Report from the Hawk Bench

Field Notes 4-20-05

Sunset 7:42PM,
Temp. 85F,
Wind SW, gusts to 20MPH,
Partly Cloudy,
Prey Tally-Starling

All times PM unless otherwise noted.
3:34 Lola deep in nest,head N, Pale Male on Oreo
antenna.
4:00 Lola stands on rear nest looking NW, slight
mantle, preens.
4:05 Wide mantle.
4:06 Pale Male no longer on Antenna. Lola glances into
concave then settles carefully while looking down.
4:10 3 Gulls fly over 927, Lola invisible.
4:13 Helicopter circles area. Lola completely
submerged.
4:16 Lola stands in concave, looks down, beak down.
4:17 Helicopter pass, Lola invisible.
4:28 Lola stands rear of nest, preens.
4:30 Extreme rapid preening.
4:32 Pale Male discovered Oreo Antenna.
4:38 Lola digs in nest lining then down. There are
two helicopters in the area, every time one appears,
Lola covers nest. It becomes clear that the oft
repeated thought of hiring a helicopter to discover
the number of eggs would not work unless an
appropriate angle could be found from extreme
distance.
4:40 Pale Male gone, Lola watches NW.
4:41 Lola arranges nest lining with feet.
4:58 Lola down.
4:59 Lola head to N watches N and W.
5:22 Lola stands rear of nest, preens shoulders.
5:24 Very alert to N and W, glances into concave.
5:28 Actively looking for ? Seems almost ready to
take flight.
5:31 Pale Male lands on nest with short thick twig or
strip of bark.
5:32 Lola off nest.
5:33 Pale Male down and up in concave, places twig,
watches W and N, then settles, head to N, looks W.
5:53 Pale Male standing, pants, looks into nest with
focus, digs.

The behavior from 5:54 to 6:01 breaks the rythmn of
the usual behavior of the last few weeks.

5:54 Pale Male flies off nest. Elizabeth reports beak
opening several times. Calls? Pale Male circles in
front of nest at least twice.
5:55 Pale Male returns to nest, looks into concave
with focus, then digs, looks down. Then looks to SW.
5:57 Pale Male down in nest head to S. Lola lands on
nest.
5:58-6:01 Pale Male off, lazy circles- 927, back and
forth Dr. Fischer, S of Boat Pond, Pilgrim Hill, Boat
Pond, Cedar Hill, Lola watches, then preens.
6:28 Lola sitting tail to bench.
6:52 Pale Male on Oreo Antenna, Lola head visible.
6:54 Lola stands, slight mantle of concave, she looks
into concave.
6:56 Wide mantle, very alert.
6:58 Stands on edge of nest, look into concave.
7:03 Preens oxter.
7:06 Lola settles into nest, Pale Male flies off
antenna and goes N.
7:10 Lola head to N, looks N.
7:23 Pale Male to nest with Starling. Lola takes prey
to Stovepipe railing, eats.
7:28 Pale Male down in nest, Lola circles over Pine
Knoll.
7:33 Lola to nest.
7:34 Pale Male to Pin Oak some feet E of favorite
roost Pin Oak.
7:35 Lola in concave looking down.
7:44 Lola watches Pale Male in Pin Oak.
7:53 Pale Male switches to a new branch, same tree.
Exit
Submitted- Donna Brown