At peace on the nest

Pale Male, the red-tailed hawk that lives on a ledge above Fifth Avenue in Manhattan with his mate, Lola, continues to hunt pigeons and rats in Central Park to bring back to the nest, where Lola patiently sits on the couple's eggs. Yesterday, some stunning photos were posted on Palemale.com of Lola on the nest and Pale Male bringing home dinner.
The photographer writes that he is amazed at the peace Lola seems to exude, even with all the madness of the city blaring around her.
It's amazing these birds are back. Just last year, the rich residents who own their apartment ledge removed their nest. It was only after editorials in the New York Times and days of protests in front of the building that the birds were allowed to stay.
The hawks mated in early March, which means their eggs could hatch near the end of April. Keep watching.


And speaking of critters in Manhattan. More news of the coyote captured in Central Park yesterday. Given the name Hal, after the Hallett sanctuary in the park where he was first spotted, he isn't the first coyote to turn up in the park. In 1999 a coyote named Otis showed up. He now resides in the Queens Zoo.
City wildlife officials speculate that coyotes live full-time in the Bronx, just northeast of Manhattan, and Coyotes may actually have dens in Manhattan. For more photos of Hal, click here