Pale Male's Nest and the Red-tailed Hawk Nest in Central Park's Sheep Meadow--Offspring Are Allowed to Nest in Closer Proximity

Photo courtesy of  palemale.com/

This is one of a pair of Red-tailed Hawks that has built a nest in a tree by Central Park's Sheep Meadow.  

The most prevalent common thought about this pair is that they are the hawks  who previously attempted to nest in the neighborhood of Central Park South, which is the street that borders the southern end of Central Park

Which brings up two questions a number of people who have contacted me have asked:

Where is Sheep Meadow? 

And how far is Sheep Meadow from Pale Male's Nest?

Time for a map of Central Park...

Starting at the bottom left (West)  of the park, cruise up (North) and hit the 65th St Transverse Rd.  Just above where those words are written on the map you'll see Sheep Meadow notated.  

(Tidbit 1: Sheep Meadow originally included a flock of sheep and a shepherd from 1884 to 1934.  During that time they were housed in a Victorian folly which in 1934 was turned into Tavern on the Green.)



Photograph courtesy of The Central Park Conservancy
 Sheep Meadow, between 66th and 69th Streets, is open from mid-April through Mid-November.  

Very soon the nesting hawks will have more company than they currently do. And the fact that during the summer, Sheep Meadow can be far more crowded than the above photograph reflects has some hawkwatchers concerned. 

Though as Sheep Meadow pair are obviously urban hawks or they wouldn't be there in the first place and the newest research has found that young hawks have a tendency to return to their natal territory to nest, one at least of the Sheep Meadow Red-tails could well be progeny of Pale Male and Lola or as the southern territory was altogether open,  Pale Male Jr. and Charlotte.  

(Though if Jr. was Pale Male's son as suspected, still related.)

By the way, I never saw Pale Male and Lola have very hostile interactions with Pale Male Jr. and Charlotte, which may be a clue to a relationship.

And as Pale Male and Octavia are allowing the new pair to nest so closely to the Fifth Avenue nest it may be a clue to a relationship there as well.

Some years ago before the research came out about the tolerance of offspring coming back to natal territory at breeding age to nest, one day during nesting season with eyasses on the nest, Pale Male and Lola were both on the nest when a third Red-tail landed on the roof of 927 Fifth Avenue just above them  and  looked down at everyone. (This was not a menacing posture at all.)  Pale Male was up there like a shot, but instead of screaming at the "interloper" and  knocking  him off the roof  for trespassing all Pale did was land on the roof about a foot from him and make an angry body posture.  The hawk stranger took on an OH, SORRY, kind of   look and zipped off.   Neither Pale Male or Lola screamed or chased him with blood lust in their eyes which is what happens if a stranger hawk even crosses the far borders of the territory ordinarily in natal season. 

After Pale's trip up to the roof, I can remember long time hawkwatcher Stella Hamilton and I just looking at each other with that kind of,  WOW, what just happened kind of look on our faces.   At the time, we talked about the fact that the intruder hawk acted like he just wanted to look at the nest.  No hostile body position, more like when Pale Male looks down from a tree at a person he knows and likes.  The only thing we could come up with that might explain the behavior, far fetched as it seemed, was that the third hawk may have fledged from that nest.  

Which some, no doubt, would have scolded us for anthropomorphizing, at the time.  As it turns out perhaps we weren't necessarily all that far wrong. 

If you happen to be in Sheep Meadow and want to see this nest, as tree nests are somewhat more vulnerable than building nests, and "which tree" is harder to explain than a building address,  a tree nest's  general location only, tends to be published,  look for someone with binoculars and they will very likely be able to direct you to the correct tree.

 Now onward Ladies and Gentlemen, move right (East) and up (North) and look for the ovoid blue shape on the map which is notated as the Conservatory Pond.  Some older maps label it as the Conservatory Waters but most patrons of  Central Park just call it the Model Boat Pond.  And that is what you should call it too if you ask for directions, as most patrons of the park don't know its name of record.

(Tidbit 2:  The Central Park Conservatory was never built but periodically there will be regattas of beautiful little model sail boats, including a wee pirate ship with grog barrels, racing in the pond so you can see how the name morphed as it did.)

As we all know, Pale Male's nest is on Fifth Avenue, the right (East) border of Central Park and 74th Street. The street nearest to the center of the Model Boat Pond if it ran into the park that is, is 74th.  Or if you would rather figure it for yourself,  go down to the 65th St. Transverse and count up.

For those of you interested in computing distances the crosstown blocks or Big Blocks, as they are called,  are four to a mile.  The Little Blocks, uptown/downtown blocks, are twenty to a mile. 

