Urban Hawks

March 14, 2016December 28, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Southern Central Park Raptors

I spent the weekend trying to figure out what was happening with our three pairs of hawks in Central Park.

The Sheep Meadow pair continue to be seen in the SE corner of the park, but don’t seem to have settled on a nesting location just yet.
The pair that tried to nest on the Beresford last year, are bringing twigs to the Beresford and San Remo this year.
Pale Male and Octavia are doing just fine. Pale Male gave Octavia a long break on Sunday afternoon.
A Merlin was a nice extra bonus near the band shell.

March 13, 2016December 22, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

When hawk watchers talk of an exchange, they’re talking about the process where the male gives the female a break. When these start, it’s usually safe to assume at least the first egg has been laid. Today, I was fortunate to see Pale Male give Octavia a break of about twenty minutes.

(The exchange was a little odd, in that Pale Male left the nest unattended for about four minutes. He may have been helping Octavia with a territorial dispute out of my view.)

March 10, 2016December 22, 2020Tompkins Square Red-tailed Hawks

Hipsters

The hawks in Tompkins Square Park, copulated, rested and copulated again within an hour today. They didn’t even bother to fly to another branch. Spring really is in the air.

Reports are coming in about how nests are doing around Manhattan…

There is a pair hanging out in Chinatown around Canal Street and the Manhattan Bridge, but no nest has been found as of yet.
There is a new nest at 116th and Riverside Drive, possibly the pair that abandoned a fledgling at Grant’s Tomb last year. (Update 3/18/16. Grant’s Tomb and the 116th Street might both be active this year.)
The Sheep Meadow nest blew down over the winter and the pair has been seen bringing twigs to a number of buildings on or near Central Park South including Trump Parc, The Plaza and the Crown Building.
The pair that tried to nest on the Beresford last year, as been seen bringing twigs to both the San Remo and the Beresford this winter.

It should be a fun year, and hawk watching will get easier after we change to Daylight Saving Time on Sunday.

March 9, 2016December 22, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

Octavia Spends The Night On Her Nest

Over the next few weeks, female hawks around New York City will begin spending nights sitting on their nests and will then lay eggs soon thereafter and start the brooding process. Pale Male’s mate Octavia spent the night on the nest tonight. Spring must be right around the corner!

March 6, 2016December 20, 2020Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey

Washington Square Park

I made a brief visit to Washington Square Park, and didn’t find the resident Red-tailed Hawks, although there nest looks newly refurbished. I did find another raptor in the park however, a Merlin.

March 6, 2016December 25, 2020Tompkins Square Red-tailed Hawks

Tompkins Square Park

I visited the park on Sunday expecting the activity I had seen before I left, but instead saw two relaxed hawks one at 1st Avenue and 4th and the other at Avenue A and 3rd. Maybe it’s some relaxing before egg laying?