Waiting for Fledges to Fly 6-04-11

In May, I ran into an acquaintance who said she’d been totally busy and frazzled–and was totally behind in her work. Why? ” I’ve been watching the hawks across from the Fresh Pond Shopping Center,” she said, sheepishly. I thought this was nuts: this is a 50-something professional woman with a responsible job–utterly fascinated with watching two red-tailed hawks build a nest and a family on the ledge of an office building in Cambridge. For the second year in a row.

These hawks aren’t even rare in these parts–plenty of people have seen them in the renowned  Mt. Auburn  Cemetery, nearby, but,  evidently there’s something mesmerizing about watching hawks lay eggs, help them hatch, watch over the babies and teach  them to fly— all next to a highway that runs between Cambridge and Arlington. Ok.  Each to her own.  (Ridiculous is what I really thought).

The other day, I went to do some shopping at Trader Joe’s–and from the parking lot, spotted a crowd in front of the office building, nearby.  Yup-it was them. Looking up at a nest under the roof at 185 Alewife Brook Parkway.

Skeptical, but curious, I pulled out my cell phone and asked the guy to the far left if it was OK to take a picture of him. Sure, he said.

George McLean

“I’ve been here since February, ” he said. “Six hours a day.”  Turned out he was George McLean,  a professional photographer, now retired.  “I  saw Buzz and Rubie -those are the parents-‘making whoopie’–so the group named one of the fledges ‘Georgie, after me.” Their  sibs are Honey and Yahoo (after Jonathan Swift’s land of the Yahoos). “We’ve been waiting for them to fly for weeks… today could be the day.”

Or not.

He tells me that people  have been photo- and videographing these birds since January.

Here’s a link to the babies hatching– http://www.cctvcambridge.org/node/44293 ;  another, of Georgie flopping on his face http://atlanta.pointslocal.com/story/atlanta/316332/185-alewife-red-tail-hawk-chick-takes-a-big-flop and, yet another, to video at Cambridge Community Television. http://www.cctvcambridge.org/subject/nature?page=8 .

Last week, George tells me, one of them tried to fly but fell off the ledge  into the parking lot.

People seem mesmerized;  there’s definitely an atmosphere of suspense.

I figure, “I’m here, what the heck,” and start shooting photos of the nest.  It’s quite high up–seven stories–I can make out a few birds but can’t really see them, very  well.

I’m zooming in  to get a close look–when a gasp goes through the crowd–a fledge has spread his wings.

I missed it. Damn.   I shoot again. Got it.  And again-Got that one, too.

And again…and again. I’m getting excited, now…and so is George.

He’s flapping his arms, like wings. When will one of these babies take off?

I’m thinking I wish I could  stay..but  company is coming to my house.

Later that afternoon, I check the Internet for news of the fledges…nothing yet.

And again the next day, which is Sunday.

But on Monday, driving by 185–I see an empty corner–and an empty nest. The hawks must have done their thing…

On the group’s yahoo site,   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/185redtails/message/700 ,  one of the observers,  Bonnie, has written that when she arrived at 185  on the morning of  June 6, Buzz and Ruby were “doing a happy dance…. soaring and flying together over 185, over Whole Foods parking lot, and over to the apartment towers and back.” The fledges had flown.

And, according to Paul Roberts,

Life has changed for us all…[At 5:21 AM] this morning,  the baby, Whitey flew directly from the nest towards the CVS sign, where Buzz and Ruby were perched with food….Whitey flew directly and strongly to the CVS sign, but reportedly got only part of his talons on top and could not land, dropping down onto the roof of a Garelick Milk truck, where he got comfortable on top of their refrigerator compressor.

Roberts tells a gripping tale of  the fledges’ struggle to find their new place in the wild world outside the nest–attacked by blue jays, unable to perch…Animal control is called….

To my surprise, based on my 0wn brief experience at 185, I have to agree. See you there, next year?

Anita  M. Harris

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, a marketing communications and public relations firm in Cambridge, MA.

On my way to a meeting at MIT, I happened to spot some stunning photos through the window of what turned out to be the Philip Alden Russell Gallery of the  David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. I contacted the Institute-which opened in March–and learned that the photos are featured in a gallery designed to connect the community with the Koch’s work.  I happily accepted Curator  Alex Fiorentino’s offer  to show me around.

