Category: 927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Other Birds

Cooper’s Hawk, Red-Tailed Hawk and American Woodcock

I started my Saturday afternoon in Central Park in the SE corner.

I walked north and found this juvenile Cooper’s Hawk among a group of crows below the Zoo.  I ended up being able to follow the juvenile, as it traveled north all the way up to the Oven, where I lost track of the hawk.
When I got to the Model Boat Pond, I could see Lola enjoying the warmth from the vent of a chimney on a building at 79th and Fifth Avenue.
The Cooper’s hawk landed in a tree directly above the hawk bench.
Cold? Just fluff up your down coat.
The Cooper’s Hawk led me to the oven, where there were two American Woodcocks along the small stream that flows into the Lake.  It was one of the few areas in the park that had some unfrozen ground.
In the fall, it’s rare to see an American Woodcock moving about.  You usually see them sitting still or flying when flushed by dogs.  In the cold weather and the snow, we had an unusual treat of seeing them feeding.  They stick their long beaks into the mud looking for food.
Lola was still on the vent, as I left the park.  The Boathouse cafe is closed for remodeling, so there was no hot chocolate to extend my stay!
927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

Squab Tartar

I got to the park mid-afternoon on Saturday, to find a quiet park due to the sub-freezing temperatures.  I ran into Lincoln Karim at the edge of the Model Boat Pond.  He had Lola in his sights atop the “Oreo” building at 79th Street.  A man came up to us and said, “You might be interested in the huge bird just east of the boat house.”

The huge bird, was Pale Male who was already eating a pigeon.
After awhile, he took off for a tree across the drive, over the Boathouse.
Eventually, he made his way slightly northeast to a tree along the east drive.   He called Lola, who landed across in a tree on the west side of the drive.
Lola sat for awhile, despite his calling before making her way to the leftovers.
She had waited until Pale Male had moved away from the carcass before she moved.
Lola enjoyed her meal.
Pale Male didn’t wait very long after handing off the food to fly away.  He settled into a tree just west of the Alice in Wonderland sculpture.
927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Other Red-tailed Hawks, St. John/Columbia Red-tailed Hawks

New Year’s Eve Day

On New Year’s Eve Day, I started hawk watching on the east side. 

Either Pale Male or Lola was atop the “Oreo Building”.  A Cooper’s Hawk moved from east to west through the Ramble, too quickly for me to get a picture.
Walking through the Locust Grove, I saw the park’s only Red Squirrel.
I walked up to 100th Street without seeing any Raptors.  I ran into Robert, and we walked back to towards 86th Street to see if our “new” adult was going to roost.  On the way there, we saw this hawk perched on a building in the low 90’s.
It moved down to tree level, and made a number of loops slowly moving north.  It stopped a few times and we could clearly see that it was an adult by its red tail.
It moved down to tree level, and made a number of loops slowly moving north.  It stopped a few times and we could clearly see that it was an adult by its red tail.

I continued to 86th Street.

Our 86th Street winter visitor had already settled down for the night.
It will be interesting to see if this hawk finds a mate and stays in the spring or moves on once the weather warms up.
927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Other Red-tailed Hawks

Christmas Eve Mystery

On Christmas Eve, we had a mystery.

Around 4:00, Pale Male and Lola are on the Beresford’s southeast tower.
At 4:10, I found this adult Red-tail on a building at 86th and Central Park West.
The bird moves south a few buildings.
Landing on a building at 83rd or 84th.
After a brief stop the hawk flies north, making a number of cries.
I lose sight of the bird, but it looked to be going into the park around 86th.  So, I walked north of the transverse, and two dog walkers pointed to this bird perching in this tree just inside the north 86th Street entrance to the park.
I thought it was Lola, but she slept on the Beresford according to Lincoln Karim.  So, who is this mystery bird? Is it the same hawk I had on the rooftops?  Or the bird that elicited the cries from the rooftop Red-tail?
The Red-tail was in the tree way after dark.  This was a 3 second exposure taken at 5:15 p.m.