Fieldnotes
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AMKE Saturday
The male of the #BrooklynKestrels pair. I don’t know why he has this gape in his chest feathers. It’s gotten bigger and more noticeable over time. Some commenters on Twitter suggested it was a brood patch for a second round of eggs, but it seems high up on the body for that. Also, as far…
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Speaking of Ticks, or More Foxes, More Possums!
I didn’t have my camera with me, so recent run-ins with three young rabbits in the Bronx went unrecorded. Each of them was festooned with ticks, around the ears, face, and neck. Some of the ticks were hugely bloated, looking like malignant gumballs or creepy purple pearls. A few days later, armed again with lens…
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Sweetbay
Sweetbay Magnolia has such a delightful perfume.Magnolia virginiana. A native of the southeast that stretches up the Atlantic to New York. You know what doesn’t smell so good: 53-year old Brett Kavanaugh, and Kennedy’s negotiations to have his former law clerk replace him while his (Kennedy’s) sons are complicit in Trump’s corruptions. On Young Kavanaugh,…
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Raptor Wednesday
Three in number, vocal in youth. (The third is hiding in the lower right.)The apricot/salmon flush to the breast is a sign of youth in Red-tailed Hawks. The feet are signs of raptor.Notice, too, how pale the underside of the tail feathers are.At least one parent was nearby, harried by Blue Jay and Eastern Kingbird.…
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Recent Sightings
A President under investigation shouldn’t be allowed to appoint judges who will decide cases involving him. The Republican corruption of justice continues. And on top of that, this Kavanaugh character is already lying by saying “No president has ever consulted more widely or talked to more people from more backgrounds to seek input for a…
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Summer
You never know what you’ll see out there. Sure, the frying days of summer make it hard to enjoy the brute sun and humidity, but on Saturday we had a respite from the heat tsunami. So off we wandered down to Bush Terminal Park, where lo and behold! Two amazing (and concurrent) sights/sounds. 1.…
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One More Time
Five #BrooklynKestrels outside the window can be overwhelming, even though I’ve never seen more than four at a time. The young ones don’t perch as long as the adults, at least not that I’ve seen. They’re much more, uh, flighty. This is one of the two female fledglings. Why yes, that’s right: she’s got a…
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Continuing KWIR
Apres le bain, the sisters nipped at each other’s feathers, clawed each other, and bit each other’s bills.One was rather vocal, but in a much more subdued way than the parents. Now, another school of thought here is that the bird on the left is the adult female, the mother bird. But I don’t think…
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KWIR
Yesterday, all three youngsters went for a dip in a roof-top puddle. Birds bathe to keep their feathers in good order. Where they bathe is a good question. The water shouldn’t be too deep. There should be some seclusion, since a waterlogged bird is more vulnerable than a dry one. Here’s one answer.I’ve always suspected…
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The Kestrel Week in Review
One of the female fledglings perched on The Perch made famous by her parents.Male fledging sitting. Have never seen the adults do this.Kneeling. Perching on one foot.Walking (a hulking hopping to be more exact).Speaking of perching: when thinking about American Kestrel habitat, always be sure to include plenty of places to perch. These are the…
Backyard and Beyond 