Flaco is moving around the park like he did the first two weeks after his release. Slowly moving around but not too far each night. I was able to watch him for about 30 minutes on Friday evening. While I’ve been able to find him at night, I haven’t been able to figure out his new roosting location(s). It’s going to be a challenge to keep up with him as the trees leaf out.
Many birds use gular fluttering. Today, our established Great Horned Owl, and a newly arrived owl both used gular fluttering to cool off on an exceptually warm April day. The video and photographs are of the new arrival.
I ended up having great timing to see Flaco this Thursday evening. Just as I arrived, I was able to see him fly in from the north, had him fly over me a few times, and then had him hooting for a few minutes in the same tree he used the night before.
But then there was no sign of him. We certainly were spoiled watching him up in the northern end of the park.
Tonight was a lucky evening. Flaco wasn’t in his normal roost and hadn’t been spotted during the day. We looked in his normal spots up north with any success after dusk.
One of the regular owl watchers, on her way home found Flaco hooting in the middle of the park. It wasn’t an expected location. She had gone on her bike, so I walked quickly to catch up and see him. But by the time I got there he was gone.
Luckily, after walking around for 45 minutes, I was able to hear him hooting and take some pictures of him. With the warm weather and the trees leafing out, I suspect he’ll be moving around the park and harder to find. We were lucky to have him perching in the same tree for weeks.
Central Park’s resident Great Horned Owl surprised me on Tuesday. The locked hill she’s been using all winter was opened up today. I was on a walk with the Linnaean Society of New York in the morning, and was able to let our group view the owl through my spotting scope.
However, when I returned with my camera, she was no where to be seen. A quick text to some friends led me to her location. Hawks had driven her from her roost. As the trees leaf out, hawks become more aggressive and with her winter roosting hill now unlocked, I suspect we’ll now have to work at finding her.
I arrived just before fly out to have Flaco spend the night doing his normal routine. A few hours in the construction site, before slowly moving southeast and hooting. But then he flew fairly far south of where he usually goes and it was unclear how far he went. He maybe increasing his nightly range.
His waddle at the construction site reminded me of the Snowy Owl on the East Meadow.