These nests are not all that far apart at all, now are they?  

Tra La! Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

Rose of Fordham May Be Missing!

 
 June 11, 2007- Rose of Fordham prepares a pigeon for one of her fledglings, who is doing a high wire act on a nearby pipe, in hopes of luring him back towards the nest.
 
 Initially he takes no notice being fascinated by his new surroundings.
 
 But then he sees Rose and the pigeon. And typical of a hungry eyass flies straight for her.   Rose has to beat a hasty retreat not to be knocked off the roof peak.  Her progeny looks surprised at her rapid exit.

FAST FORWARD

March 19, 2013-As I often do at this time of year, I emailed Chris Lyons one of the chief watchers of the Fordham Hawks, to check on how the resident hawks are doing--  Rose, the female of long standing, and Vince, the  tiercel that came into the territory when Hawkeye, Rose's mate of many years, died of poisoning several seasons ago.   And as they  do have two sites they've used, part of the big news every year is which site they will be using this season.

I was fully expecting that Rose and Vince would have chosen either their Fordham nest site which is their usual choice or as they have much less frequently done, taken up somewhat similar digs in the nearby Botanical Gardens.  And that they would be well on their way to yet another prolific season.

On March 20th Chris responded: Last I checked, all was well with Rose and Vince,  but I just got back from a trip, so I haven't had a chance to see if they're sticking with the old nest site.   Let me get back to you on that. 




Then, Chris Lyon's unsettling response written today, March 22nd...

I'm still trying to assess the situation--I saw Vince today (well, I saw an adult male Red-tailed Hawk who matched Vince's description), but I did not see Rose, and I did not see fresh pine boughs on the nest. I have not actually seen two Red-tails together on campus since I got back.   They were courting a few weeks back. 
Today, I saw Vince grab a half-eaten prey animal and fly around with it, and he would periodically emit these plaintive high-pitched calls.  As if he was waiting for Rose to show up and accept his offering.   And she didn't.  
I'm inquiring with a source at the Botanical Garden to see if maybe she's set up housekeeping there again, but I don't see why she would, since there's no construction going on near Collins Hall this year.   I also emailed Rich Fleisher, [The other chief watcher of Rose and Vince. DB] who hasn't put any new hawk pictures on his site since early February. 
I'm not assuming the worst, but I'm contemplating it.   I may be projecting, but Vince's behavior seemed agitated somehow--even worried.   Maybe he knows something's happened to Rose, and he's trying to attract a new mate before the breeding season ends.  That's not such a romantic interpretation, but it's just as poignant. 
She'd be around 11 or 12 years old now, assuming the nest on Creston Ave. was her first. 

My response--
 

Oh Chris, this doesn't sound good at all.  The behavior on Vince's part is reminiscent of  Pale Male's behavior when he couldn't find Lola.  He'd have food and call and call for her to come and get it.

If Rose is missing, and I can't think of any other reason that they wouldn't be together right now, I'd say that Vince doesn't know what happened to her and is still hoping to find her.

 Comparing Vince's behavior to some of Pale Male's, (PM has been through a good many mates in the last several years), it is only after he'd given up finding Lola that another female appeared in the territory.

 In the case when one of his later mates was poisoned, Pale Male had been attempting to get her to react to him by bringing food to a nearby tree and calling.  Eventually she fell from her perch dead.  Before long Pale Male had a new mate.  In my opinion he'd seen this mate dead, knew she was gone,  and therefore he then allowed himself to be courted.

The biological imperative takes over, and according to John Blakeman there is always a free floating non-mated group of Red-tails looking for an open spot in a territory ready to bond, particularly at this time of year.  If Rose really is gone, Vince will likely take a new mate in time to breed  this season. 

It will be so terribly sad if Rose too has disappeared like so many other well loved hawks of name in the last couple of years.

Do please keep us updated.
Best, D

I always try to look for all the possible causes of any given behavior.  This is stretching it but weirder things have happened.  Perhaps Chris is right and Rose has decided that she'd prefer The NY Botanical Gardens site this year.  Following that thought... perhaps Vince is attempting to convince her that Fordham would be better.

Wishful thinking on my part I'm afraid.   

When it comes to the nest site choice, the formel is the Queen of the World and the tiercel gets cracking making her choice the best nest he possibly can.

I'm still hoping all is well with Rose and Vince.   I'll let you know as soon as I know.   Stay tuned.

Donegal Browne 

Just look at Octavia's Wingspan Compared to Pale Male's!

