Junior and Charlotte -- What's new?

7/5/05

Yesterday Lincoln reported that the nestlings' dark primary flight feathers are coming in. And he saw the first beginnings of the sort of jumping behavior that precedes a redtail baby's fledge. Donna's Field Notes, below, give more evidence of jumping behavior. A very exciting stage is about to begin

Field Notes 7-1-05
Pale Male Jr. and Charlotte
Temp. 80F,
Clouds and Rain,
Wind variable 5-10MPH,
Humidity-74%
Prey Tally-Pigeon.

All times PM unless otherwise noted.
6:28 Charlotte nest center.
6:50 Charlotte on nest right, south, alert to sky.
6:52 Walks nest center w/pigeon, sets it down, works
beak, off nest and down, S side.
6:54 Eyass walks to center of nest, wings
outstretched.  Many more brown feathers have appeared
in the last few days.  She looks at buildings, sky,
preens.
6:59 Eyass Two stands, nest right, stretches wings,
preens. Both eyasses have very white circular patches
on the backs of their heads.
7:01 Eyass flaps wings with vigor.
7:09 Charlotte to nest, stands focuses on eyasses and
does the "I've been gone is everything as it should
be" check.
7:12 Charlotte looks straight up, looks at sky,
preens, turns looks straight up at sky, preens, this
sequence repeats six or seven times.  (I soon begin to
hear thunder I'm assuming she was hearing during this
time frame with her better equipment.
7:15 S eyass stands in front of Charlotte and flaps.
Charlotte bends down and begins feeding her.
7:17 Light rain, feeding continues.
7:19 Thunder.  Charlotte attempts to preen N eyass.
Eyass retreats to wall out of reach.  S eyass comes
over for preening.
7:22 More feeding, Charlotte eats as well.
7:26 Charlotte moves twig from S to center, looks at
sky, eyass comes over close to her.
7:27 Rolling thunder.  Eyass scrambles, makes a
concerted effort to get completely under Charlotte,
nearly toppling Mom over.
7:30 Charlotte snaps at large fly buzzing her.
7:31 Charlotte preens eyass under her, looks at sky,
suddenly her body jerks, and she makes a big beak snap
at eyass.  Eyass seems to have poked her with beak or
talon.  (Body jerk very similar to that of human
mother's reaction when bitten during breast feeding.)
7:32 Charlotte continues to "stare" at eyass under
her.
7:34 Wind and rain increase.
7:36 Charlotte stares fixedly at me.  Unbrella?
7:38 Charlotte keeps eye on eyass.
7:48 Exit.
Submitted-Donna Browne


Field Notes 7-2-05

Sunset-8:32PM,
Temp. Hi 83F,
Stiff breeze on nest at Trump Parc,
Humidity-21%,
Sun,
Prey Tally-Pigeon.

All times PM unless otherwise noted.
Pale Male and Lola-Alice reports that just before 4:00
Pale Male was seen circling over Model Boat Pond area.
5:30 Lola sits Carlyle 3.

Pale Male Jr. and Charlotte
Trump Parc Nest
6:29 Both eyasses sitting far N side of nest next to
wall, panting. Their faces have changed markedly. They
no longer look the least bit cuddley.  No parents on
nest.
6:34 Both watch pigeons on Little Hill.
6:34 Right eyass works beak, sun shining on them makes
their eyes look red.
6:37 Eyass near the wall, hangs head over edge.
6:40 Kentaurian arrives and asks if Jr. has arrived
yet with pigeon.  Junior arrives with pigeon.
6:41 Charlotte arrives on nest.
6:42 Junior off the nest to S, then circles back and
does Pale Male Flyover of Little Hill. Charlotte takes
prey to S side of nest, prepares it, seems to be
ripping prey but not feeding.
6:55 Eyasses out of sight, eating prepared prey?
Charlotte preens. Charlotte center, watching unseen
eyasses.
7:01 Charlotte center, eats.
7:18 Charlotte up and off nest to W.
7:25 Eyass stands.
7:35 Jr. arrives and lands on E chimney of Hampshire
House.
7:45 Jr. no longer in sight, but no one saw him leave
the chimney.  I go E in attempt to spot him on
chimney.  Unsuccessful.
7:55 On my return he has once again walked back into
view of Little Hill. Vigilant.  No doubt at this point
that he can perch on HH chimney unseen from the
ground. Eyasses out of sight.
8:17 Both eyasses stand, Jr. still on HH chimney.
8:24 Jr. no longer in view of Little Hill.
8:27 One eyass does bona fide hopping and flapping
action. A harbinger of things to come.
8:33 Charlotte to nest, preens.
8:34 Charlotte off nest, W on 58th.
8:35 Jr. not visible on Chimney.
8:39 Jr. to nest from 58th.
8:40 Jr. off nest W  on 58th.
8:45 Charlotte discovered S side of nest.
8:46 Charlotte settles in.
Hawkwatchers:Alice, Kentaurian, Irene, Donna, two
teachers from Louisiana, two Vermont college students,
four tourists-of which two were Italian, and a  NYC
business man.
Submitted-Donna Browne.