Avenue A
I saw both parents today on a chimney, then saw Dora on a church cross on Avenue B. She’s molting, so she looks a little “rough” right now. No sign of the youngsters who have been difficult to find.
Darien Osprey, A Month Later
The Osprey nest in Darien, CT no longer has two little ones, but two large fledglings flying on and off the nest. They’re doing great and it was fun to watch then for an afternoon. Highlights included a number of “food fights” over fish the father brought, and watching the mother go wading and then bathing in the ocean.
The birds with rows of small dots on the wings and yellow on the back of their necks are the fledglings, and the mother has markings on her upper breast, which are much fainter on the male.
Fifth Avenue Youngster
There’s a little section of the park below the Met and above the 79th Street transverse that is a favorite spot for Pale Male to hunt and eat in. Today one of this year’s offspring was eating a bird in a tree just 15 feet from Fifth Avenue.
Avenue A Fledgling
In July, I was very busy with work and then on vacation, so I didn’t have much time to hawk watch. I finally had some free time and was able to visit Avenue A and Fifth Avenue this afternoon.
Hawk Watching can be frustrating. Most fledgings have learned to hunt and are going further and further away from their home base. And they’re becoming more independent, venturing away from siblings and parents.
So, I wasn’t surprised when I only saw one fledgling briefly on the Most Holy Redeemer Church today. That’s normal for August.
Long Island Sound Osprey
Over the July 4th weekend, I got to watch a pair of Opsrey and their two young ones on a tiny island in Long Island Sound. So, much more fun than fireworks!
Two Weeks Old?
At the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, there was one visible eyass on the nest. It may have been two weeks old, which makes the fledge time somewhere in August.
It was hard to tell if there were other eyasses in the nest. The feeding behavior of the mother made it seem as though two were possible. We’ll just have to wait until they’re bigger!