 Photo courtesy of palemale.com.

Pale Male, (left), Octavia (right)

Do you remember that in one of the emails from NYC Hawkwatcher Katherine Herzog, she mentioned how huge Octavia is.  

I believe Kat compared her wing span to that of almost a  Turkey Vulture in comparison to your usual Red-tailed Hawk wing span.

And Kat wasn't exaggerating!  Look above at the size and wing span difference between she and Pale Male!

The rule of thumb is that in reverse sexual dimorphism in hawks that the female is about a third larger than the male. 

Agreed, Pale Male, is a smaller swifter model of a Red-tail male, but still Octavia is hugely larger than he in comparison. 

Also a heads up, both hawks have been seen bringing bark to the nest to line the bowl.  It won't be long now before Octavia will be up there on 927 Fifth Avenue full time! 

Sally of Kentucky asks if Downtown Male might be Pale Male Jr?  It is possible as that was his previous territory but though this hawk does look like Pale Male facially, I think he may be a little darker than Junior  though I'd have to watch him in person to be sure one way or the other.  Junior had a way of holding his body that is distinctive.

Also keep in mind that the newest research found that Red-tailed Hawks often return to their natal territory to nest.  Therefore Downtown Male might be a hawk that came from a nest of Charlotte and Junior's or even Pale Male and Lola's nest on Fifth Avenue.

Happy Hawking!
P.S.  Scroll down for a previous posting from earlier this evening.    

Donegal Browne 

Does Pale Male Have His Secondary Nest Down at The Plaza or is Octavia a Bigamist or Is She Making Do Because of the Reproductive Imperative? ???

Photo courtesy of http://www.palemale.com/
Octavia, the eighth mate of Pale Male

Hawkwatcher Roger_Paw writes that, though she has a small  kernel of doubt, she's pretty sure that Octavia is mating with the male down at The Plaza Apartments.  

Then the question becomes is the male hanging out at The Plaza actually Pale Male or another hawk who just looks a bit like him?

As Ben Cacace spoke great truth when he said, "Never underestimate a Red-tail!", we should never say never when it comes to Red-tailed Hawk behavior.

Is it possible that Octavia is copulating with two different males?  Just about any behavior may be possible with Red-tailed Hawks.  They are very individualistic and they are adaptive thinkers.  

If so, a good question becomes as bonded pairs are almost always in visual contact with each other during mating season, where is Pale Male during all this?

I've found no cases in the literature of female bigamy, but as we all know, NYC hawkwatchers see all sorts of behavior that isn't in the literature. 

And there are cases on record of a male Red-tail, taking two mates at the same time and providing for both females and two batches of eyasses at the same time.  

So far I've not found a female who copulates with two males but it doesn't mean it hasn't happened. 

That said, let us remember that Pale Male always offers his mate an alternative to 927 Fifth Avenue and  give some thought to where Pale Male has strewn a few twigs this year.

We've often chronicled this behavior in past years but as far as I know no one has yet discovered any alternate sites for 927 this season.

Hmmm.

 Each year Pale Male offers his mate a secondary nest site, and sometimes even a third, just in case she's silly enough not to take the premier location at 927 Fifth Avenue.  So far she's always chosen 927 since it has been offered.

Pale Male often offered Lola an alternative nest site on The Beresford, where they both tended to spend the earlier part of each day.  He'd bring a few twigs and hang out in that spot early in the day, then later they'd both move to the east side and hang around that area, including 927.

Is it not possible that the this year's temporary nest, that spot typically with just a few strewn twigs, is on The Plaza?


I commend Roger_Paw for finding a current ID mark for Octavia.

I agree that that particular female downtown is Octavia.

During nesting season a big part of identification has to do with location though many may not admit it.  

And the light on a hawk's feathers as any hawkwatcher will tell you changes the color and depth of color of those feathers drastically at times. 

Could Octavia be two-timing Pale Male.  Of course she could be.

Could the Plaza Male and Pale Male be the same bird or a different bird?   Both are possible until we find a defining mark which doesn't appear on both.  

Or secondarily, a rather a terrible thought, when is the last time that Pale Male was definitively spotted? 

 Is he missing?  

 That would fully explain Octavia's copulation with a different hawk if that is the case.  The biological imperative to propagate takes over at this time of year.

Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to Hawk Season 2013.

Stay tuned.  Let us hope it is not another season filled with grief.

Donegal Browne        

Does Pale Male Recognize His 2012 Fledglings? And the Monarch of Central Park Still Knows How to Impress a Girl!

