Due to a busy work schedule, I've only been able to get fleeting glimpses of my neighborhood raptors. I regularly see the new Cathedral male darting over St. Nicholas Ave. when I leave for work in the morning. And he can be found cavorting around the Cathedral with his mate when it starts to get dark. After observing him now for a few weeks, it's clear this bird has an altogether different personality than the previous male. While the prior hawk was reticent and epitomized the red-tail as an ambush hunter, this bird uses a different approach. Using his energy and poise, he will hawk through the side streets, flushing all sorts of quarry. I watched him sprint from Wadliegh at some starlings.
Easily missing, he continued over me and into the park, keyarr-ing all the way.
After alighting on 300CPN, he transited the park again and lit off for Morningside, emitting a phrase like keyarr--mating whine--keyyar--mating whine alternately.
It was amazing to feel the confidence and prowess of this new hawk!
I also caught the kestrels together, but no mating was observed.
The tagged female.
The colorful male.
Its always darkest before the dawn!
1 comment:
I'm here from Carnival of Cities.
This is a GREAT site! You make my heart SOAR!!
I hope you'll follow-up at my site and submit to the Surfer's Paradise Hullabaloo! carnival.
Better, if you're so inclined, I'd like to do a link exchange.
Did you by any change follow my link in comments at the carnival to What I See Out My Window? Wondering if, by chance, you have a view of any birds?
Will look forward to hear from you.
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