New RTH pair nest Discovered 3-28-10

Despite the rain I decided to head back to Flushing Bay to find the new RTH pairs nest. As I approached the Northern Boulevard overpass I could see the female was once again perched in the exact same place as the day before, probably hoping to catch a rat. She was facing away from me as I approached, so I would have to pass underneath her to get some pics. As I passed the lightpost I turned to look up at her and immediately stopped moving and stood there in shock for a moment as I realized her mate was perched on a fence directly below her only a foot above my head and 3 feet away. I have become accustomed to watching and appreciating hawks from a distance the past 3 years, so I was quite shocked to be so close to one.

Female as I approached

Male on the fence just above my head

Front view of female

I followed the pair around for awhile hoping to find the nest. They swooped back and forth through heavy traffic, searching the narrow green space between the Grand Central Parkway for rodents. The male managed to snag a mouse which he devoured quickly while the female began to search for nest building material. 

After she managed to free up a piece of tree bark, she carried it to the new nest location:

Atop a Lightpost in the parking lot at Citifield!

After making their contributions to the nest, the pair decided to call it a day on the back of a highway sign above the Grand Central. This is one hardcore pair of hawks! I think I might name them Sid and Nancy!