The two fledglings of Pale Male and Zena who were poisoned not long after this photograph was taken and are now back in Central Park.               Courtesy of  http://www.palemale.com/  

FROM ROBIN OF ILLINOIS REGARDING THE RELEASE OF THE FIFTH AVENUE FLEDGLINGS BACK TO CENTRAL PARK  AND THE POSSIBILITY OF PALE MALE RECOGNIZING THEM AND CONTINUING HIS TRAINING OF THE YOUNG HAWKS--

I'm thinking of the Franklin step-dad, stepping in as a stranger, to raise another male's young, contrary to everything we thought we knew about RTHs. 

PM's hormones may be waning, and that may signal to us that these young RTHs are now strangers to him, but he was seen flying overhead and watching. As you've said, and time has proven, as we are able to see more of the private lives of the hawks, never underestimate a red tail! 

Who knows?He may indeed still recognize them in some way, and pick up the training (and supplemental feeding) with his two surviving progeny. 

I was considering whether the two young'uns might stay in the Park, over-wintering there, with PM's help. Just because we haven't seen that kind of behavior before, doesn't mean it can't happen. Franklin's T2 is certainly testimony to that! 

I'm glad they painted the toenails and suspect that Rob will be keeping a careful and caring eye out, to see if they stay or leave. That was an excellent idea. WINORR is the BEST! And Rob is too.

And your blog is too! Thank you. 

Robin

Indeed, one must Never Underestimate a Red-tail!

But in this case I've a little snippet of past experience that makes me believe that Pale Male likely does recognize his previous progeny.

Back in 2005, I was watching the 927 Fifth Avenue Nest.  Lola was sitting on eggs and Pale Male had just dropped in  for a visit.  When suddenly, out of-- it seemed nowhere-- but likely from Madison the next Avenue beyond Fifth, a third Red-tail  appeared perched on the overhang directly over the nest and looked down at Pale Male and Lola.  Pale Male looked up and in a nanosecond he'd zipped up to the third Red-tail  and instead of bowling him right over backwards, Pale landed with a quick turn, less than a foot away from the new hawk, leaned over towards him and glared.  Third hawk, appeared to realize his transgression, looked utterly startled and hot winged it out of there.  Unexpectedly Pale Male didn't give chase.  He calmly floated down and landed on the nest again, as if nothing had happened. Not a whiff of the usual hot-pursuit-adrenalined-out-look hawks usually get in instances like these.  

Remember this was the time of year when the territorial boundaries are utterly rigid and no birds except perhaps some pigeons or a few dickey birds are allowed to loiter.  Even Gulls and Turkey Vultures learn to keep clear.  But in this case something was very different and after much thought as to "Why?", I began to think it was possible that the third hawk was one that Pale Male recognized and likely a youngster from the previous year who had come to check out the old homestead.

That said it does not necessarily follow that if Pale Male did recognize these two from the 2012 nest that he would necessarily pick up their training from where it was left off.   But then again, as Robin pointed out, T2 certainly surprised everyone didn't he?  

Though Pale Male may be a touch distracted at the moment with courting his now "New Girl", Octavia.  There are so many twigs and amorous flights and so little time.  

This of course does not keep the youngsters from watching Pale Male as he hunts.  Often the way adults teach techniques to their fledglings anyway.  

Though when the youngsters are six months younger the adult will make sure their attention has been taken from tussling with each other and killing rocks and twigs to the training at hand.  

At this point these two are old enough to pay attention on their own.  Therefore it may not be obvious that they are being trained but I believe their hawk eyes will be focused on the adult hawks in their environment.

And please God, no poisoned rats!

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

Pale Male and Octavia in courtship flight.  See the hanging talons?
 

 That's right!  Plus it's never too early to nail down one's mate for the upcoming season. 

Donegal Browne

A Seat on the Hawkbench Is Empty

Pale Male and Lola sit companionably on their nest-- one of Rik Davis' photos that made the New York Times.


My friend and longtime hawkwatcher Stella Hamilton called today and my heart jumped into my throat. When Stella's name appears on my phone it is news that cannot wait.  And as we weren't waiting for a hatch at Fifth Avenue and it isn't quite time for fledging  my mind leaped to bad news.   


Of all the possible bad news, this was bad news that never ever entered my mind as he had always been there.  Rik Davis, a hawkwatcher, a photographer, a teacher of the pedestrian,  who had watched Pale Male from the beginning, and who when I began to watch, was at the Hawk Bench with his beautiful photographs, a Swarovski scope set up for any and all who walked past the Model Boat Pond to look at Pale Male, his mates, and the 927 nest, was gone.

