Each spring for 11 years, bird lovers in Manhattan have watched Pale Male, a red-tailed hawk, and his mate fortify their nest, lay eggs and teach baby hawks to fly and hunt.

Now the residents of an upscale Fifth Avenue building where the hawks made their home have torn down the nest, prompting nightly vigils by fans of the birds.

NPR

Bird poop, pigeon parts, and Mary Tyler Moore, all in one story. (Make sure you click on the audio link to hear the story)

I saw that story in the Times yesterday.  Too bad. 

Jerry

So sad....but then, it's not my patio that is the bottom of the "bird cage". I do think that an awning or somesuch could have been used to protect those below.

You would think with the amount of fame those birds had accommodations should have been possible.

on the other hand, don't know about constantly having people looking at your windows with telescope ...

I, of course, would have preferred the bird even with the mess and crowds and would have just cleaned up after him and his family and I would stop walking around nekid in front of the windows. (g)

The spikes are back now and the birds have been seen inspecting the new and improved nest site.  We'll see if they rebuild now. 

It's only a month or so before the female lays her eggs.

That means that they (the "they" that originally knocked down the nest) also put back the stakes to hold the nest in place? Have you been to 5th Ave to take pictures???

(Edited to add: I see where you said they put back the spikes...hey, it's been a long Christmas season and I'm
out of it!)

Nancy...San Antonio, TX

Took a dash through the park today and there was one of the tribe preening in a tree top with nearby bluejays making a racket to get him to leave. The noise attracted a flock of birdwatchers with binoculars but the hawk looked unperturbed even while calmly straightening out a couple of feathers rearranged by a strafing bluejay.

gunter

Smiling Out Loud! (SOL) Thanks for the update. Do you know anything about the progress of the new nest or have they not started making it yet?

nothing new about the nest ...