Stella Hamilton's Pale Male Nest Report! Plus Pale Male Raids Another Nest...

Longtime Hawkwatcher Stella Hamilton was out in Central Park with her Stella Scope focused on Pale Male and Octavia's nest on 927 Fifth Avenue, today.

Stella:  One eyass is trying to peck and feed itself . (right eyass)
 Pale Male and Octavia are actually on the Linda Building , staying close by.

The Linda Building is on the next corner S on Fifth Avenue.  It became the "Linda Building" because back in the day of the original Pale Male Hawkwatchers  someone named Linda lived in that building.  

 See Marie Winn's wonderful book Red-tails in Love for stories of the young Pale Male, his mates, and the original "Regulars" at the Hawk Bench.  

Hence the name of this blog, if you have ever wondered, as my generation of Hawkwatcher came about when Pale Male and Lola's nest was torn down by the management of 927 Fifth Avenue and we new and to some extent  younger folk arrived....we, second generation Irregulars (a bit like Sherlock Holmes younger helpers) helped to protest the ripping down of the nest and then stayed to watch the nest for the many many seasons since.

And there is also a third generation, though not particularly younger, just those who appeared too late to help with the protests but who arrived to photograph and try for fame of their own by photographing  Pale Male, the most famous Red-tailed Hawk in the world. 

Now back to today's saga...I got a text from Stella.

Well...today Pale Male raided the nest of a smaller pair of birds...not our favorite of his activities but nature is nature and Hawks do whatever is necessary to feed themselves and  their young.

 We would be terribly upset if his eyasses went hungry, right?

 At any rate, Stella got the word that Pale Male was over at the Metropolitan Museum and high tailed it over there.

  The nest Pale Male had raided lying empty on the ground.  

        Pale Male flew high up onto the Met after his raid.  Though somewhat protected from the furious mob of smaller birds who had banded together to fly at him and peck at this head...it wasn't the best location.

     
Stella wrote: Pale Male behind the Met after raiding nest . He was mobbed by grackles , robins and blue jays .

Stella also noted, "Here are a couple of the people who saw the whole thing."
                     We'll see what tomorrow brings!

Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

Samantha Browne-Walters...Midafternoon at the Cathedral Nest

Photo by Samantha Browne-Walters                                St. Andrew and the empty nest.

Daughter Sam hopped on the subway and arrived up at the Cathedral Nest a little after 3PM.  There wasn't a hawk in sight.  (But this is my favorite view of the nest.)  

She traversed the area, checking all the favorite perches, and no luck.  There wasn't even any begging going on.  Either everyone had eaten recently or more likely Isolde was out of fledgling sight, hunting, and the big three were snatching a wee nap in her absence to be able to beg all the louder when she reappeared.

Photo by Samantha Browne-Walters

With the dearth of hawks, Sam took note of the construction going on at St. Johns.  Back in the day the nest overlooked the physician parking lot for the hospital on the other side of the street.

Photo by Samantha Browne-Walters 

Here's a little peek into the construction site of what will become an apartment building.  It isn't clear just how the structure will affect the nest but several watchers have commented that this will be the last year for this particular nest location.  We shall see.  

                           Never underestimate a Redtail.

Sam continued to scour the area without luck and then hopped back on the subway disappointed.

        http://morningsidehawks.blogspot.com/

Rob Schmunk had better luck in the early evening.  
Click the link above for more!

Stella Hamilton visited Central Park this evening to check on Pale Male and Company but I haven't received her report as yet.  When it comes in you'll be the first to know.

Happy Hawking!
D.B.

Flash the Third Eyass is Off Pale Male's Nest plus Why Was Stormin' Norman, the Male at the Cathedral, Dead and Now He's Alive?

Photo courtesy of Rob Schmunk http://morningsidehawks.blogspot.com/

Stella Hamilton reports that the third eyass has fledged off Pale Male and Octavia's Nest!!!

 Stella's report will be posted as soon as I excise it from my email...but in the meantime...

