Fifth Avenue Hawks

This weekend was the first time I saw 927 Fifth Avenue nest without the scaffolding that has been up for weeks.  Although there is still some scaffolding on the lower floors, it looks like most of the work has been done.  The building management did a good job of protecting the nest, even with all of the cleaning work.  It’s height and shape matches pictures I took this summer.

Here are pictures of the nest, Pale Male on a building a few blocks north, and the pair on the Beresford Apartments north tower.

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Central Park Sunday

On Sunday, I had a great time in Central Park.

As I walked into the park, Pale Male was in a favorite windows on Fifth Avenue.  It was so nice to find him within a minute of walking into the park.  Later, I saw another Red-tail circling around 85th and Central Park West.

Then it was off to see a Vesper Sparrow in the Pinetum.  It was eating grass seed on a newly seeded lawn.  This semi-rare sparrow for Central Park was fairly easy to watch.

The last highlight of the day was a Cape May Warbler high atop an Elm tree.  This specific tree has been knocked full of holes by Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers and has been dubbed by some birders the Magic Tree, because it is attracting so many warblers this year.

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Pale Male

Pale Male loves to spend time up by Turtle Pond, the Met and the Great Lawn in the Fall.  His schedule this season seems a little off though.  Between the nest and the Beresford being covered in netting, and a new mate that seems a little more alouf than past mates, I haven’t seen him in his regular perches or hunting locations this season.

However, on Saturday evening he was back in his favorite Fall spots.  Eating in a favorite tree, perching on a streetlight over the East Drive, and then perching on the Met. 

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