Urban Hawks

May 19, 2008December 23, 2020Other Red-tailed Hawks

Unisphere 2008

Thanks to a text message from Lincoln Karim, I went out to the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows, Queens and was able to find the new Red-tailed Hawk nest location. It is about minus 30 degrees of longitude from the old nest. Instead of being near Indonesia, it is now in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia.

I had received reports earlier in the season that the nest site was empty. The nest is in an I-beam, so it must be easy for the mother to hide while brooding and for the eyasses to hide when they are young.

There are at least two chicks in the nest. In the pictures that follow, the mother captures, eats and feeds a young pigeon to her eyasses. Readers beware.

On the left, East Africa, the nest is in the center, and the adult female is on the right.

The adult female perches on a light around the perimeter of the Unisphere plaza.

The adult female hunts at the bottom of the Unisphere.

There are a number of nesting pigeons, and she grabs a juvenile pigeon.

After eating a great deal, she takes a piece to the nest after a few stops to gain altitude.

May 14, 2008December 21, 2020Owls

Wednesday, 5-14-08

It was an interesting evening. The owls stayed high in the tree tops. They went to the drive and seemed to be eating something in the tree tops. They also when across the drive and back. I’m afraid we’ll soon be losing track of this family.

May 14, 2008December 18, 2020Other Red-tailed Hawks

Astoria/Triborough Bridge Nest Moves North

The Astoria/Triborough Bridge nest has at least two chicks in its new location on the other side of the bridge. (Thanks, Jules Corkery for the update.) I didn’t get great pictures this evening but wanted to share them never the less.

The Astoria female was very ill this fall and was nursed back to health under the care of Bobby Hovarth. With all of the bad news, it’s important to remember that there are still lots of positive stories and successes in New York City.

Update 5/15/08: Also on the good news front Peregrine Falcons are doing well this season. 55 Water St. has a scrape with four nestlings which can be viewed on a webcam, and at least two birds have fledged on the Met Life building.

May 13, 2008December 18, 2020Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks

Riverside Nest Falls

This morning, the Riverside Red-tailed Hawk nest fell down. A sign posted to a railing near the nest stated that the nest fell at 10:45 a.m. and two eyasses were recovered and set to Audubon.

The toxicology results of the first eyas recovered should be returned in about two weeks. This will help determine what occurred last Friday.

Both parents were on the The Normandy at 140 Riverside Drive this evening. One on each tower.

May 13, 2008December 21, 2020Owls

Tuesday, 5-13-08

It was a nice evening. The owls were back in their regular tree and used the jungle gym of fallen trees near the stream. The fledglings spent time on the ground and by the stream bed.

May 12, 2008December 19, 2020Owls

Monday, 5-12-08

Owl watching is getting a lot harder. We couldn’t find them in any of the standard roost trees this evening. It took quite awhile for us to find them. Picture taking was next to impossible. While this is disappointing for me, it is a great sign that the young owls are becoming more and more independent.