Urban Hawks

August 10, 2014December 25, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Where Are You?

Starting in late July, hawk watching in New York City becomes much harder. Fledglings, who had been yelling for food, are now quiet having learned to hunt. Warm weather has the hawks relaxing and staying put, making them harder to spot. And everyone, young and old have dispersed to wider and wider areas. Gone are those nice spots the families came to for meals together at regular hours!

So on Saturday, I had my first hawk free day of the summer. I didn’t pick up a single hawk on a trip through Central Park.

This Sunday, I did find two hawks however. Pale Male up at 86th and Fifth Avenue, and one of the Sheep Meadow fledglings at The Mall.

August 7, 2014December 25, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Sheep Meadow Parent

I’ve missed the Sheep Meadow fledglings the last few times I’ve looked for them. Tonight, I missed them yet again, but I saw one of the parents for about an hour.

While watching the parent, I ran across folks who had seen both of the fledglings earlier in day. I also ran into a couple who had photographed one of them on the railing of a flowerbed on Fifth Avenue at 72nd Street with their iPhone. It was nice to know they were doing well, even if I didn’t get to see them.

August 5, 2014December 25, 2020Tompkins Square Red-tailed Hawks

Father’s Day

The father was the only hawk I saw in Tompkins Square Park tonight. He came to his usual spot, where only a week ago he was regularly feeding the fledglings. But it looks like the fledglings are hunting on their own and don’t need Dad’s handouts.

Dad, who’s molting and looking a bit scruffy, made a few hunting passes before catching something at the north end of the park. He ate it in the children’s fountain area, which is locked up at 7, so no pictures of meal.

August 4, 2014December 25, 2020Tompkins Square Red-tailed Hawks

Tompkins Square on Saturday and Sunday

Being one of the latest nests in the city, Tompkins Square Park still has its fledglings staying fairly close to the nest. All of the fledglings seem to have picked up hunting skills fairly well. On Sunday, one of the fledglings did a great job of killing a pigeon.

The hawks even seemed to be drawn to some of the punk bands playing in the park over the weekend!

July 31, 2014December 25, 2020Tompkins Square Red-tailed Hawks

Growing Up

Although the fledglings at Tompkins Square Park have been hunting on their own for awhile, tonight was the first time I witnessed it myself. There is something great about watching a young hawk show that it will be able to be independent from its parents.

July 29, 2014December 25, 2020Tompkins Square Red-tailed Hawks

Tompkins Square Park

We got to see at least two youngsters and the adult male. The juveniles are hunting in Tompkins Square Park but the father is still bringing food, so tonight after one juvenile had a meal a fresh rat another rat went uneaten.

For about twenty minutes at dusk, two of fledglings perched at the S.W. entrance to the park and drew quite a crowd. It was funny because only moments before they were about twenty feet inside the park and the park regulars were completely blasé about them and just ignored them. It’s tough being famous in New York City!