mthew

Big bird, big eye: the inner eyelid or nictitating membrane can really be seen in action here. And again.

While watching the Bald Eagle at Valley Water, I noticed a familiar silhouette in the distance. The bird flew closer, perching in a tree nearer the Baldie. But looking the other way. Adult Astur cooperii with very full crop. The next thing I knew there was a Red-tail buzzing the eagle before landing in this…

Bald Eagle at Sylvan Water last Tuesday. Smack dab in the center of Brooklyn. A circle or two around the lake… … those eagle eyes spot something. And snag it! Sushi! (One of the sunfish, perhaps.) And away the bird flew, circling back towards Valley Water.

Last Tuesday, I spent almost two hours with a Bald Eagle in Green-Wood. I first saw the huge bird perched above Valley Water. A bold Blue Jay read the Riot Act. An American Kestrel flew past but did not engage. But a pair of Red-tailed Hawks did, making some passes as the eagle screamed. (It…

Last Monday, I saw a long line of bird crap string out of a pine. Whoa! I always keep an eye on the pines in winter in case of owls. It took me a moment or two to find the culprit. We occasionally get Bald Eagle fly-overs in Green-Wood, but actually perched ones are rare.…

I’ve seen this male American Kestrel on this nearby chimney pot three weekends in a row, with a couple of sightings in-between. This was last Saturday. Three hours later, the bird was a block away on the edge of Sunset Park, at 41st and 5th, and I was a lot closer. Half an hour after…

In my years of local American Kestrel observation, I always note the absence of females during winter. Not complete absence, but they do become much rarer. Before these two, I hadn’t spotted one since January 24, and before that Jan 12. Where to do they spend their time? On Thursday, February 27, I had two…