Going to check on the Cathedral red-tails an hour before sunset hasn't seemed to work all that well, as they've been pretty sedentary in that timeframe. What about checking on them earlier?
Wednesday
At 1:45, both of the 103rd St. monk parakeets were busy working on renovations to the front porch. But at 1:55, neither of the Cathedral hawks was to be seen.
Checking back at 6:15, no one's in the nest, but (big surprise) one hawk is perched on the Wadleigh School tower. Whoever it is is still there when I exit the area at 7:00. Today's fun was watching Hedda, the Morningside Park turkey, wander around by the dog run. Apparently she's figured out what leashes do.
Thursday
Okay, tried an earlier time and reached Morningside Drive at 4:45. Damn, both hawks are perched at Wadleigh School. What is it about that finial that has them hanging there so much lately? Or is the sound of the back-hoes at 110th St. chasing them away from the Cathedral area?
Well, apparently they're not going to sit around too much anyway. At 6:55 when I'm down by the Morningside Park ballfields, one of the hawks flies into the park and perches in a tree near 114th St. and Morningside Ave. A couple crows follow, but they don't stay more than a few seconds. The hawk, however, hangs out for a bit, perhaps waiting to see if the pigeons will return. It's a bit hard to tell in the gloomy lighting, but it seems to be Tristan. And Isolde has also left the school tower, although where she's gone I can't say; there's no activity up toward the nest.
After five minutes Tristan apparently tires of waiting for the pigeons to return and he flies over to a tree well overhanging Morningside Ave. Checking for pigeons on the sidewalk along the street?
He only gives that spot a minute and then he's off to the southwest, disappearing in the corner of the park. A few minutes later he comes flying back and begins to circle above the ballfields, getting higher on every circle. Heading for the nest? No, as soon as he has the altitude — it takes 30-40 seconds — he darts west, but passes over the roof of the Cathedral School and into the close.
I head back uphill to see if any activity does ensue at the nest, but nothing happens. Instead I hang out watching Hedda the turkey and a black squirrel near where seed has been scattered for birds.
The squirrel is possessive amd there's a passel of sparrows in a nearby tree chattering loudly about how they dislike his attitude. A couple times I get a glimpse out of the corner of my eye of something like in the park treetops, but just glimpses.
By 5:40 still no activity around the nest. No hawks back atop the school either.
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