due east. I think it's Pale Male who had just dropped a meal into the spot those two fledges flew into. Fledges must have been reacting to this drop. Metadata time 1652. 

I try to get some frames as I hurry over  Two fledges are really going at it, so it must be a food drop. Metadata time 1652.

I've moved onto the grass so to go directly to the fledge fight and I'm trying to get some frames on the move. In this one there are three Red-tails. they make a triangle if you use the red shirt as a long diagonal. Metadata time 1652.

But there's a Red-tail in a tree behind me to the east at the edge of Dog Hill. Metadata time 1653.

Second close frame it looks to be a mature Red-tail…too dark to be Pale Male….Zena ?

 In the upper left corner is the Red-tail that I spotted above and behind me…I doubled back to show perspective of what was transpiring.  Metadata time 1653.

 Fledge fight at north end of Dog Hill drawing a crowd now and I'm finally getting close…within 20 yards now.. Metadata time 1653.

I'm across the walkway now from the fledge fight. Metadata time 1655.

One appears to be getting control and is trying to mantle something, but I can't tell what it is. Metadata time 1655.

The two look to be the larger "female" fledges and they go back to face to face confrontation. Metadata time 1655.

Abruptly, they stand down and one looks off while the other resumes mantling and then pecking at something. I still can't see what it is. Metadata time 1655.

Again the two face each other and this time I look for food, but still see nothing identifiable. Metadata time 1656.

Things are heating back up and the two go face to face some more. Metadata time 1656.

They move into the vegetation. Metadata time 1656.

Scuffling for over three minutes now. Metadata time 1657.

 Fledges finally part as something seems to be decided. Metadata time 1658.

One of them launches into the tree behind me where the mature looking Red-tail had been. It's an awful frame, but I include it to define the branch as a way of showing the other fledge made for a different tree. Metadata time 1659.

Don't worry about it Jeff, it is a documentation shot.  If we only included beauty shots we'd have continuity issues at the very least and sometimes even more importantly the blurry ones are the ones that turn out to be very important for a behavioral reason which one would have missed documenting if one just deletes the less than perfect pictures immediately out of the camera.

Remaining fledge lofted itself into a tree to the SSW. (file reads SSE but that's a mistake of orientation). She's got what looks to be a mouse or very small rat on the bark under the talon in sight. It's sizable enough the I don't know why I didn't see it earlier. Metadata time 1700.

Ahhh, but did she have it earlier? 

 Looks like Opera Star Fledge making an appearance from out of the SSE.

Metadata time 1701.

 Almost as soon as I make an ID, Fledge 3 scoots away north  toward the MET across 79th Street.  Slightly above center frame is a Red-tail. Metadata time 1704.

 Getting ready to actually cross 79th Street I take this frame positive that the Red-tail I see is Fledge 3. His operatic entreaty for a meal only further convinces me that's him. Metadata time 1705.

Getting to the sidewalk on the north side below the MET wall I see Pale Male in a low limb. Opera Star must have known he was here. Metadata time 1706.

When it comes to vision and keeping track of each other, Red-tails are so far ahead of us, that humans are pretty pathetic. 

Better frame of Pale Male from below MET wall. Metadata time 1706.

Entering MET grounds by the "Three Bears" finds Pale Male with an audience. I hurried this frame by shooting from the waist and got only his legs.

Yet from this frame it appears to be what I thought was Fledge 3. Fifty feet later and ID was positive. Metadata time 1708.

 Close frame of the Monarch of Central Park in front of the "Three Bears " on the MET grounds. It was overcast for most of the day and this frame is weak in color but he still looks regal. Metadata read 1709.

 Pale Male and  the "Three Bears " (camera facing SSE).  I had to depart scene before finding where the Opera Star fledge had landed.

Hope to get some fledge spotting in tomorrow.

Jeff

Thanks again Jeff.  We can't wait to see what happens next!

AN UPDATE ON THE WASHINGTON HEIGHTS FLEDGLINGS!

From one of our local rangers with an eye for Red-tailed Hawks-- I just visited the 2 Red-tailed hawk fledglings at J Hood Wright Park in Washington Heights, Manhattan. They look to be around the same age as pale male's fledglings.

(From Rob Schmunk of Morningside Park Hawks Blog, see contact list right)

I checked on this pair four weeks ago when they were still in the nest and thought they looked about the same age as Palemale's kids. I don't know the exact dates they fledged, but one left the nest before Sat June 16th and the other after. I found one in the trees in JHW Park on the 23rd, and a neighborhood photographer got some nice pictures of
both of them there this past Sunday. For example,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mausgabe/7483024450/in/pool-778392@N24/lightbox/

If you're feeling sensitive, you many want to skip the next update--

From Peggy Michaels of Brooklyn an update on the USDA Canada Goose kill in NYC,

Donegal,

 

Yesterday morning, the USDA slaughtered 751 Canada Geese at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.    Senator Gillibrand’s office sent out a press release lauding this ‘accomplishment’.  The things politicians will do to get reelected.  If it wasn’t for the fact that I abhor the thought of a Republican majority in the US Senate, I would vote for her opponent. 

 

When you look at the International Bird Strike Committee, you will see that European and Japanese airports are using more humane methods:  radar, training pilots to respond to bird strikes, replanting the air port habitat to make it less hospitable to large waterfowl.  The FAA report on bird strikes for the last few years indicate that Canada Geese are not the only bird species involved in bird strikes.  They are molting at this time of year, so make easier targets than seagulls, eagles, turkey vultures, etc. 

 

Goosewatch NYC is a Google group. 

 

Peggy Michaels

Brooklyn, NY