What wildlife do you see on your rides?

[PamNY]

One of our Central Park hawks is missing and presumed dead. Lola was the fourth mate to Pale Male, who became well-known when he moved into Central Park and built a nest on a ritzy Fifth Avenue apartment building.

The building took down the nest at one point, but was forced by public outcry to allow the hawks to rebuild. The pair have been featured in a documentary and movie.

It's a romantic and anthropomorphic point of view, I know, but these two did seem to enjoy each others' company and engaged in courtship behaviors year-round. Pale Male has recently begun flirting with a new mate.

Here's Lola:

http://www.palemale.com/lolal.html

[Trekhawk]

One of our Central Park hawks is missing and presumed dead. Lola was the fourth mate to Pale Male, who became well-known when he moved into Central Park and built a nest on a ritzy Fifth Avenue apartment building.

The building took down the nest at one point, but was forced by public outcry to allow the hawks to rebuild. The pair have been featured in a documentary and movie.

It's a romantic and anthropomorphic point of view, I know, but these two did seem to enjoy each others' company and engaged in courtship behaviors year-round. Pale Male has recently begun flirting with a new mate.

Here's Lola:

http://www.palemale.com/lolal.html

Oh that is sad. Thanks for including the link. I love hawks and enjoy seeing them flying around our valley although not too close to my chicken house.

[emily_in_nc]

Aww, that's sad about Lola. We have the Pale Male video, and I found the story so incredibly touching.

[PamNY]

Trekhawk, having watched hawks hunt, I can see why hawks around chickens would be undesirable. City hawks mostly eat rats, which is a good thing.

As always, photographer Lincoln Karim has some terrific images.

Pale Male's new mate on the nest:

http://www.palemale.com/january152011s.html
http://www.palemale.com/january152011l.html (same photos in larger size; great if you have a hi res monitor)


These photos show Pale Male courting his new mate with aerial acrobatics. There are also juvenile redtails and a Cooper's hawk in this set:

http://www.palemale.com/january92011s.html
http://www.palemale.com/january92011l.html (same photos; large size)

[emily_in_nc]

How wonderful! Thanks for posting these, PamNY.

[PamNY]

An interesting update to the Pale Male story. He was courting a dark-colored female for a long time. She's disappeared, and he has a new, lighter-colored lady in his life.

Lincoln Karim's photos are here:

http://www.palemale.com/january302011s.html

I don't know if this behavior is usual for hawks or not; I had assumed that a mate is a mate to hawks, but clearly something didn't work out.

Once again, I'm reminded of how lucky we are to observe these birds so closely, even when our observations give us more questions than answers.

[emily_in_nc]

An interesting update to the Pale Male story. He was courting a dark-colored female for a long time. She's disappeared, and he has a new, lighter-colored lady in his life.

What beautiful photos - thanks for sharing the link. The poster called the mate a "person" in one caption! That made me smile.