ME? well i'll sign the petition.

there are several hawks now in NYC. one nesting pair can be found in little bay (my old neighborhood) and another nesting pair resides at the Queens Jail (really a holding area, since Rikers is the real city jail) i mentioned that halk in a thread about jury duty(i was a grand juror for 2 weeks this summer)

Yes, Pale Male, in the best NY tradition, was a squatter, and he chose the best real estate to squat on! (and so got the most publicity! what a media hound he is!)

BUT a NYC law (local law 10) requires every building to be inspecteced every 5 years, and any facade damage to be repaired (or for repairs to commence) in 30 days.

the building came up for inspection, and the accumutated nesting material and bird droping (are all bird dropping a kind of guano? or just sea birds?) well the stuff is caustic, and damages the morter that hold decorative elements firm to the facade..

in any case, a follow up story on local TV news showed pale male with building matter in his bill.

its not clear where he is building his new nest..
(he has lost at least 2 mates.. so the guy is a serial monogamist) and really a new house is not too much to ask for partner 3!

personally, i wouldn't mind if a red hawk settled in my neighborhood (the queens jail is less than 2 miles away), i am hoping one of the offspring move in near by! the neighborhood is infested with pidgeons and squirrels. (some nearby resideds even feed them!) my terrace has screens to keep it vermin (and yes, they are vermin!) free. but my car, parked on the street is frequently 'attacked' by pidgeons.


my other obsession