Sally of Kentucky asked, I paraphrase, what is the deal with Norman, Isolde of the Cathedral Nest's mate.  First we hear that he was dead and now he seems to be back.

First off though, before we get to that, Rob Schmunk posted an update on how Norman is doing.  A few days ago he was found grounded.  He was weak and very thin.  Off he went to the Horvath's wonderful care at WINNOR.   

Norman had an infection which was keeping him from eating.  As of yesterday Rob reports news from the Horvaths, that Norman is much better as he is capable of taking on whole prey at a meal.  Though he still needs to get his stamina back so he'll be staying on another week at WINNOR.

(And as wildlife rehabilitators may not be paid for their services and exist on  donations, here is the address if you'd like to lend a financial hand for all the wonderful service the Horvath's do for wildlife and Norman in particular. Tell them Norman says thank you.

WINORR, 
202 N. Wyoming Avenue
N. Massapequa, N.Y. 11758)

Now back to Sally's question, and the Norman dead/Norman alive issue.

After the hurricane that hit New York City, a hawk was found dead in Isolde and Norman's territory.  Isolde had been seen but Norman had not been so it was assumed that the dead hawk was Norman.

Let me also say that Norman's coloration and type of physique are relatively common in Red-tailed Hawks.  I always identified Norman by his behavior, the fact he was in the territory during breeding season and was hanging out with Isolde plus his personal idiosyncrasies.

When attempting to figure out if one of a pair has died and a new mate arrived, Norman's common plumage was no help. Nor the fact that of course a new mate would be in the territory and familial with Isolde.  

What made Norman or actually Stormin' Norman identifiable was his breakneck no holds barred bring 'em ALL ON behavior.

So  when breeding season was warming up, a hawk with common plumage showed up in Isolde's company.  As the assumption was that Norman was dead, the next assumption was that Isolde had just chosen a new mate who looked similar to Norman.

But some of us began to realize that Isolde's "new mate" behaved very much like her old mate Norman.  For instance, Tristan Isolde's previous mate was the perfect experienced Dad.  He always did the last feeding of the day so Isolde got a break.  He'd bring food and stay awhile.  He and Isolde would watch the eyasses together for awhile some days.  Tristan would often be visible keeping watch on the territory from across the street from the nest.  Tristan was a very calm stealth hunter much like Pale Male.

Norman on the other hand was a young boffo hawk who liked a good fight.  His hunting technique was more of a scare all the pigeons up in the air and see if he could grab one.  Then he'd come by the nest and almost literally throw prey in on a fly-by.  Then he'd disappear to go patrol the perimeters of  the domain again.  

Now Norman has settled down to some extent, for instance, if you look at the above picture you'll note that Norman has a feather on his beak which may mean he actually prepared the prey before delivering it but he still acts like Norman.

  Many hawks, and Norman is no exception, tend to favor certain perches within their territory, personal hunting behaviors, and favorite roosts.

After mulling over the look and behavior of the current haggard mated with Isolde, it is a case of... he looks like Norman, he acts like Norman, I'm reasonably sure it is Norman, therefore  I'm calling him Norman.

Tomorrow, Wednesday , we're trying for updates as they happen from the field from Samantha Browne-Walters at the Cathedral Nest.  

With Isolde attempting to wrangle and feed three youngsters on her own, Sam decided she should go uptown and make sure all is well with them.

Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

FLASH!!!! STELLA HAMILTON REPORTS ON PALE MALE AND COMPANY!!!

 Photo courtesy of Stella Hamilton

Hawkwatcher Stella Hamilton has been watching Pale Male and his mates for many many years.  Stella is often the first to welcome new hawkwatchers to The Bench and has been a stalwart observer every season.

Dear D , 
This rainbow appeared after the storm on Tuesday , 6/ 3 around 7:45 pm . It was beautiful ! To me it was a sign to go, baby , go ! And they did the next day . 

Even a portion of a rainbow in Manhattan is an extremely rare event and a full rainbow over Fifth Avenue is something very special all together.