 Stella told me Rik had died of a sudden massive heart attack at Beth Israel Hospital.


Always before when I would arrive at  The Bench, even after having been out of town, kind. gentle, perceptive Rik would say hello, give me the report of what had happened earlier in the day with Pale Male and Company, and it was if I had never been away.  I was restored into the rhythm of watching at The Bench.  


Never competitive or secretive about what he had seen, he always shared.  Everyone was included.  It was Rik who put out the news that it looked like there was feeding behavior on the nest  after five years of no hatches on the 927 nest and we should all beat it to the nest and take a look.  No matter the good news days or bad he was the constant.  He was just there.


I will miss my friend.  We all will.  And I know that Pale Male will look for him and wonder. 

Update:  A reader kindly contributed this link for a photograph of Rik,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1987porsche944/4421382266/
Many were the object of his kindnesses, who never knew his name.
Donegal Browne

Pale Male Isn't the Only Red-tail Dad Who's Slow Off the Nest- Franklin Mom Does a Lola, Riverside Dad Missing

Photograph courtesy of palemale.com
Pale Male vacates the nest bowl while Ginger Lima takes his place entering from the other side of the nest.

Photograph courtesy of http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/

The Franklin Institute Red-tailed hawks in Philadelphia are the proud parents of 3 eyasses. And Franklin Dad, very much like Pale Male, is very devoted to his offspring and rather likes sitting the nest. Also like Pale Male, when Franklin Mom reappears, Franklin Dad doesn't hop right up. Oh no, in fact he rather, um well, ignores her, dum de dum, as if she weren't standing right over his shoulder staring or walking around on the edge of the nest waiting for him to vacate the premises.

As staring and pacing failed to get a rise out of Dad, Franklin Mom gave him a bit of a gentle headbutt, then paced some more. Dad looked up but still didn't HOP up. So next, I'm told there was a possible poke, while she moved around the edge of the nest. This eventually got him to rise. At which time she inspected the contents of the nest. Evidently finding all to her satisfaction she then settled in on top of the 3 wee white eyasses.

There were occasions when not only did Lola give Pale Male a bump, she followed it up with a beak poke and then, I'm assuming, not seeing enough action, it looked like she may have given Pale a pinch. He did hop right up on whatever the escalated action was, at any rate.

Without question the formel is the boss of the nest and some people believe she is rather the boss of the pair when it comes down to it. That may be part of the reason that the formel is larger than the tiercel is.

As to other Red-tailed Hawk Nests-

Rob Schmunk of http://bloomingdalevillage.blogspot.com/
reports that though it might well be time for a hatch up at the nest behind St. Andrew at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, no feeding behavior has yet been seen.

And I received an email from Amy Devon, a watcher of the Riverside Nest--possible bad news. No one has reported seeing the male of the pair in several days. The is particularly scary as there are any number of rat bait stations in the area even though watchers have done their best to get them removed, they remain. This was the pair that lost their first clutch of eyasses to poison.

I don't have official word on this but I was told that the nearby restaurant is the entity placing the rat poison. Does anyone know for sure?

There has been some talk of a boycott of the restaurant, with flyers being distributed to explain it's origin but if the restaurant isn't the perpetrator that could be a misplaced action, though poor garbage sanitation by restaurants is regularly the impetuous for rat infestations in NYC Parks.

Pale Male Courts the New Girl with Gusto, Red-tail on Red-tail Intrusions of Nests, and the Norfolk Eagle Cam

Pale Male and Lola in 2007

Pale Male has made his choice of a new mate as Lola has not reappeared. At this time of year the biological reproductive imperative takes over and he is courting the new formel he has chosen with great gusto and acrobatic flying. Check out the latest photographs at Lincoln Karim's--
www.palemale.com/

The new girl is a very dark headed and backed hawk with a very dense dark belly band. There will likely not be much problem telling them apart.

I do hope those are not words I live to regret. Sometimes it isn't as easy as it may seem initially to tell two Red-tails apart but here the differences are almost spectacular.

As Lincoln had mentioned that he thought that Pale Male's new choice looked similar to Charlotte, Pale Male Junior's mate, I wondered if their eyass of 2007, Ziggy, might actually be dark enough and the right age to be Pale Male's new mate.

Remember Ziggy, who came down into the Ziegfield Plaza and caused such a hullabaloo amongst, rush hour pedestrians, the police, the park service, a homeless guy and eventually renowned rehabber Bobby Horvath thank goodness, as she stood grounded on the sidewalk?