On my tour,  Fiorentino  explained that the galleries are designed so that visitors can explore current cancer research projects, examine striking biomedical images, hear personal reflections on cancer and cancer research, and learn about the historical, geographic and scientific contects out of which the Institute emerged. The photos, he said, were taken under microscopes by Koch research scientists and collaborators–chosen through a contest,  then blown up, printed on fabric, adhered to stretchers over light sources,  Each has a scientific story to tell. The photo just below for example, is one I took of an EI-fluorescence micrograph by  Christian Kastrup of the Anderson and Langer Labs at the Koch. It shows a new  technique for delivering treatments to a blood vessel (seen in blue) using nanoparticles and microparticles. According to a Koch publication,  the original image was dark, with nanoparticles, microparticles and the blood vessel each stained a different color. But, in this version–to which my photo does not do justice— the original colors are inverted.

Zebrafish Eye

Another beauty is Kara Cerveny’s confocal micrograph–“Sunrise in the Eye: the Making of a Retina.”  Taken by the Koch collaborator at the Steve Wilson Group at University College, London, it is part of Cerveny’s investigations into how stem cells in the zebrafish eye differentiate to become more specialized cells. Her goal is to gain insight into how the normal development process goes awry in cancer and other diseases. There are ten award-winning photos displayed– all viewable any time through the Koch windows or inside during gallery hours–9-5 on weekdays.

Other gallery highlights include exhibits on five new technologies to combat cancer being developed at the Koch;  a “video box” providing 16 presentations by cancer patients, their families and scientists;  wallpaper showing cellular processes, a mosaic floor composed of thousands of tiles laid out to form a map of the Kendall Square area; and  timelines showing the parallel histories of science and engineering at MIT. The timelines converge in the present, with  the Koch’s cross-disciplinary approach to cancer.  And–just inside the lobby there’s an attractive cafe.

16 Personal Stories--Video display

As a journalist, I’d be remiss not to mention that David Koch, an MIT alum–has been the subject of some controversy. According to a 2010 article in  the New Yorker, as a  cofounder  of  Koch Industries,   the nation’s second largest privately-held corporation, he and his brother Charles are major funders of conservative/libertarian causes.  But, Wikipedia reports,  gifts of  $600m  for scientific research and the arts surpass David Koch’s  political donations.

While ordinarily I wouldn’t think that cancer research would be much of a draw, the gallery,  named for  financeer Philip Alden Russell– a mentor of funder Charles B Johnson and his wife Anne Johnson– is well worth a visit. Or several.

–Anita M. Harris

Koch Gallery Interpretation c. Anita M. Harris 2011

Koch Institute Public Galleries 500 Main St. Cambridge, MA Open to the public 9-5 weekdays. Admission Free.

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning public relations and marketing communications firm located in Cambridge, MA.

Last Friday, I had the privilege of attending a retirement party for Bob Giles, curator of the Nieman Foundation at Harvard for 11 years. A good time was had by all–except for Dorothy Parvner of the class of 2009–who was unable to attend because she’s  being held against her  will somewhere in Iran. The Boston Globe reports that the 39-year-old Al Jazeera reporter, who traveled to Syria two weeks ago to cover prodemocracy protests, was detained there, then deported to Iran and has not been heard from since.

Today, Bob sent the following request; I’m happy to oblige:

Dorothy Parvaz Dear Members of the Nieman Community, I’m writing once again to ask your assistance in publicizing the plight of Dorothy Parvaz, our Nieman colleague from the class of 2009. As mentioned in earlier messages, Dorothy was detained at the Damascus airport on April 29 while on assignment for Al Jazeera, and then deported to Iran on May 1. The Iranian government has not acknowledged that she is in the country. As part of the global efforts now underway to win her freedom, I request that if you can, you publish an article about Dorothy or mention her on air; post this photo of her on your websites and Facebook pages; and reach out to other journalists and ask that they do the same. Many believe that keeping her story in the news will keep Dorothy safe and put pressure on Iran to release her. The Nieman Foundation and many of our fellows are appealing for Dorothy’s release, sharing information and seeking diplomatic access to Iranian officials who might know about her detention or who can intercede on her behalf. A related story that appeared in The Boston Globe may be of interest: “Colleagues recall missing journalist as relentless on job” Thank you for your continued support, Bob Giles Curator

Earlier this month, in Kendall Square, two entrepreneurs described new medical devices designed to provide low-cost “point-of-care” tests-far from laboratories or medical centers in the developing world.