 Hi Donna, 

 Yes ,  2 babies fledged on Wednesday, 6/4. 

No one seems to know what time the first baby fledged . 

I got to Pilgrim Hill around 7:30 pm. One baby was up on an oak tree close to the corner of 5th Avenue and 72nd street, very difficult to see, while the other sib was on another oak tree , even more difficult to find. 

So, I did not see much that evening . Yesterday, [6/5] while hanging out at Hawkbench , one baby flew over model boat pond , circled around the trees along 5th Avenue , then landed on a window ledge on the "ship building"on the 8th or 9th floor,  second building north of the Woody building . 

For new watchers of  Pale Male, the center building directly under the arch of the rainbow is 927 Fifth Avenue where Pale Male and Octavia's nest is located.  It is on the cornice of the middle window of the top floor.

The next building to the left, north, is the Woody Allen Building, (Woody had an apartment there when Pale Male first nested on 927) and the NEXT building after Woody to the north is the Ship Building.  Named for its shape.

Now back to Stella. 

Remember last year , a baby landed on a hedge on their terrace?  

Indeed I do!

Second baby was seen on 76th street yesterday evening, around 8pm, Pale Male dropped off a rat to 3rd baby who is still on nest . Octavia flew in seconds later to assist baby with dinner . I now have to go to work. Will call after my visit to the park . 
Stella  

MORE TO COME SO STAY TUNED!!! 
Scroll down for the latest Thompkins Square Park Update from Francois Portmann! Happy Hawking!
D.B. 
P.S. I've asked my daughter Samantha, who is back from her studies at Brandeis and working at Dr. Pepperberg's Parrot Lab at Harvard, to grab her camera and try to track down the Fifth Avenue fledglings when she has a chance.  We'll see if she gets anything.  Fingers crossed!

Thompkins Square Park Update!

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

Suddenly, as hopping and flapping has now begun,  this nest has begun to look remarkably small to hold everyone.

This is the second post of the day, so scroll down for fledging news!

D.B.

Heads Up--Original Hawkwatcher Marie Winn Puts Out a Watch Alert for the Sheeps Meadow Hawks This Weekend

                      HEADS UP!  SPREAD THE WORD!

Marie Winn, http://mariewinnnaturenews.blogspot.com/, famed author, (Red-tails in Love, Central Park in the Dark), my mentor in Hawkwatching and so many other things including writing a blog, was asked  if  there was something that could be done to give the Red-tailed Hawk pair who are tree nesting in Sheeps Meadow "a fair chance from the crowds this weekend"?

Marie's answer- 

"Birdwatchers and Hawkwatchers: Keep an eye out this weekend. Report any problems to Richard Feinman at the Urban Park Rangers - 212-360-1408."

Did you put that info into your phone?  Excellent! 
For those who didn't get Stella Hamilton's directions for finding the nest the first time round on the blog, go to http://palemaleirregulars.blogspot.com/2014/04/pale-males-nest-and-red-tailed-hawk.html

 Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

Francois Portmann Catches a Feeding at Sheep Meadow! Plus the Decorah Eagle Mom and Eaglets And Quicksilver the African Grey Parrot

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

Fabulous pro photographer Francois Portmann caught a feeding at Sheep Meadow nest in Central Park on Tuesday.

Hawkwatchers report that all is going well for these younger parents with the nest very close to that of Pale Male and Octavia.

By the way, I've reloaded the pipping photo from yesterday. (Next post down) I hope it is now visible to all readers.  For some obscure reason I could see it on my computer but some others could not.

The Decorah Eagle Cam

The Eaglets are restless, Mom checks, they settle down and she dozes.

Mom wakes and preens.

A noise.  Head up and around.  Mom peers into the darkness.  Many birds have the innate ability to be aware and functioning using one side of their brain  while the other side of the brain sleeps.  Works well for nest guarding Moms.

