First Fledge At Washington Square Park
The first 2018 fledge at Washington Square Park occurred around 6:20 p.m. Continuing my amazing luck at this nest, here is the fledge…
(The view from the NYU webcam can be found here.)
2018 Manhattan Nest Update 17
Updates:
- 310 West 72nd Street nest has fledged. Reports are that one bird was found on the ground, sent to the Wild Bird Fund, checked out fine and will be returned to the area.
- Inwood Hill Park and Randalls Island nests must have fledged, but I haven’t heard any news yet.
- Both of Pale Male and Octavia’s Fifth Avenue eyasses have fledged safely.
- The Washington Square Park nest should fledge any day now.
- 96th Street is doing fine with one active fledgling and two who are still spending most of their time on the nest.
Settling Down At 96th
For the last two days, there has been one real fledgling roosting and spending time off the nest and two reluctant fledglings who keep returning to the nest. This is unusual but in some ways makes sense. The visits across the street and to the shed might be considered branching and not traditional fledging. The longer it takes to leave the nest the safer it is, so any delay is welcome.
In any case tonight two young hawks were on the nest and the other was on a windowsill on 95th Street. The mother was on a cell tower but moved to the 95th Street building. In both places the mother was harassed by an American Kestrel.
Hiding On Fifth Avenue
Over the last few days, I’ve only seen one fledgling at Fifth Avenue. Today, both were found within 25 feet of their mother on separate buildings. One was on the west face of a building on the southeast corner of 73rd and Fifth and the other on the south face of a building on the northeast corner of the same intersection. At times they would cry in unison. They didn’t do much while I was there. But they both looked safe and sound. Octavia tried to get them to come down to a tree she likes to use for feedings but they both stayed up on their high perches.
Feeding and Food Fight on 95th Street
When I arrived, all three fledglings were on the nest railing sitting side by side. Then one took off for a building on 95th Street. It landed a floor below the mother, and it took a bit of time for it to figure out it could use the stairs.
I thought wow, how smart of the mother to bring food there. She’s teaching the fledgling where the next meals will be and bringing the fledgling to a quieter location. But in watching my video, it might have been just that the mother was feeding herself on the building and the fledgling came in and stole the meal. At some point in the middle of the fledgling eating, the mother tried to get the pigeon back. I’ll never know which scenario was right, but it shows how easily you can get the story wrong.
In addition to the issues with the meal, the persistent and annoying American Kestrel was causing trouble and if you watch the video a house sparrow couple were a bit worried as they had a nest under where the eating took place.
The Crying Game At Grant’s Tomb
The remaining fledgling at Grant’s Tomb is still too healthy to catch. It flew easily between the current nest to the old nest and back this afternoon. Until it gets weaker or hungry/thirsty it can’t be caught. So, the Urban Park Rangers just have to wait. They’re consulting with an experienced rehabber and they are monitoring the bird ever day.
The fledgling cries when the Peregrine Falcons go by and cries while looking at its mother’s favorite perch. Just like a crying human baby, the sounds are difficult to listen to. They make you want to do something. But in this case “The Crying Game” is really “A Waiting Game”. The bird needs to wear itself out and come to the ground and let itself be caught.
So, for now doing nothing is the best thing that can be done. Sadly, the fledgling needs to let itself be caught, something we can’t do for it.
I suspect the fledgling will get captured on Saturday or Sunday.
Update: From Susan Kirby via Twitter on Saturday: “Third Grant’s Tomb red-tailed #hawk fledgling rescued and on way to #WINORR. Thanks, Rangers Rob Mastrianni and Dan Tainow, and Bobby Horvath. Love this baby!”