I found a photo of Ziggy, and unless she has darkened appreciably with age, she isn't nearly dark enough. Pale Male Jr., who's coloration takes after his likely father, Pale Male, is...well...pale. And he is her father after all.




Karen Anne Kolling of Rhode Island had a question about whether Red-tails have the same sort of Red-tail on Red-tail Intrusions onto the the nest that Peregrines do--
Karen Anne said...

For awhile I was reading some peregrine websites. There have been some nasty battles, even to the death, when a peregrine is away temporarily from his or her mate, and another "moves in" and then the first returns. Does that happen with redtails?

Karen,

Not that I've seen or heard about.

With Pale Male and Lola or any of the other Red-tailed nests I've watched, I have never seen an intruder actually set a toe on their nest. The pairs are on the job and keeping an eye on the mate’s location in the park plus the territory and the park located mate keeps an eye on the territory and mate on the nest as well.

Before the eggs are laid, some visitors are rather gently herded from the territory, whilst others have both Pale Male and Lola seriously hurtling at them at which time they beat a hasty retreat.

After the eggs are laid, gentle herding becomes a thing of the past.

Once I saw Pale Male signal Lola by flying back and forth in front of the nest as he wanted her to come back to the nest, then he flew off and took care of the problem himself. There are times where Lola will take off like a rocket from the nest after an intruder and PM will hot wing in and stand over the eggs.

Very occasionally when there are eggs they will both go after the intruder or intruders. The eggs are left for very brief amount of time.

I can't confirm their exact criteria for who takes on which intruders but it appears that Pale Male takes on the males and Lola takes on the larger females as she is larger. There have been cases in which the territory was entered by a pair of Red-tails. It appears in that case that they take quick turns fighting them off, with one adult on the nest a straddle the eggs.

On one occasion, Lola was on the eggs and Pale Male was on the nest doing a check in when a Red-tailed Hawk suddenly appeared on the edge of the roof of 927. Pale Male saw the hawk, flew up, landed about 2 feet from the visitor on the roof. Pale then just turned toward the second hawk, puffed himself up in a menacing stance and glared. The visitor then looked completely startled and flew off as fast as his wings could carry him. Pale didn’t even bother to chase him .

From Eaglecam alerting Jackie Dover of Tulsa

Hi, Donegal:

The Norfolk [VA] Botanical Garden eagle pair have built a new nest, about 125 feet from the old one. The eagle cam has been moved to the new site and is currently being tested before going live once again. A summary of this activity can be found at this link (Dec. 30 entry):
http://eaglecam.tumblr.com/

For some gorgeous photos of the eagle pair at the new nest, see the blog by Reese Lukei, of the Center for Conservation Biology:
http://eaglenest.blogs.wm.edu/2010/12/30/photos-from-new-nest-tree-dec-30/
and
http://eaglenest.blogs.wm.edu/2010/12/31/new-nest-photos-12-31-10/

For more information about these eagles and the camera--
http://www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/e-community/eagle-cam

Best wishes,
Jackie Dover

And from NYC Birdwatcher and astronomy buff Mitch Nusbaum--

A photo stream which has a good example of the notch in a Sharp-shinned Hawk's tail. The notch is often noted by birders as a field mark to tell this hawk from the similar Cooper's Hawk.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51058083@N03/?saved=1

Donegal Browne

Do you know these Red-tailed Hawks? Plus Three Juvenile Whooping Cranes Shot to Death in Georgia

Photo by Francois Portmann
http://www.fotoportmann.com/birdblog/
A Red-tailed Hawk near the feeders in Central Park on December 31, 2010.

Does anyone feel they can positively identify this bird?

Francois Portmann who sent many wonderful photographs to the blog of Valkyrie of Thompkins Square Park as a juvenile says that she has been in the area of late. He saw her just a few days ago. While her juvenile plumage does not match that of the New Girl that Pale Male has been interacting with, Francois is looking to find a photo with Valkyrie as an adult for comparison to current photographs of New Girl.

Photo courtesy of Operation Migration
http://www.operationmigration.org/

The shooting of three juvenile Whooping Cranes in Georgia, found yesterday, brings the population down to 96, after a previous disappearance of three adults elsewhere. Setting the population numbers back to 2008.

There has been a worry that Sandhill Crane hunting seasons, which Georgia doesn't even have yet, though a number of states have requested, might cause accidental shooting of Whoopers. These shootings haven't even that excuse for the deaths. But it does show how fragile the numbers are and how even a minimal mis-shot during a hunt, could demolish multiple years of work costing many hundreds of thousands dollars. Also note that it takes a near expert to identify a Whooping Crane from a Sandhill in the air.