Then she tucks her head for a more complete sleep.
http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

After many days of constant vigilance guarding various cavities around the house, Silver has calmed to the point he can't help himself, he naps.
Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

Help Save the Red Knot! Plus Frannie the Sandhill Crane and a Buddy Across the Road (More Hawk News When Blogger Cooperates Again)

Photo courtesy of  Walker Golder / Audubon North Carolina
HELP SAVE THE RED KNOT

AUDUBON ALERT TO  TAKE ACTION


The rufa Red Knot's migration nearly spans the globe. But habitat destruction and disappearing food sources threaten to ground these far-flyers for good.
The Red Knot's Atlantic flyway population has declined by 75 percent since the 1980s.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has proposed listing the Red Knot under the Endangered Species Act. FWS is taking public comments until May 19th.

 Tell US Fish and Wildlife Service you support listing the Red Knot under the protection of the Endangered Species Act!

https://secure3.convio.net/nasaud/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=755AD2EF139C096C51C09B156E93DC3F.app338a?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1539&autologin=true&s_src=May14_ATD1

Did you do it?  Okay you can scroll down now.
 Today I decided it was time to head down the Rustic Road and go check on Frannie, the Sandhill Crane with the nest in the middle of a pond. 

As usual Frannie, the Sandhill Crane, was alert to my presence and eyeballed me the entire time I watched which wasn't more than two or three minutes.  I didn't want to disturb her.

    I'm always a little worried that she's dead, she always looks so limp when I first glimpse her each visit, until I get a good look at her eyes. 


I'd gotten a call earlier in the day from another watcher, that Frannie was up and eating while her mate sat the nest.

As I'd seen cranes feeding earlier in the season in an adjacent field, I decided to cross the road and give it closer scrutiny in case there was a nest there as well.

What is that?  A deer in the grass?  Maybe a crane.   I start pushing through the grass toward a more open spot. 

 Still on my side of the fence of course.

                                            Crane!

 Not only a different head position for stealth from this crane but while Franny looks nervous at being observed this crane has more of a "just try it"  look.

Different crane disposition?  Or is this a male taking his turn on the nest?  I don't know but even if I had the rudeness to walk up to a crane on the nest, I wouldn't pick this one to walk up to.

(DRAT!!!!  Blogger not cooperating.  Be back as soon as it will.)

Pale Male Watches the Eyasses and Finally, a Sandhill Crane Nest!

Photo courtesy of palemale.com

Pale Male always takes time to watch his eyasses with focus and interest.  Though they will still be sleeping in a pile they will be getting more upright while being fed now.

I've always wondered how so large a nest and so large a bird as a Sandhill Crane could be first, hidden, and second, protected, while sitting on the nest.

The vagaries of how a camera creates an image of this particular bird and this particular kind of nest does not truly portray  the amount of camouflage that is present in the real life situation.  For whatever reason they blend far better to the naked eye than they appear to do here.

Also the female is utterly still though somehow manages to move her head to look at you when you have moved, without you seeing it happen in particular.  Kind of amazing actually.

And why are these Cranes called Sandhill Cranes?  Because that it where they position their nests, on a hill of sand and then go about bucking it up with grasses and reeds.  In this case and  others, the perimeter of the nest is protected by a moat of water.  A moat which some predators would have to swim. It is conceivable that Mom might just drown some of them on the way over as Swans have been known to do with swimming mammals.

Dad is also around to help in discouraging predators.  And a Dad with wings wide used as a weapon and feet kicking is no small thing to overcome.  I'd turn back.

I haven't been able to find a special name for a female or male crane but the young cranes have one.  They are called colts.

And what is a group of Sandhills called?  There is a selection on this one.  They are called either a Herd of Sandhill Cranes or a Siege of Sandhill Cranes.

Both rather nice, I think.  

Now we just have to come up with sex identifying handles for a male and female Sandhill Crane.

Any ideas?

Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

FLASH!!!! Rob Schmunk Reports There Is A Hatch at St. John the Divine!!

 Photo courtesy of Rob Schmunk


                           Isolde feeds!
Rob has observed Isolde of the Cathedral Nest making feeding motions.   For the full scoop click Rob's link below.
http://morningsidehawks.blogspot.com/

Happy Hawking!
D.B.

