Pale Male's New Girl, Red-tailed Hawk Smashes Into NY Times Atrium , Does Valkyrie Need a Nest Nook?, Bopping Ibis, Plus Doorstep and Friend

Photo by Francois Portmann, www.fotoportmann.com/
A younger brown-tailed Valkyrie hangs out at the construction site in Tompkins Square.

Note that Valkyrie has lighter and darker areas on her head. Francois Portmann reports she still has these. And as Pale Male's new girl doesn't, Valkyrie will likely still be resident in Tompkins Square Park. That is until a male attracts her, who might steal her away to another area.

Now if Valkyrie had a nifty possible nest site around Thompkins Square Park she just might attract a male and stay put, much to the delight of the many who already watch her.

In 2008 a different female with a mate attempted to build a nest in a tree in Tompkins Square Park. Which according to report didn't work because every time the hawks weren't in the immediate vicinity the squirrels dismantled it.

It appears that there wasn't a building that fitted the criteria for those hawks for a building nest, or perhaps there just isn't a spot even remotely acceptable for any hawk pair.

Which put me in mind of hawk specialist John Blakeman's, 2006 design for a Nest Nook, a nest bowl attachment, which could be fitted to either a wall or a ledge of an urban building overlooking a green space. There was some talk about a possible tree model as well.
Check it out-
http://brownsbarn.com/pmi/nest.pdf

This was just a beginning thought back in 2006, now not only do we have some birds who could put one to good use in a neighborhood which might be amenable, but we know more about the needs of urban fledglings so perhaps it 's time to expand the concept. I'm hoping that John Blakeman has time to upgrade his initial thoughts.

My suggestions include a "runway" connected to either side of the Nest Nook bowl for the fledglings to exercise, run, and flap on, plus perhaps some horizontal perches above to "branch" on. The runway could be wood topped with pigeon spikes anchored to it . These would allow the adults to add more twigs which would stay in place because of the pigeon spikes. Also because wind and the cooling of the eggs might be an issue, more protection surrounding and under the bowl itself.

What do you think? Any other suggestions?

Red-tailed Hawk Smashes Into Glass of the New York Times Building Atrium

The Raptors NYC Group was once again called into action by a call to NYC Audubon--

An Update from Wildlife in Need Of Rescue and Rehabilitation's Bobby Horvath--

This afternoon we received a call from Glenn Philips that he was notified of a situation that a hawk was injured inside the NY Times Building in Manhattan at W. 41 st. It was inside the atrium standing in a ground floor garden apparently stunned .

After a few calls we were able to get Peter Richter to leave work early (thank you to his understanding boss ) . I was concerned that if it regained its composure before anyone got to it it would be extremely difficult to catch since it was described to me as 5 stories tall and wide open where he was.

In many rescue situations any animal may gather all its remaining strength to elude capture fearing for its life and too often have gone on guaranteed "downed" birds who miraculously fly away as I get near holding my net. If its fully flighted and not injured there’s no harm done but the opposite case where an injured bird manages to get some lift or over a fence or to a garage or building rooftop may mean a slow death if necessary medical care is unable to be given.

In this case it was luckily in time and Peter does have some bites and scratches for his efforts but we appreciate his dedication. Thanks again Peter. It is again a juvenile male attesting to Cathy's possible discovery of her silly males getting in trouble syndrome may have some merits.

He is very dark , almost chocolate brown and in good shape except for some blood over his cere where he most likely crashed and a possible wrist injury but doesn't appear anything is broken so a little rest should do the trick.

Cathy gives everything a little pain med for these type cases and put him in a quiet warm spot to rest .

Also today we got in a juvenile red shouldered hawk from Seagate , Brooklyn that somebody found 2 days ago and has had in their bathroom till they found us. It also looks in good shape and was probably a collision of some type but nobody knows anything more.

For the New York Times stories and video, click the links--
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/exclusive-an-avian-emergency/?ref=nyregion

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/a-bird-collision-in-our-midst/

And one of the aforementioned saviors, Peter Richter's blog is-- http://queensraptors.blogspot.com/

NEXT UP--
In from New York City's W.A. Walters--
SCIENCE | January 11, 2011
Observatory: Bony Wings That Went 'Pow! Smack! Whomp!'
By SINDYA N. BHANOO
Researchers said an extinct, flightless bird that came from Jamaica and belonged to
the ibis family used its wings as a powerful club.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/science/11obbird.html?emc=eta1

It is snowing once again, but Doorstep Dove and Friend were out for their evening warm-up before roosting again this evening.

Doorstep gives me a binoc look.
Friend has taken to standing in the warm water during their pre-roost sojourn on the bath. The New York City pigeons do the same thing when I bring warm water onto the terrace. I used to wonder if it wouldn't make their feet too cold when they got out as they'd be wet. Evidently it isn't a problem as they keep doing it.

It's getting darker, it's almost time for their exit.

Friend leaves first as usual. Doorstep takes a minute or two by herself and then she's off to sleep.

Plus Pale Male's new girl was sighted again yesterday, 1/12, interacting with the Monarch of Central Park.
Scroll down further for previous new girl updates.

Donna Browne

Where is Pale Male's New Girl?

Photo by Francois Portmann, www.fotoportmann.com/
A younger Valkyrie, before her red tail, of Tompkins Square Park does a little showing off for the crowd.

It was suggested by a reader that Pale Male's new girl who is so very dark, might be Valkyrie (or Dominatrix as she's now sometimes called downtown) who is also dark and has spent her time down in Tompkins Square Park for several years now.

I contacted Francois who said he'd look into it.

Then I received an email from birdwatcher and pro photographer Francois Portmann saying in part--

I saw Valkyrie/ Dominatrix yesterday at Tompkins Square Park, so that settles it, she’s NOT PMs new girl.

Greets
francois

Good, I thought, that takes care of that question and went on to my next email, and another question from another reader of the blog about whether Pale Male's new girl had a red tail or not.

I'd remembered checking that early on and it appeared to me that she did, even though I was having to decide from the bottom as opposed to the top which is a much more saturated orange.

But, I thought, one can make mistakes when it's 4 in the morning, perhaps I should just go re-confirm my decision on that and went to check Lincoln's photos on www.palemale.com/ .

WELL.....

As far as I can tell, on the posts of 1/10 and 1/11, the photos of hawks that aren't Pale Male are photos of yearling hawks who's tails have yet to turn red and are brown and barred. Also note that Lincoln never says in the captions for those days that the other hawk or hawks on the posts for 1/10 and 1/11 are Pale Male's new girl.

After re-checking the tail of the hawk Pale Male was courting on 1/05 through 1/09, I still saw it as red.

Therefore we haven't completely nixed Valkyrie for the post of Pale Male's new girl though her juvenile feathers are lighter than the bird Pale Male was courting--adult plumage does differ.

As Valkyrie, or any other female with a red tail, (I'm open to being corrected on this; go take a look.) appears to be in Lincoln's published photographic record of the 10th or the 11th, whichever the day as Francois was writing a few minutes after midnight, it doesn't conflict with Francois' sighting of Valkyrie downtown. Though it is a very unlikely chance that she is the new girl, Valkyrie/Dominatrix is still in the running.

Donegal Browne

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