May 11, 2007

5/10, Tristan Feeds Again

Mostly text. I haven't had the energy to go through all my pix yet. I'll try to post them on Friday.

Thursday

5:38 p.m. - Arrive at nest area. No adult hawks visible, nor nestlings. Jean D. is already there and she hasn't seen anything in the past 40 minutes.

5:47 - While I'm checking the nest from the Morningside Drive side, an adult lands on Gabriel's horn. It's Isolde.

Isold and Gabriel

6:02 - Isolde flies off, but heads east and down over Morningside Park.

6:05 - As Jean and I stand at the 112th St. entrance to Morningside Park, a hawk comes swooping down from our right toward a group of 8-10 starlings on the upper lawn. Starlings erupt into the air and hawk continues on and upward, then pulls a U-turn and is seen flying back south.

Red Tail over Morningside Park

But although we saw Isolde fly over here a couple minutes ago, is it her? The belly feathers look a little light, plus there's that missing right wing feather that Bruce and I thought we saw in late March.

Red Tail over Morningside Park

6:12 - I'm down by the park pond, at the one spot where you can see the nest if you have a pair of binoculars. No hawks down here, and no activity up at the Cathedral.

6:22 - Back up at 113th St. Isolde pops up from behind the Cathedral, flies across the street and lands on what seems to be her favorite chimney at the hospital.

Isolde atop St. Luke's

6:33 - Bruce Yolton also arrives.

6:42 - Hawk up? I've forgotten why, but at this point I'm up at the 114th St. entrance to the park looking for Tristan. Turning around, I find him circling overhead. He lands on a finial on the Cathedral roof.

6:47 - Tristan is now on Gabriel's horn.

Tristan and Gabriel.

6:53 - Tristan exits. Flies south and is last seen over 110th St., halfway to Manhattan Ave. Going hunting at the Great Hill?

7:00 - Isolde's still on the chimney.

7:03 - Isolde flies across the street to the nest, checks on the kid(s).

Isolde Visits Her Nest

7:05 - Isolde further into the nest. Is that white spot on her right a nestling's head?

Isolde Visits Her Nest

7:08 - Isolde flies back to the hospital chimney.

7:13 - Isolde disappears from chimney.

7:14 - A hawk flies into the nest, using the south entrance (i.e., over St. Andrew's right shoulder). I/we initially think this is Isolde, sneaking around the Cathedral to the nest, but we later realize it's Tristan.

Tristan in His Nest

7:15 - Tristan still at the nest. I can see a nestling head moving around through the twigs toward the right rear of the nest.

7-15 DSC_0269.JPG

Tristan in His Nest

Isolde re-appears, perches on Gabriel's horn.

7:17 - Tristan gets busy feeding nestling(s).

7:23 - Tristan stops feeding for a moment. Hard to say, but I think I can just barely see nestling heads through the twigs on each side of him. Hmmm, well, maybe the fuzzy spot on the left is dinner's fur?

Tristan Feeds the Kids

7:30 - Feeding's done. Tristan turns around and flies out of the nest.

Tristan Exits the Nest

7:31 - Tristan perches on one of the green pointy roofs at St. Luke's. Isolde is still across the street on Gabriel's horn.

7:36 - Tristan disappears from St. Luke's. Apparently he headed west along 113th St.

7:38 - A helpful cyclist shows Bruce where Tristan went. He's perched on the Cathedral wall, high up on one of the buttresses (about 40-50 west of the transept) and overlooking the northwest parking lot.

Tristan on St. John's

7:42 - Exeunt hawkwatchers. Tristan is still on the buttress and Isolde on Gabriel's horn.

No comments:

Post a Comment