Saturday, June 24, 2006

Kestrels

In addition to the RTH's and Peregrines I monitor, fledging season for the Kestrels is also here. I have been keeping a close eye on the uptown Kestrels as they come and go from the nest hole. Here's the male,

and the female!




Here they are perched together...


Like an arrow, the males slices from the shared perch!

He misses the lucky sparrow and flys overhead!

And alights on an antenna...

where he looks around,

before flying off!



and rejoining his mate, empty taloned!

Inbound LAG, outbound NEW.

Catching Up

This rainy day has allowed me to catch up on some of my work. Here's a collection of some recent pix from St. John's
The more you learn,

the more you urn!

Psssst!

What'd you say?

Come on it's not so bad!

Fledgling framed in foliage!

Empty nest syndrome!

Saturday, June 17, 2006

2nd Cathedral Baby Fledges!

Just got word, the 2nd baby finally fledged today at 1030am...almost one full week after her older sibling. These things take time I guess!

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Baby Got Back!

Only a few hours out of the nest and an old foe becomes a new enemy.

I can certainly say that this hawklet has moxie!

Dad Brings Home the Bacon!

Is there such a thing as pigeon bacon?

Something on St. Andrew's Mind

that he just had to get off!

keeeeeeeee

yaaaahhhhh!



Way to go lil dude!

Sunday, June 11, 2006

First Cathedral Chick Fledges!

After a few close calls last night, the first chick fledged the St. John the Divine nest today at 12:20pm. From what I recorded, and what others close by report, the fledge was a success, with the chick ending up in the Park, across from 113th St. More info including pix later!

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Stand By Your Man

As the chicks mature, their parents spend more of their time away from the nest. Coming from the train, I spotted the pair high above 110th St.

They seemed to be in sync, looking this way then thataways.

I became aware of a mockingbird singing his multi-mimetic alarm call. As I circled the block, the mockingbird made his move.









The persistent mocker hounded the male through the Park. I picked up the male on top of St. Luke's--and he was soon joined by the female.



The male then moved into the Park, while the female moved closer to the nest.







I decided to follow the male into the Park...as I meandered the lush walkways, I spotted a flash of red across the ballfields. Circling around, there was the tell tale sign of feathery confetti! For about 10 minutes he defeathered and partially consumed part of this chick. It looks to me like another pigeon squab, plundered from one of the nearby abandoned buildings.



Some robins got wise to his presence and they began pipping their alarm calls. The male then flew overhead to a tall locust tree.

Still hounded, the male then flew up the hill and began circling. As I ran up the hill in pursuit, I heard a large commotion. It seems that two grackles took exception to the hawks proximity to their nesting locations.

As they continually hounded the male, a male kestrel appeared on the scene! Just as quickly, the female was off the nest and just missed killing the kestrel!

The kestrel quickly hightailed it out of there and the male brought the food to the nest. He stood guard as the mother fed the young.

This diet of tender meat has the chicks growing rapidly...the change is evident day to day!