Report from the Hawk Bench

Lola on Stovepipe -- Photo by Lincoln Karim

Donna reports on the Fifth Avenue Hawks. For those who are a bit mystified, I'll ask her to clarify the terminology she uses in these reports-- the Crows, Woody's etc. some of which dates back to the early days I wrote about in Red-tails in Love, and some which she seems to have originated. I'll post her reply . The photo above provides a hint for identifying Stovepipe.

The Hawkbench, Pale Male and Lola

1 Feb 2006

Temperature- 43F

Cloudy

Wind-NW 3-5 MPH

Humidity- 51%

All times pm unless otherwise noted.

Rik's morning report, numbers of twigs brought to the nest from the trees of Central Park from the west. Pale Male and Lola both do some standing, some walking, and some looking down at the nest.

1:40pm Pale Male on Linda 1, surveying domain, crop rounded. Lola on Oreo grated chimney, anterior west.

2:22 Both on same perches. 16 Mallards and 1 gull swimming around in Model Boat Pond. ( Never once does a gull appear in last season's field notes swimming around in the MBP.) (?) Numbers of gulls cruising sky above MBP.

2:28 Kentaurian is seen coming towards the Hawkbench from the south.

2:29 Kentaurian arrives at the Bench, looks up at Pale Male on Linda 2, spreads his arms wide and calls, "Pale Male! WHAT are you doing? It's February, get up and DO something!" And right on cue, Pale Male is up, flies around Woody several times, flushes some pigeons off the roof. Circles in front of top Woody windows, then above Woody, behind Woody, and zips off towards the Carlyle and behind it.

2:30 Lola is up off the Oreo grate, circles, then to 79th, then over MBP and soars off west, lost in trees in direction of the Boat House.

2:33 Pale Male rapidly flapping back on 5th to the south, circles the roof of The Crows, flushes pigeons, chases gull from Crows area and over Pilgrim Hill. Pale Male back to Woody, flies past top floor window, circles above Woody, circles above 927, chases 2 gulls, herding them higher and higher away from 927.

2:37 Chases two gulls toward Oreo, then further north and then back to Stovepipe. All the pigeons by the MBP take to the sky banking in unison.

2:38 Pale Male returns and perches on Linda 2.

Someone says, "Guess those birds know who's boss."

2:51 A few gulls are back circling above the MBP (But NOT above 927.) calling. Pale Male doesn't look at them. Left foot tucked up, he continues to survey the area, alert.

3:04 Lola discovered circling above 927, then Woody, then south and perches on NE corner of watertower cover of the Ugly White Condo.

3:15 PM and L, still same perches.

Both of Lola's perches of today were favorite copulation spots of last season.

3:25 Exit.

Submitted-Donna Browne