NYC Riverside Park Red Tail Nest Destroyed by High Winds

[birdlover]

How tragic.  There were 3 babies in the nest - no mention as to where they could be or if they survived.  Nature can be beautiful and cruel at the same time.

http://site.palemale.com/8may2010-2354

[Donna]

How tragic.  There were 3 babies in the nest - no mention as to where they could be or if they survived.  Nature can be beautiful and cruel at the same time.

http://site.palemale.com/8may2010-2354

Is that nest one of PM's kids from a few years back? How awful....poor babies and sad for mom and dad. This wind is wicked!

[Dumpsterkitty]

Some assume the mother is a daughter or granddaughter of Pale Male & Lola due to her coloring, but no way to know for sure. 

I found a report at Urban Hawks  Bruce Yolton's blog...

Sad News At Riverside - May 8, 2010

In the high wind late today, the Riverside Park nest was destroyed and all three eyasses perished. I have not been to the nest site yet, so all I know is second hand.  Reports from fellow hawk watchers say the eyasses were already dead when they were found among the remains of the nest, so they died quickly.

The mother was seen looking where the nest had been, and then flew off.  The remains of the nest are on the ground, which includes lining material and a half eaten pigeon. After a day or two expect the parents to rebuild the nest, although it is likely that this replacement will not be used until next year, if not at all.

Leslie Day reminded me that two years ago, those eyasses also perished the day before Mother's Day. This family seems to catch all the bad breaks.

This is just another reminder of the high mortality rate for Red-tailed Hawk babies. Over 70% die in their first year.

[Annette]

That is very very sad. 

[MAK]

How tragic.  There were 3 babies in the nest - no mention as to where they could be or if they survived.  Nature can be beautiful and cruel at the same time.

http://site.palemale.com/8may2010-2354

Is that nest one of PM's kids from a few years back? How awful....poor babies and sad for mom and dad. This wind is wicked!

I'll say this wind is wicked. It took out my 10x20 ft. carport yesterday!  I wanna know how the birds fly in wind like that. We had gusts to 60mph. When I got up at 6:00 this morning there was a coat of snow on the ground and flurries in the air. Yuck!!! So much for any picnics today.

[MAK]

Some assume the mother is a daughter or granddaughter of Pale Male & Lola due to her coloring, but no way to know for sure. 

I found a report at Urban Hawks  Bruce Yolton's blog...

Sad News At Riverside - May 8, 2010

In the high wind late today, the Riverside Park nest was destroyed and all three eyasses perished. I have not been to the nest site yet, so all I know is second hand.  Reports from fellow hawk watchers say the eyasses were already dead when they were found among the remains of the nest, so they died quickly.

The mother was seen looking where the nest had been, and then flew off.  The remains of the nest are on the ground, which includes lining material and a half eaten pigeon. After a day or two expect the parents to rebuild the nest, although it is likely that this replacement will not be used until next year, if not at all.

Leslie Day reminded me that two years ago, those eyasses also perished the day before Mother's Day. This family seems to catch all the bad breaks.

This is just another reminder of the high mortality rate for Red-tailed Hawk babies. Over 70% die in their first year.

Awful!

[Donna]

I'll say this wind is wicked. It took out my 10x20 ft. carport yesterday!  I wanna know how the birds fly in wind like that. We had gusts to 60mph. When I got up at 6:00 this morning there was a coat of snow on the ground and flurries in the air. Yuck!!! So much for any picnics today. /quote]

WOW...sorry MAK. The wind is still whipping here. I wonder how many nests were affected by this horrible weather/wind/snow/rain. Poor birds.