Pale Male Updates

With days lengthening, Pale Male and Lola have begun making more trips to collect materials for their nest. Even in steady rain on Saturday, Pale Male made flight after flight with twigs from the trees in Central Park to 927 Fifth Avenue and then back again.










 

Currently Lola appears to be in charge of "nest design" and her time moving twigs from one spot to another, pushing them with her maxillary rostrum, intertwining the twigs to her satisfaction has increased as well. 

 

More and more frequently the bonded pair is seen standing side by side, mid-nest, looking down at their handiwork, staring. Then one or the other may walk side to side, then front to back. Researchers have theorized that not only are visual cues involved, but "feel" is a prime indicator for Red-tails in proper nest construction. 

 

In the last few days Lola has taken to sitting on some of her favorite copulation perches from last season. Additions to the Trump Parc nest have continued apace as well. Low in the nest, Charlotte was seen positioning pieces of what appeared to be black roofing material amongst already intertwined twigs.

When passing through Columbus Circle it's well worth the time to take a minute and scan the sky above you. Pale Male Jr. and Charlotte have been seen soaring together in the first preliminaries of nuptial flights.

Red-tailed Hawk behavior for New York City in February is in full swing.


   Donegal Browne

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