Octavia Feeds! Pale Male and Octavia Have Done It Again!!!

Photo courtesy of  palemale.com

From hawkwatcher Beth Eberly-

Donegal,

I saw Octavia leaning down in the nest and then doing what looks like feeding!

B.E.

Beth, if it looks like feeding it is feeding as nothing else hawks do looks like it!

SOUND THE HORNS AND START THE MUSIC, 
PALE MALE AND OCTAVIA HAVE A HATCH!!!!

FLASH!!! PALE MALE AND OCTAVIA HAVE A FLEDGE!!!!!! (Pale Male Does It Again!) And Addendum on Franklin Nest teircel/formel ID

Photo Stella Hamilton 

Just in from veteran Hawkwatcher Stella Hamilton!

 We have a fledge!

 No one knows when it happened because the  area where Hawkbench is was closed due to the Puerto Rican Day Parade. A bunch of us hawk watchers quickly stormed the Model Sailboat Pond as soon as the the cops gave us the OK to go right on in after the parade had ended. 

We heard the baby calling but could not find it right away. 

Mom, Octavia, was nearby, so baby must be around. After a few minutes of searching, Lincoln located baby on a railing of a building 2 blocks North of the nest building. 

Pale Male was also hanging around the terraces of the buildings and treetops along 5th Ave.  So, two more babies to go. 

It will be raining the next 2 days , so good luck. 

Stella

 Photo Stella Hamilton

And a vigilant parent is never far away!

Stay tuned!  More as it comes in!

ADDENDUM on the Franklin-  A heads up from Robin of Illinois--wonderful comparison of the ankles of a tiercel vs a formel eyass!  http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/
HAPPY HAWKING!
Donegal Browne

FLASH! SECOND EGG AT THE FRANKLIN! PLUS AN AUDUBON ACTION ALERT-THE GUNNISON SAGE-GROUSE!!!

 The second egg at the Franklin Institute was laid shortly after 12 noon! 

While the hawks are doing well, other birds are not.  National Audubon has sent out an advocacy alert for the Gunnison Sage-Grouse.  
 The Gunnison Sage-Grouse has been identified by Audubon as one of the ten most endangered birds in the country. With fewer than 5,000 individuals left, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service recently proposed to list the species as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately—even with dramatically shrinking populations—growing political opposition is threatening the science-based plan to ensure the survival of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse.

It is vitally important for as many people as possible to submit comments in support of protecting the Gunnison Sage-Grouse. The deadline to comment is Tuesday, April 2. Send your comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services TODAY.

FOR THE FULL ALERT MESSAGE GO TO-

https://secure3.convio.net/nasaud/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1391&autologin=true

 MORE HAWK NEWS LATER TODAY!

DB

Pale Male, The Franklin Institute Hawks, Blakeman's Zephyr, Octavia and The Intruder

Courtesy of palemale.com
 Pale Male goes into a dive, Monday.  For those who haven't seen him in action, Pale Male is lightening fast and truly remarkable in flight.

BIG NEWS FROM THE FRANKLIN  INSTITUTE HAWKS, PHILADELPHIA...note the evergreen boughs.  It looks like the choice has been made.

Photo courtesy of Scott Kemper
"This has been a week of stunning developments at the Franklin Institute nest since the hawks finally came to their senses and returned to the best nest site in Philadelphia.  The nest grows visibly each day..."


More--http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/
Thanks to Robin of Illinois for the heads up!

The Zephyr Report
 Ohio Hawk Expert, John Blakeman has spotted Zephyr, his former falconry hawk,  twice in trees nearby his home recently.

 Photo courtesy of  palemale.com

Remember the earlier food fight this week among Octavia, an "intruder", and Pale Male? 

John Blakeman wrote, " I'd presume these to be a mated pair. If not, it's still a spring-time sexual behavior thing, where food is exchanged or shared, to determine social position and alignments. No physical harm ever occurs to the hawks."