No hunting seasons for cranes should be authorized for many reasons but this one could mean the end of species if they are allowed.

In from Rhode Island's Karen Anne Kolling--

http://www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html

DAR JUVENILES SHOT IN GEORGIA "Georgia Department of Natural Resources reported that necropsy results revealed that the cause of death of the three Whooping Cranes found December 30, 2010 in Calhoun County, Georgia, was gunshot. An investigation is underway. The cranes, according to the landowner of the property where they were found by hunters, had been in the area for a few weeks. The deceased Whooping Cranes were part of a ten year effort of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) to reintroduce the species into the eastern United States..."

. . .MORTALITIES "These mortalities, plus the three adult cranes now missing for more than a year and assumed dead, has dropped the number of Whooping Cranes in the Eastern Migratory Population (EMP) to 96. The EMP has not been at this level since October of 2008 when the flock numbered 91. This despite the release of 50 juveniles (32 ultralight-led and 18 DAR) between October 2008 and today...

Anyone with information concerning the deaths of these cranes is asked to contact U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Terry Hasting at 404-763-7959 (ext. 233)."

Donna Browne

WHERE IS LOLA , THE MATE OF PALE MALE ?

2009, Lola sits on the nest bathed in the golden light of late afternoon on Fifth Avenue.

WHERE IS LOLA?
WE DON'T KNOW AND I DON'T THINK PALE MALE KNOWS EITHER.

Why am I reasonably sure that Pale Male doesn't know either? It isn't because he appears to be watching for her, but we'll get to the reason here in a minute. Let's start at the beginning of how I came to that conclusion.

I had an email today from Jane of Marietta, Georgia. It reads in part...

Just like many others, I’m sure, I’ve been concerned reading about Lola’s non-appearance in recent weeks. Is there any history or any information about this kind of disappearance in previous mates coming to a positive end?

Your blog reports there is still no sign of her, but that article about the young male in the AC shaft gives me a smidgen of hope for Lola (although she is older and wiser, so it’s just a smidgen of hope!)

Thank you for your updates on her – there are many of us out here who follow these wonderful animals!

Jane

Hi Jane,

I'm told that Lola is the first mate of Pale Male's that hasn't always taken a winter vacation. And the first few years she was mated to Pale Male it appeared she took one as well. Then a couple of years back she started staying with him through the winter.

That said, I am extremely worried because of the timing of Lola's disappearance. I would have thought if she'd just gone off to hunt a few voles or rabbits for a couple of weeks, as those aren't available in Central Park, she would have returned well before now.

The first observed copulations of Pale Male and Lola have ordinarily been the last week of January or the first week of February with courting occurring in the weeks of January before the observed copulations. We are in that window.

And beyond the timing, Pale Male does appear to be watching for her according to report. If he knew she was injured, we previously might well have seen a period of time where he was protecting her if she were grounded, bringing her food, or observed him actively looking for her which would appear more agitated than what he is doing now. That is if past experience of what the formels, Isolde, the Houston Female, and Rose did, can be transferred to a tiercel's expected behavior.

Without observations to the contrary, my assumption is, that the behavior would be similar. But, as I say, I don't know for sure.

Pale Male has had mates die before. Therefore he might be able to draw on previous experience and realize if he saw Lola's body that she was gone or wasn't going to be his mate anymore and he would stop watching for her return. We have no way of knowing the intricacies of his mind. But we do know that as the days pass without Lola's return, suddenly one day soon, another mate will appear at pale Male's side as if she'd always been there.

If you've read Marie Winn's marvelous book, Red-tails in Love, you may remember that in 1992 Pale Male and his mate First Love were mobbed by Crows, both hawks were injured and had to go to rehab. Pale Male was released within days, while First Love remained at the Raptor Trust from May until November 1992, when she was banded and released in New Jersey.

In the meantime Pale Male took a new mate in November of 1992, Chocolate. At some point in the later part of 1996, Chocolate was killed, her exact death date is unknown but her band was retrieved and in 1996 suddenly a banded female appeared on Pale Male's metaphorical arm. Eventually the band was read and guess what? First Love was back as Pale Male's mate once again.

The following year, October 12, 1997, First Love was found dead after eating a poisoned pigeon on the MET.

On October 15, 1997, only three days later, Pale Male was seen soaring with a different female Red-Tailed Hawk, whom he bonded with and was eventually named Blue.

Note that there are only three days between when First Love was found dead and Pale Male had a new mate. This is one of the reasons that I think he may have recognized First Love's body, knew she was dead, and knew he needed to accept a new mate.

