Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks Archives - Page 11 of 25

August 31, 2014December 24, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Drying, Disco and a Diva

Tonight after an afternoon of birding the North Woods of Central Park without a camera, and after a break to avoid a thunderstorm, I caught up with one of the Sheep Meadow youngsters.

It was a simple encounter with a hawk drying it’s feathers and then hunting. (It had gotten to dark to photograph the capture of the rat which it caught after I had packed up for the night.)

The Salsa music of a few nights ago was replaced by roller-blading Disco, and at the end of the evening a singer who exploited the acoustics of the band shell.

August 29, 2014December 25, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Rodent Dinner with Salsa

While many fledglings have started to disperse and leave their parents, the two Sheep Meadow fledglings seem in no rush to leave yet.

One of the fledglings, who loves to hunt around the band shell, caught a rodent and ate it to the sounds and sights of Salsa dancers enjoying a wonderful summer evening.

The video includes the entire footage of the rodent being consumed.

August 24, 2014December 25, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

I arrived at the Mall to find a crowd around one of the set of wooden benches that form a protective area. Inside was one of the Sheep Meadow fledglings, having just caught a pigeon. The hawks had to spend its time watching everyone who surrounded it eventually flew off to the north.

Struggling to find a good perch to eat the pigeon, it dropped in on to a crowded path. It sat patiently to reclaim its meal, but there were too many people. Eventually a hawk watcher moved the pigeon to a protected lawn, and the fledgling came down and ate the bird.

Many of the area’s fledglings have already started to leave the area, so it was nice to see this youngster in late August.

August 23, 2014December 25, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Two East 70th Street

I’ve been corrected by a number of fellow hawk watchers, who identified this hawk as Pale Male’s mate, Octavia. Wow! I didn’t expect her this far south.

Given the mess at the bottom of the window frame, this is a popular spot!

August 10, 2014December 25, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Where Are You?

Starting in late July, hawk watching in New York City becomes much harder. Fledglings, who had been yelling for food, are now quiet having learned to hunt. Warm weather has the hawks relaxing and staying put, making them harder to spot. And everyone, young and old have dispersed to wider and wider areas. Gone are those nice spots the families came to for meals together at regular hours!

So on Saturday, I had my first hawk free day of the summer. I didn’t pick up a single hawk on a trip through Central Park.

This Sunday, I did find two hawks however. Pale Male up at 86th and Fifth Avenue, and one of the Sheep Meadow fledglings at The Mall.

August 7, 2014December 25, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Sheep Meadow Parent

I’ve missed the Sheep Meadow fledglings the last few times I’ve looked for them. Tonight, I missed them yet again, but I saw one of the parents for about an hour.

While watching the parent, I ran across folks who had seen both of the fledglings earlier in day. I also ran into a couple who had photographed one of them on the railing of a flowerbed on Fifth Avenue at 72nd Street with their iPhone. It was nice to know they were doing well, even if I didn’t get to see them.