Babies in the Park: Donna

Hello Marie,

Just as I got off the subway, Stella called. She had
heard begging and Jays scolding. Sure enough there was
F-2, Little, deep in the foliage of a tree within the
construction fence across the transverse west of the
7th Ave. entrance. (The phones lines began to buzz.)


Junior was in attendence with a black rat. At 7:08
Jr. changed perches and prepared the rat, Little's
begging increased in pitch and rapidity. 7:10 Jr.
brought the rat to Little, who continued to beg even
with the rat right there in his talons. Finally he
ate it and started begging once again.

By then Lincoln and Arthur had arrived and a bit of a
crowd was gathering. My phone rang and it was Irene.
John had discovered Big in a tree just west of Little Hill.
By the time I got there at 8:05, Big was in a London
Plane, right there beautifully exposed for photography
but also surrounded by a mob of scolding Blue Jays and
a single Robin. The Robin continued scolding long
after the Jays had given it up. The phones had done
their work and the clan had gathered: Jean, John,
Arthur, Lincoln, Ben, Bruce, Irene, Stella, numerous
bicyclists, and tourists.

By 8:30 Big's head was nodding, her eyes shut, then she'd
jerk awake and do a bit of preening and then her head
would fall forward with her beak in her breast feathers again.

By 8:30 Kelly had arrived with the news that at 8:20
Junior had gone to roost on the Green Glass building.
(Interesting since both Fledglings were in the Park,
so perhaps he's been using it for months.) Everyone
was looking through the scope at Big, fast asleep but
a large school group of kids were coming up the path
laughing and talking. Oh dear, the baby will be
awakened. Kelley ran over and told them that the baby
hawk was asleep up in the tree. The kids all got
quiet and practically tiptoed past. Then with a Good
Night, young hawk, the humans drifted away toward
home in the dark.

Donna

PS Kelley says that Jr. does a bit of show over
Columbus Circle before going to roost so perhaps we
might want to set the scope up there to watch Junior
go to roost. I checked and his roost spot on the Green
Glass building is visible from the fountain area...and
at least 10 degrees cooler there as well.