I was hoping the Tompkins Square Park pair would start nesting soon, but they continue to act like a young couple. They’re building the nest up a little higher and copulating a great deal, but seem to be in no rush to start having a family.
I guess that’s not too bad. While the old guard is quietly sitting on nests, this pair gives me something to watch!
The Riverside hawks are back at the same location as last year, a building on West End Avenue. The nest looks good. While I was there today, the hawks were looking at the nest and seemed to be saying “its just right” and ready to go. But they don’t look to be nesting just yet.
Octavia and Pale Male have eggs and this means a limited about of action at the nest site. Octavia gets a few breaks during the day, rolls her eggs and changes positions. But you can watch the nest for an hour and see next to nothing. This was the case when I visited the nest on Saturday.
American Woodcocks have been in Central Park for about the last week. I caught up with one on Saturday. They’re very well camouflaged, worm eating birds with a silly walk and mating ritual.
The bird was doing a good job of hiding, but we did get some glimpses!
Later in the afternoon, the Tompkins Square Park provided the opposite experience from the Washington Square Park nest. The hawks who copulated three times in less than an hour and the colorful characters of the park, who also were observing the hawks, made the sound track not safe for work.
Newly established nests have a tendency to lay eggs later than older nests. So, no one should worry that this nest is a few weeks behind the more established nests in Central Park or Washington Square.
When hawks are sitting on eggs, not much happens. If you’re lucky you’ll be watching when the female wants to take a brief break from her egg sitting duties. But only if you’re lucky.
Tonight, I had no such luck at Washington Square Park! Bobby was on One Fifth Avenue briefly, and Rosie was on the nest. Her head is slightly visible to the left of black window frame and her tail feathers peak out on the right. She didn’t even get up to stretch while I was at the park!
