Urban Hawks

May 11, 2020December 22, 2020Red-tailed Hawk Nest Updates

2020 Manhattan Red-tailed Hawk Nest Update 9

It has been very hard this year to get details of the Manhattan nests. I’m not traveling by public transportation, so I can only report first hand on the nests I can walk to from my home. But I do have some news:

Feedings have been seen in Inwood Hill Park.
The Fort Washington nest was left unattended for an hour on a cold day raising concerns that it might have failed.
Behavior changes make it likely that the St. John nest has hatched, but eyasses haven’t been seen yet.
Both of the Central Park nests, 350 Central Park West are at least a week overdue. It is likely that both have failed.
Tompkins Square Park has three eyasses and one even has pin feathers already.

May 10, 2020December 25, 2020General News

A Yellow-breasted Chat Isn’t Worth Dying Over

The “regular birders” have been very good about social distancing in the Ramble. Many of us live around the park, and we use the park to get our daily exercise while also bird watching. We keep our distance from one another and find areas of the park that are sparsely used to explore.

However, today a Yellow-breasted Chat created a large crowd with many photographers and birders, jockeying for position to get a look and possibly a shot of the bird. Social Distancing went out the window for an attractive but not all that rare a bird. A park employee reminded everyone to practice social distancing, but the crowd quickly regathered.

I didn’t know most of the people in the crowd. Early May attracts birders who don’t normally bird Central Park. They come with the migrants.

Even with masks and staying six feet apart, a crowd of twenty to thirty people is a perfect place, even outdoors for the COVID-19 virus to disperse. But many of the observers were right on top of each other. It was like a paparazzi scrum, fighting to get a shot of a member of the royal family. Folks, it was just a Chat!

As birders, we should believe in science and follow social distancing guidelines. No bird is worth risking your health or your families. Please don’t do this.

May 5, 2020December 22, 2020Northwest Central Park Hawks

350 Central Park West

I’ve been hoping to see signs that the 350 Central Park West has hatched over the last week. I made three visits, but came up empty each time. I thought they should have hatched my now and I would have seen a feeding by now, but I’m a bit confused about when brooding started.

May 2, 2020December 15, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

The Legend of Pale Male

Frederic Lilien has generously made his film The Legend of Pale Male available to watch for free during the Covid-19 outbreak. Enjoy the film!

April 23, 2020December 15, 2020San Remo/Pinetum/AMNH Red-tailed Hawks

San Remo

The San Remo pair was working on the nest that just seems to blow away this afternoon. They are so late. One Manhattan nest has already hatched and may are due soon. We’ll see what happens.

April 21, 2020December 22, 2020Northwest Central Park Hawks

350 Central Park West

I’m not certain of the timing, but I think due for a hatch at 350 Central Park West within the next week. I went up today and saw the male bring a squirrel and took over incubation duties, so the female could eat and explore. I didn’t see any signs of a feeding, so I don’t think the nest has hatched yet. It’s a long hike for me to visit the next, but I’ll make another visit at the end of the week.