Speaking at a meeting of  Health Care and Life Science Special Interest Group of the MIT Enterprise Forum at the British Consulate  former Mass Biotechnology Council  President Una Ryan described the paper-based  medical testing technology that her new nonprofit enterprise,  Diagnostics for All (DFA), has licensed from the George Whitesides Laboratory at Harvard.

The technology allows bodily fluid to accumulate in patterns on postage-stamp sized pieces of paper–to be used for  multiple  tests simultaneously. DFA’s first project, funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is a liver function test to monitor the effects of drugs for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and  to help manage viral hepatitis.  The test kits will first be sold in convenience stores in Africa at a cost of approximately ten cents each, Ryan said.

Bill Rodriguez, CEO of Daktari Diagnostics, showed a handheld, point of care, battery-operated diagnostics device the size of a small lunch box or portable radio that will first be used to test for AIDS in Africa–at a cost of $1.50 per test–starting next year. He pointed out that while drugs are available to treat the  33 million people worldwide who have  HIV– “ten million of them don’t know it.”

Scientia Advisors Partner Arshad Ahmed, who  served as moderator, (and is my client) pointed out in a recent blog that emerging markets may have the opportunity to adopt the latest point-of-care products, leapfrogging developed countries, in some instances–and that “emerging markets are where we will see the first application of low cost and inovative disruptive technologies at work.” Launching in the developing world allows companies to test out and market technologies before going through the rigorous approval process required in the developed world.

I was blown away by the prospects for  devices like these. I asked when and how they will affect the  costs and structure of, say, US healthcare–and whether those who make and market our costly technologies will try to keep these new testing devices from our marketplace. Ryan, whose nonprofit, DFA, will have a commercial wing, responded that she does not expect opposition from stakeholders in our current system. And a marketer for the device and pharma industries was adamant that  developments like these will not impact her customers–for many years,  at least.  Given the vicissitudes of the US regulatory system and financeers needs for ROI, that may well be true.

But, clearly,  technologies like these have tremendous potential to transform health care–and I’m excited at their prospects– for the long-neglected developing world.

—Anita M. Harris

Anita M. Harris is President of the Harris Communications Group, a marketing and public relations firm specializing in health, science and technology industries, worldwide.

Apologies, once again, for the long absence….but this time I have a good excuse. I’ve moved  to the country!

Actually, I still live in Cambridge–but after 29 years in that lofty perch overlooking the Cambridge Common I now live in a new house–just across from Fresh Pond Reservoir.

New home, new neighborhood, new outlook on life–less than a mile and a quarter from Harvard Square.

A few observations:

When I told people I was moving after so many years in the same building, I usually got one of the following responses:

(1) Why are you moving NOW? (As if I should die in a place I NEVER liked. Too little space, too much noise and no parking!)

and

(2) That’s wonderful. Now you have a good reason to get rid of your stuff. (Huh? The main reason I”m moving is that I want more ROOM for my stuff).

The new place is gorgeous-three floors, a garage, a basement, big windows, light…and just a 10-minute bike ride from my favorite morning coffee haunt.  There’s a grocery store nearby, a gym, a Chinese restaurant…I have nice neighbors who like gardening so much that they bought some plants that they take care of in my front yard.  When you walk down the street, people actually smile and say “hello”

Yesterday, my friend Susan and I walked around the reservoir.  On a Sunday afternoon, it felt rather like a Parisian promenade, except that it’s 2.2 miles in  circumference and there were many, many dogs. Part-way round,  theCity of Cambridge Water Department  is renovating…that’s not what they call it…but setting up ramps for people disabilities, a walkway out over the water and something called a vernal pond–which, I now know, courtesy of Susan and Wikipedia, is a temporary or “emphermeral” pool.

These pools, devoid of fish, are dry for at least part of the year but when filled (usually in the Spring) they teem with life such as frogs, toads, salamanders, daphnia and fairy shrimp–the last of which are often used to decisively define a vernal pool.

Close by the pool, we met  MWRA Ranger Jean–who, with a colleague, was posting a sign explaining all of the above. She welcomed us to the neighborhood and told  us to say hi to people and dogs–who, along with the golfers, tennis and base ball players and my neighbors, make up quite a friendly community, and a welcoming crowd.

—-Anita M. Harris

Anita Harris is president of  the Harris Communications Group, a strategic marketing communications and public relations firm located in Cambridge, MA.