Pale Male has been running other adult Red-tails out of the territory when he sees them. That tells me that likely he doesn't know what is going on with Lola and is waiting as long as he can for her to reappear before re-mating. Though if she doesn't reappear very very soon, he will start bonding with another hawk any day now.

What else can we learn from this chronology?

You asked for a smidgen of hope and here it is. Keep in mind that Lola is not banded. She could have been injured outside of NYC, rescued, and is now residing with an out of town wildlife rehabilitator who has no idea that the Red-tail who is being treated is Pale Male's famous mate, Lola. Therefore if she does not return, and her body is not found in the Park where someone might recognize her, even though Pale Male may turn up with a new mate tomorrow, it is possible that Lola could still be alive. And upon her release, she might wait in the wings for her chance to step back in as Pale Male's mate or she may decide that she too will choose a new mate and start raising young hawks in a nest without a cold updraft.

Best regards,
D

John Blakeman and long time reader Mai have been continuing their email conversation regarding Lola. Today's question is in regards to the strength of Red-tailed Hawk pair bonds-

Hi John --

As I viewed w/ great sadness Lincoln's pix of PM w/ food presumably waiting/looking for Lola on one of their regular perches -- I thought that there has certainly been a strong bond between them, which has caused me to wonder how quickly or easily that bond can or will be broken, if Lola doesn't reappear in time for this breeding season --

Will PM just wait and wait for Lola? How long before he takes another mate if Lola doesn't show up, assuming another female RT does? Is the instinct to reproduce stronger than the previous bonding?

I know you said that a new bonding could happen very quickly, but I've just been wondering about the strength of the previous bond, w/ Lola, how long such a bond generally lasts. And does it vary from RT to RT?

Hope this isn't too redundant -- Any thoughts or insights you can share would be greatly appreciated!

And the response from John Blakeman--

Mai,

I, too, have been watching Lola's absence, and yes, I have a measure of concern.

There are only two possibilities. The more favorable one would be that the bird decided to head South for the winter, as many Red-tails do.

The other is that she's dead, from poison in food, or some injury.

The greater probability is the latter. The bird spent the last two or three winters in Central Park, and did well. She's experienced and has no hunger motivations to leave for warmer climes for the winter. But it's still not impossible. She might have lofted high up on a warm thermal (but there haven't been any of these since November) and loosely joined some other Red-tails migrating down from Quebec, upstate New York, or New England. There's a small chance that she's somewhere in the South, asking the question, "Didn't I come down here for some moderate winter weather? Last time I'm doing this, as this is as cold and snowy as NYC." If she's in the South, she picked a bad year to fly there.

But if she did, she'll be seen in February or March, or even in late January.

But I think the far greater possibility is that she's somehow met her demise; again, either by poisoning from a tainted rat, or some wing injury after bouncing off a wire. Red-tails occasionally electrocute themselves by touching opposite wings against hot electrical wires when landing or taking off from utility poles.

If such is the case, if Lola is no more, a new formel (female) will show up when the days start to discernibly lengthen, even as early as mid-January. There is a giant population of "floaters," young, un-mated adults eager to step into an established territory such as Pale Male's.

The resulting pair-bonding, between Pale Male and new mate, can happen in hours, if not just in a day or two. With that, a new mate might appear in January, and except for a different feather pattern, could appear to be Lola once again.

Sincerely,

John A. Blakeman

LOLA UPDATE--JUST IN!!!!--Hawkwatcher Emma Cale plus Lincoln Karim of palemale.com, report that Pale Male is tolerating and even interacting with an adult Red-tailed Hawk in his territory. Emma also says that the new hawk, though she appears to have a red tail, also has lighter eyes than a hawk of four years would have. It sounds like the visitor is likely young- perhaps only three years old.

CROWS: LOUD AND HANDY
I was awakened yesterday morning at dawn by an incredible cacophony of Crow caws, right outside the house. As they sounded like they meant business, I carefully peered out from behind a window curtain, just in time to see a Cooper's Hawk heading quickly west with a murder of Crows accelerating her departure from the rear. Within minutes the feeding area was full of sparrows, juncos, finches, chickadees, and even the Downy Woodpecker. Though crows can predate the nests of smaller birds, they can come in awfully handy when those birds want to frequent the feeders on a very cold winter's morning and a stealth raptor is hanging out in the bushes.

No, I haven't forgotten the Mystery Hawk or the china manhandling possum they'll show up soon when we haven't got late breaking Pale Male news.

Donegal Browne