Urban Hawks

June 15, 2018December 18, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

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.

June 14, 2018December 20, 2020Upper East Side Hawks

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.

June 14, 2018December 19, 2020Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks

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!”

June 13, 2018December 19, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

Second Fledgling At Fifth Avenue

The second hawk left the nest at Fifth Avenue today. When I visited both parents and a fledgling were on a building at 73rd and Fifth Avenue. Both parents made a few flights, but didn’t give us a clue as to where the second hawk was hiding.

June 13, 2018December 19, 2020Upper East Side Hawks

95th Street!

I arrived at the nest to find the mother and one of the fledglings on the fire escape at 95th and Lexington just below where the nest was built in 2017. An American Kestrel was harassing them and the mother looked to be protecting the fledgling. The youngest hawk had flown to the Starbucks and another was on the nest’s fire escape.

The mother flew off and everyone made their way to the nest. The youngest returned to the nest and the one at 95th Street flew to the roof of the nest building in a nice block long flight. After the mother left, the one on roof joined its siblings.

I can’t wait until one of the fledglings actually perches in a tree!

Thursday Update: I was sent a photo of a fledgling in a 95th Street tree this morning.

June 12, 2018December 18, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

First Fledge At Fifth Avenue

Pale Male and Octavia had their first fledge today. They fledgling made a long flight over the Model Boat Pond to a tree by the Hans Christian Andersen statue. It must have remained there for at least two hours. It then flew towards the nest and landed in a tree before going to a balcony on a building three doors down from the nest. It tried to go to the south face of the nest building but got confused. It thought the middle bar separating two window panes was a perch. It floated down five floors before flying out over Fifth Avenue. It tried to perch up high but missed and ended up landing flat with its wings open on a low branch above the sidewalk on park side of Fifth Avenue. After a short rest it recovered its barrings and explored a number of low branches. It ended up roosting on Fifth Avenue for the night.