Urban Hawks

January 23, 2010December 24, 2020Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks

Fallen Riverside Nest Remains

I went by the 2009 Riverside nest site to look at the remains of the fallen nest. There was lots of ribbon, what looked like nylon rope pulled apart and an Ace bandage.

The nest built in the same location after the 2008 nest failure also fell down, so this is not bad news. The hawks should be rebuilding the nest in the next few weeks. “Where will they build it?” is the question.

Exiting the park, I got a good look at the restoration project of the biking and walking path along the river in the upper 80’s and 90’s. It finally looks like they’re making progress and that it should be completed soon.

January 23, 2010December 21, 2020Owls

Cruel Mistress

Nature can throw you a left hook sometimes. Today, it felt like the left hook was followed up by a knock out punch.

The female was found sunning back at Glen Span Arch. Her old cavity, the one we suspected had become a nest, was found to have a squirrel in it. The squirrels didn’t leave her alone at the bridge either. A squirrel came into the tree and forced her out on an open branch for about half an hour.

The knock out punch was delivered after dusk however. The male continued to be missing, even after the female called and called (using a trill rather than her normal whinny), before giving up and going hunting. While it’s possible he’s just taking a break, given how close this pair has been, I suspect he’s dead.

One of the mysteries is, did he get injured defending the Bridle Path cavity or did he get injured and the female couldn’t defend the cavity on her own?

January 22, 2010December 21, 2020Owls

What’s Up?

After what looked like two weeks of nesting behavior, tonight we had quite a shock.

Arriving earlier than normal, we saw the female on a small branch outside the cavity in bright light just after sunset. The last time this happened, she had lost a cavity to a raccoon by Glen Span Arch.

After a few minutes, she flew into the triangle south of the bypass road, and then went into The Loch.

This is the fourth night we haven’t seen or heard the male. We’re trying to come up with a positive explanation, but haven’t found one yet.

The movie includes a pellet being coughed up.

Saturday Morning Update: The female was sunning in her Glen Span Arch cavity. The cavity she abandoned was being mobbed by two Blue Jays. Their mobbing caused a squirrel to pop out of the cavity. It would be ironic one of the factors caused Screech Owls to disappear from the park in addition to car traffic, city lights, poisons and pesticides, was an over population of squirrels due to people feeding them.

The disappearance of the male is now a real mystery. I saw a squirrel go to bed, way after dark around 7 p.m. earlier this week. Could something have happened? We should know in a few days.

January 22, 2010Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks

Riverside Nest

I got a short note yesterday from Leslie Day that last year's nest fell from the London Plane tree by the Hudson River.

"This afternoon I walked by the tree and – no nest! I looked on the ground and there it was. Lots of ribbons, fabric and feathers and all the branches. I'm pretty sure it was exactly a year ago that the first nest fell down too. We had some big winds a few nights ago off the river."

It will be interesting if they choose a new location or return to the same tree later this winter.

January 21, 2010December 21, 2020Owls

Just Her

Tonight, we only saw and heard the female again. She quickly left her cavity, went into the triangle area and perched in a tree. She then went down to the ground and we lost her. I suspect she returned to the cavity, but we didn’t hear any calls from her.

The mystery of where the male is continues.

January 20, 2010December 21, 2020Owls

Where Is He?

The last two nights, I’ve spent a few hours each night at the cavity. I must have missed the female’s break last night, but saw it tonight. Tonight, she only left the nest for two minutes to defecate. I did hear her both nights calling softly from the cavity.

No sign of the male.

Various calls by the female from 5:45 P.M. to 7:45 P.M.