Donna's Field Notes -- Trump Parc nest

Photo by Lincoln Karim
June 18, 2005

Field Notes 6-19-05
FATHER'S DAY "PICNIC"

Sunset 8:32PM (NYT),
Temp. Hi 72F, 7PM-66F
Humidity 55%,
Cloudy,
Wind E 5 to 10 MPH,
Prey Tally-pigeon, rat.

All times PM unless otherwise noted.
Trump Nest
Alice reports-
4:45 Charlotte on right side of nest.
4:50 Charlotte sitting center, facing W. Kestrel
flyby, Kestrel gone behind building. Jr. on nest.
4:55 Hawk off nest.
4:56 Both hawks circle, one to 150 building, the other
to nest.
4:58 Hawk off 150.
4:59 Hawk off nest, circling in front of nest,
probably Pale Male Junior.
5:00 Jr. lands on nest, stands.
5:04 Jr. looks S.
5:05 Charlotte to nest left. PMJ looking S on nest
right. Both look down focus on eyasses.
5:09 Jr. gone, Charlotte looking into nest, tail to N.
5:11 Eating or feeding motions.
5:16 Charlotte facing nest,looking down, standing
erect.
Donna's report
5:15 Jr. soaring in sky over Columbus Circle, perches
far E corner of remnants of old Biography sign(?).
5:20 Jr. up and off to W, lost in sun.
5:27 Soars back to Columbus Circle and again perches E
corner of old sign.
5:37 Charlotte stands, pants.
5:39 Eyass head pops up.
5:45 Charlotte rends prey, feeds.
5:46 Mantles.
5:52 Jr. circles over HH and Essex to 58th behind HH
and Essex, circles W of Essex.
5:53 Continues to circle over St. Regis Club, rising
higher and higher into clouds.
5:55 Charlotte alert looks directly up, Jr. above
Essex, then N, looks to dive onto hotel roof, hunting
pigeons on roof(?).
6:18 Charlotte preens, nictitating right membrane one
third up.
6:26 Charlotte on nest S.
6:50 The sun comes out, Charlotte preens mid-back
vigorously.
6:57 The mulberries and wild strawberries are ripe.
7:10 Charlotte feeds, feathers very ruffled by wind.
7:14 Some small item falls off nest, bit of twig,
feather, ?. Charlotte watches it go.
7:16 Charlotte sits on edge at point of corbel, tail
to Little Hill, looks down near edge with focus at ?
(eyass?), moves twig from further back in nest to near
edge, pokes and manipulates it a couple of times,
until satisfied with placement. Charlotte looks down
at "the spot" the newly placed twig wiggles
intermittantly, no other twigs are wiggling in the
wind. Charlotte monitors the spot. (If any of those
with overlooking window seats saw what was going on
with this, please let me know. My curiousity is
killing me. "Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction
cured it" thanks to Irene for the continuation of the
line.)
7:21 Charlotte off nest fast, direct into park and
towards 64th St.
7:24 Junior returns on the exact same flight line that
Charlotte left on, to nest.
7:25 Charlotte does the same, then to nest. Both look
at eyasses with focus.
7:27 Sam on the scope sees that Jr. has brought a rat,
"Bigger than his head".
7:28 Junior up and off nest, circles above park,
soars, banks, circles again and again, westering sun
turns his plumage to shining gold, more circles, then
flies directly above us at Little Hill to WNW.
7:34 Charlotte center, feeds eyasses and eating.
7:40 Junior is back circling slightly W of Little Hill
over Black Squirrel Woods, continuous circles above
the trees, playful action, riding the currents, he
disappears in the treeline towards the Ballfields.
7:45 Exit.

Submitted-Donna Browne

Today's Hawkwatchers-Darby, John, Alice, Bill, Donna,
Sam, Katherine, Noreen.