Peregrine Falcon Update: 26-April-2006

Digiscoped Image of Peregrine

This image was shot with the same camera as the side-by-side thumbnails below — the ones that look like oil painting details. The difference is this was taken through a telescope that increases the effective focal length by 6.4 times. The camera's 420mm lens is converted to a 2,688mm lens. Unfortunately the focus is not quite right. Practice might help.

This Peregrine Falcon was perched on the north-west corner of the G.M. Building. The photo was taken from Gapstow Bridge just south of Wollman Skating Rink. The approximate distance to the falcon was 1,200 feet or 0.23 miles.

Central Park's Gapstow Bridge 12:25p — 1:05p

Highlight: apparent nest exchange at 1:04pm.

• Scanned buildings on SE corner of park from 1225p. At 1232 a PF appeared on NW corner of GM's roof.
• At 1240 it made a single move to 6 in (right section) & perched on fence until 1251.
• At 1251 it took off east, then back tracked then proceeded east again. Lost it behind Pierre Hotel.
• Back on NW corner of GM's roof at 1257.
• By 1259 to 1 in (center section) then to 3 in (right section) then to 6 in (right section) by 100. All perches on fencing below GM's roof.
• At 102 launched & circled back to 6 in (right section).
• At 103 lost it while writing.
• At 104 a PF exited from bottom of 6 in (right section) & headed east. Lost it low behind Pierre Hotel.

Central Park's Gapstow Bridge 5:25p — 8:00p

Highlight: male Peregrine chasing a female Peregrine off territory at 5:40pm.

• Arrived at 526p. Saw PF on NW corner of GM's roof before entering park at 520.
• Around 540 male chased larger PF towards the east. Female turned to defend with talons up. Male back to NW corner of GM's roof.
• By 550 off perch, didn't spot it flying away.
• At 554 male flew around GM & disappeared behind GM heading south.
• By 615 back to NW corner of GM's roof.
• By 628 crow cawing over Pond heading north. Then circled south to perch on a building west of Plaza Hotel. Seemingly no reaction from perched PF.
• At 653 back to NW corner of GM's roof.
• By 711 off NW corner to west edge of center section (roof level) then flew due south-east (Manhattan east).
• At 723 PF returned to NW corner of GM's roof. Arrived from the north. Perched facing south as at all other times on this spot.
• At 741 still on NW corner. 749 still perched. By 800 left perch without seeing it fly away.

Related items:
• Peregrine Falcon updates — 2006: 13-Apr, 21-Apr, 24-Apr, 26-Apr, 28-Apr, 30-Apr, 4-May, 5-May, 6-May, 7-May, 9-May, 11-May, 12-May, 13-May, 14-May, 16-May, 17-May, 18-May, 19-May, 21-May, 22-May, 23-May, 31-May
• Earliest Peregrine Falcon Nest in N.Y.C.?
• Behavior of Peregrine Falcons in the N.Y.C. Region
      by Richard A. Herbert & Kathleen Green Skelton Herbert
• Obs. of Duck Hawks Nesting on Man-made Structures
      by Horace Groskin