My question, If Octavia is having a dalliance with the Downtown male as has been suspected and possibly proved, might "the intruder" have been Downtown Male trying for the sexual behavior concerning food that Mr. Blakeman is talking about but Pale Male was having none of it and reinforcing his position as Octavia's mate?

We're possibly in a whole new spectrum of behavior we've not knowingly seen before. 

Stay tuned.

Donegal Browne 

A Wednesday Miscellany-HawkCam of Big Red and Ezra Redtail, John Blakeman, and If Animals Would Eat Fast Food!

 
 Photo Donegal Browne
Back when the nest was much smaller Pale Male considers renovations.

 As there is no hawk cam to watch as yet from Washington Square Park, the Cornell Lab has a nice one of the nest of Big Red and Ezra.

 CHECK IT OUT!
 http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/16/Red-tailed_Hawks/?pid=2422

Check out "Red-tails in Love" author Marie Winn's Nature News posting for February 20th, concerning a letter she received from a gentleman who had a  Red-tail standing on his  car roof staring at him as he opened the door and got in.  And John Blakeman's response as to why the hawk might just be acting in that manner.
    http://mariewinnnaturenews.blogspot.com/

In from Samantha of Brandeis--
If Animals Would Eat Fast Food
(I found this very funny.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOqTLcKkLHM

John Blakeman Gets a Once in a Lifetime Valentine-Zephyr Comes Back!!! And Great Horned Owls in the Window Box

 Photo courtesy of John Blakeman
Last fall after deciding that his falconry days were over and his current falconry bird, Zephyr was up to making her own way in the world, John Blakeman our Red-tailed Hawk Answer Man for lo these many years, released Zephyr back to the wild.
And quess what just happened! 

Donna,

I just looked out into a black oak in my backyard, 100 ft from my house, and Zephyr, my falconry Red-tail that I released here last September was sitting regally in the tree. I pulled out my digital telephoto, and got the photo.

Sure would be fun if she finds a tiercel, who would build her a nest nearby. The days are discernibly     lengthening and sex hormones are starting to flow.

I'll be watching all of this closely.

--John Blakeman

The email below is John's response to his daughter who emailed that she believed his ID that Zephyr was the above hawk in the first photograph....and then...

 Photo courtesy of John Blakeman    Zephyr at the window.

 Rachel,

You, nor anyone else would (or should) believe this. Zephyr flew up and tried to land on the window sill behind the dining room table. She saw me standing at the window, and wanted to fly over and see me.

So, I went to the basement and pulled out a frozen sparrow and quickly (5min) thawed it in some hot water. I put on a falconry glove and got my falconry whistle and stepped out of the basement door to see if the hawk was still around. She was, sitting on a cross arm of the clothes line. I lifted my glove, with the dead sparrow, blew the whistle, and the hawk flew instantly, 100 ft straight to my fist; just as she might have done a full year ago when still in captivity.

She landed and started to eat the sparrow, exactly as she would have done when she was my falconry hawk. She felt entirely comfortable on my fist --- but she was not tethered. She had no jesses or leash. She was completely free, but elected to spend about 5 minutes pulling apart the sparrow and eating it on my glove. She even allowed me to feel the ends of her talons. I wanted to see if they had gotten sharper. They were needle-sharp.

She dropped a few pieces of sparrow flesh on the ground while eating, and then dropped down to retrieve the after eating the main course. She then elected to fly right back up onto my fist, to finish her short repast.

Fortunately ---- no one would otherwise believe me ---- I was able to snap digital photos of her eating on my fist.

Then, when finished, she was still hungry. I tried to toss her off, but without the sling action of the missing jesses, I couldn't fling her. She just gently flew a few feet and landed on the ground. I turned around and started walking under the deck to the back basement door. She flew ahead of me and landed on the hose reel next to the door. I think I could have enticed her inside, just as she had done hundreds of times before.

I'll have a nice piece of turkey neck thawed for tomorrow afternoon, when  I will attempt to replicate this remarkable episode.

