I went to Central Park, in New York City today to look for Pale Male and an Immature Red-headed Woodpecker. I saw both but the surprise of the day was a Great Horned Owl roosting in a Sweet Gum Tree. The tree had red and yellow leaves and was a perfect backdrop for the owl. Let’s hope it sticks around for a few weeks.
For about two weeks, there has been an injured Sora in the Loch in the North Woods. If you look closely at the photographs and video you’ll see the left wing is dragging. Today was the first time I had seen it myself.
The fall and winter months bring Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks to the park. On Halloween day, it was a Cooper’s Hawk that I saw in Central Park. An immature bird that was born this year.
The male adult of Washington Square Park likes to roost by a kitchen vent pipe when the weather gets colder. Tonight was the first time I’ve seen him use it since last spring. And yes, another picture of a hawk on a cross.
I got to see both Tompkins Square Hawks tonight, but was only able to photograph one on a church cross. I’ll be away next week and then we’ll soon be back on standard time, so hawk watching will become a weekend activity soon.
The Red-tails of Tompkins Square Park have been building a nest this past week in a tree. For a pair that’s had two air conditioner nests, it’s been a surprise. I didn’t get to see any nest building tonight, but did see the female work her way around the park and go to roost. She took 50 minutes from when she went to roost to shutting her eyes. This was much longer than I expected.
