I arrived at the hawk bench a little too late to see Pale Male give Lola a break.  She was out and about and was assumed to be hunting. 

After about fifteen minutes a hawk, which I assumed was Lola moved north moving from tree to tree along the west edge of the Model Boat Pond.  The hawk went after a pigeon, but it wasn’t clear if it got anything.  When I got home and looked at my pictures, I discovered the hawk was an immature hawk with a light eye color and brown tail!

Lola had made her way to Cedar Hill and was joined by Pale Male for a moment.  I wondered why he left the nest.  I guess he was helping guide the young hawk away or maybe he was showing Lola a cached piece of prey.

Lola stayed for quite awhile on Cedar Hill eating a squirrel (graphic pictures of this follow).  When I left she still hadn’t returned to the nest and was on a 5th Avenue building around 78th Street.

If the repairs worked on Pale Male and Lola’s nest, we should have eyasses any day now.  After three years without kids however, expectations are tempered.  Let’s hope for the best.

Some pictures from Sunday of Pale Male on a nearby building, flying and of Lola tending to the nest.

These are pictures from both Saturday and Sunday.  The first two are of the nest and most of the others are of a window at 960 Fifth Avenue.

Pale Male and Lola were spotted copulating on Thursday by Lincoln Karim, and I was able to witness them copulating on Saturday.  A sure sign that Spring is coming to Fifth Avenue.

I made a brief visit to the newly refurbished 5th Avenue nest of Pale Male and Lola on Saturday.  Everything seemed like normal on a mid-winter day.  Lola and Pale Male are now spending much more time near the nest and are protecting the neighborhood.  While I was there, they chased off a juvenile Red-tail and an Accipiter pair.

Both Pale Male and Lola visited the nest.  Lola settled down into the nest and was impossible to see.  I think she can now settle in a little deeper.

James Lewis, who has been keeping track of the dates of Pale Male’s yearly nest activities, has the first event, first copulation as anywhere between 1/26 and 3/5.  So keep an eye out for the first signs of Spring!

On Tuesday, NYC Audubon refurbished the nest at 927 Fifth Avenue.  72 pigeon spikes were removed, as well as three eggs.  After three unsuccessful years, Pale Male and Lola will have a much better chance of having a successful nesting season this Spring.

I have the highest respect for the staff and board members of NYC Audubon, who undertook this project.  The refurbishment required research and consultation with scientific experts, getting permission to modify the nest from the Co-Op board and government officials, and extensive and expensive technical planning and execution.

NYC Audubon usually focuses on education and conservation activities in New York City.  To have focused on such a specific issue must have caused lots of discussion at board meetings.  Kudos to Executive Director, Glenn Phillips, for having the courage to take on this important issue.

NYC Audubon is in the midst of its Annual Appeal for 2008.  I encourage everyone to make a donation to NYC Audubon to thank them for helping Pale Male and Lola.