I got photos of her main big front talon, which was missing a big gap. She's caught a squirrel, which bit out a dry chunk of her talon --- no harm to her.

Stunning. I released Zephyr about Sep 12 last fall, and have seen her flying or perched in the area no more than 6 to 10 times, never once as close to the house.

This will be fun.

Love,

--Dad

 Photo courtesy of John Blakeman
John Blakeman and the visiting Zephyr on his fist of her own accord, having a snack.

John, I cannot wait to see how this turns out.  And indeed, this is going to be grand fun!  

You don't suppose that as it is mating season that Zephyr hasn't returned to see if you're available?

 It was Valentine's Day after all!

As many of you know my internet connection has been intermittent therefore I've been missing many of your emails....keep your fingers crossed about my connection and I'll keep catching up!
 
 And just in from Robin of Illinois, the Great Horned Owl Window Box Nest!

http://www.hancockwildlife.org/index.php?topic=VictoriaGHOwl#camera1

Pale Male Waits, the Highbridge Red-tail Nest, and the Songbird Nest Report: Robin, Cowbird, Chipping Sparrow, Mourning Dove

 Photograph courtesy of http://www.palemale.com/
 Pale Male as dapper and self assured as usual surveys his domain on Saturday from one of his favorite perches on the Linda Building.  No doubt as usual, mentally absorbing the many prey patterns spread out before him which he will put to good use when the mad rush of hunting for hungry eyasses begins.

 Photo taken on April 28th.  Things have changed since then.
 Just exactly whose eggs are what has become slightly clearer.  This year the Cowbird eggs do not match those of the, I think now, Chipping Sparrow host.  They were the brown heavily speckled eggs as opposed to the pale greenish blue with a few flecks as were all the eggs last season-both Chipping and Cowbird.

 The nestling above with the giant red mouth is a cowbird chick.

It turns out that one of the ways that a parent bird knows who is hungriest in many song bird chicks is that that chick's mouth will have the heaviest blood flow.  Hence another survival quirk for Cowbird young is a constantly bright red mouth.

 

The nest in question is deep inside this clematis.  Early the morning of the 29th I heard an enormous racket and looked out the window next to the trellis. It was a Crows vs every-other-bird-in-the-neighborhood melee.  By the time I got outside the Crows were being chased across the park by a feathered posse of mostly Grackles.  I took a very very quick peek into the nest.  I couldn't see  the chick and it appears to have been predated.  I'm not sure about the status of the eggs, (I got a glimpse of one of the pale ones), as to get a really good look requires a tippie toe stance and some peering as opposed to seeing the red mouth of the chick which really stands out.   I didn't want to be the last straw for abandonment of the nest by gawking  if it wasn't abandoned already.

Later in the day I did see a parent whip into the Clematis and I didn't see it come out again right away so perhaps there is still hope.  I'll chance another look once in a day or two.

THE CASE OF THE EXTREMELY LOW ROBIN'S NEST

 

Remember the nest that we'd decided belonged to a Robin?  Indeed it does.  Note that sky blue egg.  

In fact it appears to belong to a rather human habituated Robin though she will flush out by a surprise thump of the front door. (I've stopped using it for the time being.) 


This is the lowest Robin's nest I've ever seen.  The bush is less than four feet tall besides the fact that if you stand on the front step you could reach out and pull mom's tail without even leaning.  Look carefully near the top of the bush and you'll see her tail feathers sticking out the back of the nest.  Though perhaps the fact that the nest is so close to human habitation may be one of its selling points. 

The nest robbers, mostly Crows here, (The Blue Jays were extirpated from the area by West Nile virus.), never come this close to the front door. 

 I have a feeling that since the township's new garbage collection agency supplies large covered wheeled bins for both recycling and garbage that perhaps any domestic garbage picking, if any, the Crows were doing has been completely eliminated, making nest robbing, once again, an important source of Crow protein.

That is until the softball games in the park with their resultant refuse of hot dog and brat goodies in open cans take some of the heat off.

