The eyasses at Fifth Avenue have gotten big enough that you can see their heads during feedings.  Today, I got to see all three of them for the first time. 

While I only could see one eyass from street level, and not the three that have been seen from building terraces, I still had a fantastic visit to Fifth Avenue this evening.

Both parents were very active attending to their newborns.  Pale Male hunted and removed leftovers.   The mother fed the eyasses (watch the video) and snuggled up to with them at nightfall.

During a feeding I got to see a glimpse of one of the new Fifth Avenue eyass’ head.  It wasn’t enough to claim I’d seen the eyass for sure, but it was close.  We should be able to get good pictures of the kids by mid-week.

I like to witness things first had before I decide a nest is hatched.  Today, I got to see a late feeding so I know Pale Male has at least one eyass in the nest.

It takes some skill to determine if a nest has hatched.  Is that a feeding you saw or just preening?  Is the female really sitting higher?  Did the male come in and look at a new eyass or was it something else that caught his eye?  Did you see a slice come from the nest?

At the Fifth Avenue nest there are signs that the hatching process has started.   I didn’t see a feeding or a slice but I did see the female sit higher in the nest and spend a great deal of time off the nest bowl. 

I included lots of footage in today’s video for those who want to form their own opinions.

I was disappointed to read a reader’s question on Marie Winn’s blog.  The question included a statement as though it was fact, that Pale Male preferred Rock Pigeons over other prey and was less likely to be poisoned.

Those of us who have followed Pale Male throughout the year will be happy to testify to his varied diet which includes mostly rodents.  There is no evidence that he prefers Rock Pigeons.  None what so ever!  (Pale Male does catch pigeons around the Model Boat Pond.  I wonder if this has skewed observations, as many hawk watchers follow Pale Male only from the “hawk bench”.)

I visited the nest today. The feeling at the bench is that the hatch window doesn’t start until around May 1st.  When I arrived Pale Male was on the nest and soon there after the female returned to take over brooding duties.  Later in the day, I saw Pale Male perched on the Beresford Apartments.