3/26/05 -- New postings today:

3/26/05 -- New postings today:
Field Notes
More about Moon color
Pasadena GHO


3/26/05

Field Notes Friday, 3/25/2005

Temp. 43F,
Partly Cloudy,
Wind Variable 3MPH,
Full Moon,

AM Pale Male spent much time on the Carlyle.
Stella reports today's nest exchange (Pale Male sits
the nest) occurred from 1:35 to 2:05PM.

3:55PM Pale Male perched on NW corner of Oreo railing
4:15PM Lola sitting nest, facing N, head up, very
alert.
4:19PM Pale Male off Oreo into tree line, then west,
Lola watches him, down into nest but alert.
4:55PM Lola's head up, alert, then down, eye visible.
5:37PM Lola stands, stretches wings, bends over beak
down, turning eggs?
5:38PM Lola down.
5:45PM Fifth Avenue bathed in Golden Light.
5:54PM Lola stands, small digging action, settles back
down.
5:59PM Lola's head appears, very alert.
6:02PM Lola down.
6:20PM Roost Hunt-Marie, Sam, Donna, Lincoln, All known roosts checked. No Pale Male.
6:42PM 7 ducks fly N from Model Boat Pond
7:20PM Exit.



Yesterday I asked about the color of the full moon. If you click on the link below, sent in by Karen Anne Kolling, you'll find some more information.


Moon color info
In answer to my question about the moon's color Rebekah Creshkoff writes:


Also, bear in mind that you actually didn't see the moon until it had been up for, say, and hour and 45 minutes -- so it wasn't JUST after rising, and would be nearly 30 degrees above the horizon.

(I also saw my first Phoebe on Thursday, the day of the snow -- had been in the slush on the pavement of the Mall, then flew up & perched on the back of a bench, flipping its tail, as I approached.)





Photo by Steve Watson

I know I know. This is a Central Park site, so what is this Great Horned Owl and owlet nesting on the side of a Pasadena laboratory doing here? Well, let's say it's the exception that proves the rule. Who can resist this beautiful photograph, and the sight of that owl baby growing by leaps and bounds?



Photo by Lincoln Karim
approx. 7:15 pm 3/24/05

The moon rose at 5:09 p.m, [according to the NY Times] but became apparent to the Hawkwatchers remaining at the hawkbench -- Ben Cacace, Donna Browne and me, a little before 7:pm, First visible a little south of the Carlyle, it began as a diffused glow behind a heavy cloudbank, and then, as the clouds moved away, a spectacular, bright, whitish globe.

Question: Why is the moon sometimes reddish-orange just after rising, and sometimes, as tonight, pure white?




Donna Browne's Field Notes
Thursday, 3/24/2005

Sunset 6:12PM,
Temp. 41F,
W. Chill 38F,
Wind WSW 5-10MPH,
Clouds,
Prey Tally-Pigeon

Ric reports around Noon, Pale Male took over the nest
from Lola. She went over to the water tower on the
ugly white condo and ate a stashed pigeon. Her break
lasted about 45 minutes. Conrad reports Pale Male
spent a good bit of time perching on the Carlyle in
the AM.

3:29PM Pale Male is perched on the railing of the
Stove Pipe.
3:31PM Pale Male up and flies west.
3:38PM Pale Male flies in from west and perches on
railing of Stove Pipe.
3:41PM Lola stands and makes larger than her previous
digging motions with her feet, then beak down possibly
turning eggs. She then settles back down.
3:42PM Pale Male flies to nest, stands on the north
side, looks at Lola who is turned to the south,
briefly surveys nest.
3:43PM Pale Male up, circles Woody, flies
north,circles Oreo, flies north low.
3:55PM Greater part of bench pigeon flock flies east
to roost.
4:08PM Lola stands, digging motions, then beak down.
4:09PM Lola settles in and preens breast.
4:12PM Lola very alert, looking hard west.
4:15PM 1 pigeon, pied, left at the Bench.
4:19PM Pale Male discovered on light 5 on Carlyle.
4:21PM Pale Male moves to lamp 3.
5:17PM Pale Male still on lamp 3, Carlyle, Lola down.
5:25PM Bench Cardinal sings for peanut. He then takes
it and feeds his mate in the Cheery trees.
5:30PM Pale Male discovered on the antenna of The
Crows. Lola is difficult to see with binoculars.
5:34PM 33 Mallards on the pond.
5:38PM Starlings flocked en masse on roof and water
tower of Linda.
5:45PM Starlings up and circle to north.
5:47PM Pale Male still on Crows antenna, preens back
and breast.
6:07PM Pale Male gone.
6:30PM Active Roost Hunt begins. Lincoln remains at
the bench to watch Pilgrim Hill Pin Oak. Ben, Marie,
and Donna check known roosts from present and past
years.
6:40PM Mallard pair flies west, observed from walk by
East Drive.
6:45PM Approx. 8 Mallards fly west, observed from same
as previous.
7:00PM Ben, Marie, and Donna having not found Pale
Male at roost return to the bench. Pale Male is not
roosting in Pilgrim Hill Pin Oak either. The nearly
full Moon appears from behind the clouds.
7:40PM Pale Male not found. Exit.