THE CASE OF THE DISAPPEARING DOVE NEST

 

Remember the dove nest in the tall bush?  Yesterday I noticed that the twigs appeared disturbed and there was no dove eye peering through the greenery.  

The nest has disappeared.   Not to worry too much as  there were no feathers at all to give away the demise or even the disturbance of the parents.

And do check out Rob Schmunk's beautiful photos of Martha and the eyasses at the Highbridge nest on his blog at--  http://morningsidehawks.blogspot.com/

Donegal Browne

Chris Does Pellets, Mr. M, Wild Turkeys, and an Eagles' Nest

The pet food company accidentally shipped a bucket of parrot pellets to me instead of the bucket of nutri-berries I'd ordered for Quicksilver. I called them and they said, keep them. We'll get the Nutri-berries right out to you.

Unfortunately, to Silver, pellets are not food. There are just something that clogs up your bowl until the food arrives. After several tries over several months, he did not relent. I became tired of stepping on them as they'd mysteriously made their way to the floor. I still had 2 or 3 pounds of the things after ages. Therefore I thought, well, I wonder how the Crows would like parrot pellets.

The Crows think they are deliciously dandy. They also find them handy to hide in secret catches and spent most of the day going back and forth to and from the stump,


Chris Crow gives me a look and checks my status. Am I going to stay where I am? Chris keeps his head tipped back as the outer pellet is gripped by just the very tip of his beak.

He puts the pellet on the stump and pushes with his head.

Note the pellet longways in his beak and that the crosswise pellet is now further into his beak.

The two pellets carefully crammed firmly in, Chris starts to turn.

And off he goes!

I was driving past the Ms nest tree checking it out. There isn't a twig left in the tree from the 2009 nest. I'd so hoped they'd use it again.

What? A Red-tail in the treeline. I jammed on the brakes, got out, and before I got situated, the hawk took off for the power poles along the railroad tracks.

Who should it be but Mr. M! The Ms are using the same hunting grounds but I just can't find their nest. Lovely to see him though!

Next up were the Cox Road Turkeys trundling behind the bare trees. It then occurred to me that it was past time to go check out that old eagle's nest I'd seen a while back.

It's a bit of a trek, but I finally arrive and pull off the road.

Yeah, well--where's the eagles nest? You may well ask. Do you see that line of trees way, Way, WAY over there? Look across the pond and the center section of trees. Virtually invisible isn't it. Even with magnification you can see the nest--sort of, but not much else. I was hoping that perhaps I'd see an Eagle fly in and know it was active before trekking over to the farmhouse, knocking on the door, and asking the farm family if I might please, please, go traipsing across their land to be closer to the possible action.

Yes, I'll stay out of the field and walk under the power lines. (By the way, the air just buzzes with electricity.) Also remember this is the place with the Attack Goat who guards the front door. Jeez.

You can see why I might be putting off that knock on the door.

I waited and didn't see any eagles sitting around or flying into the nest. I did however take a photo periodically of the nest, hoping that when I got them home I could load them onto the computer, zoom in, and conceivably see some sign of life.

This is a zoom. Not a terrific photograph, but what do it want, it's forever away from me, and unfortunately no lumps against the light that might be heads.

Oh ho!!! Do you see it. Woo hoo!!! Just left of center, a white head, dark eyes, and a yellow beak resting on the edge of the nest.

Look very very carefully in the same spot. There appears to be the top of a white orb.

Are there a couple of pale spots there?

At least one pale spot!

What! Where did that full sized Eagle body come from? Was it her head I saw in the first heartening photo?

She looks like she may be leaning down and feeding!

YEA!!! There's an Eaglet with her. Of course I couldn't see any of this at the time but it looks like she's poking food into the little guys beak.

Look at the pink inside of that beak. I think someone is begging.

Looks like I'm going to have to take a big breathe, gird my loins, and take on the Attack Goat.

(Perhaps bribery is the answer. I wonder if Attack Goat would like some parrot pellets. No? Anyone know what the hands down favorite food of goats is?)

Donegal Browne