Urban Hawks

March 17, 2007December 22, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Other Birds

Saturday at the Oven and the Fifth Avenue Nest

I started out in the area called the Oven by the Lake.

American Woodcock. There were five at the Oven while I was there.

Pale Male landing on scaffolding at the top of a building at 72nd Street.

Pale Male being chased by an American Kestrel, who hit him twice. The Kestrel seems to chase him when he’s around 78th Street. I spent two hours on Sunday trying to locate the Kestrel without success.

March 14, 2007December 22, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

Early Wednesday Evening on 5th Avenue

I arrived a little after 6 p.m. to find that Pale Male had just come in to give Lola a break.

Lola had settled onto the top edge of a building two blocks north of the nest. The unknown hawk came and left so quickly that she did nothing.

Lola returned to the nest and Pale Male immediately left. It was like tag team wrestling.

I couldn’t tell what it had been. Pale Male went up to Cedar Hill and made his way back to one of his favorite trees to roost for the evening.

Lola, who you can’t really see, all settled in for the evening.

March 14, 2007December 15, 2020Owls

News of Rescued Young Owls

In late February, three young screech owls were found in the northern end of Central Park.

Marie was the epicenter of all the email traffic back and forth between rescuers, parks employees, and rehabbers. The young owls were rescued on different days, a pair on one day, and the third on a different day.

For some reason, lights, plentiful food, that the reintroduced owls came from Rehabilitation and Rescue centers, and/or other factors have resulted in owlets being born a month or two too early in Central Park. Young Screech owls are "branchers" before they fly, and their early birth when trees are without leaves seems to lead to problems.

In case the young owls could be reunited with their parents, an effort to find the parents was launched in case it made sense to reunite the young owls with their parents. Last year’s 75th Street owl watchers went up for a few evenings, but we didn’t find the parents and gave up looking.

On March 13th, we all got a wonderful note from Chris:

"Positive visual sighting at 9PM of one mature Eastern Screech Owl on bridle path near ballfields, where Bruce Yolton was known to take photographs last year.

It flew to a branch within 5 feet of me, perching, without fear, for a good five minutes, responding with little hooty whoops to my whinnying, then flew off.

Good birding!

Chris and Fig"

March 11, 2007December 21, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks

Fifth Avenue Brooding Begins

Lola’s brooding behavior has started. Since there’s no direct view of the nest, it’s hard to know if the eggs have been laid yet. But she’s sure acting like she has.

March 11, 2007December 21, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Say it isn’t so…

It look like the Central Park South nest has definitely been moved to 888 Seventh Avenue. Or should we say into 888 Seventh Avenue.

This will prevent us from keeping a close eye on the nest. Hopefully eyasses will pop out later this year!

Later one of the hawks on the Essex House sign.

March 10, 2007December 21, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Other Red-tailed Hawks

Saturday Hawks

On Saturday, I went to see Pale Male and our 86th Street hawk.

Pale Male was in a tree off the East Drive, having a late lunch.

He then moved to a tree on the path that goes west of the Boat House. After ten minutes, he moved north, making lots of circles to gain height. I lost him as he moved above 79th Street.

After a stop on the Reservoir, which had gulls, geese, American Coots, American Black Ducks, Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads and an American Crow, it was off to see our 86th Street Hawk.

Two interlopers arrived. One Red-tailed Hawk, which I didn’t photograph went west at about 96th Street. This hawk, who may have been chasing the first hawk out of its territory, landed on the south tower of El Dorado…

Before taking off, going down Central Park South, before heading back west at around 83rd. There are reports of four Red-tailed being seen on Riverside Drive. I wonder if we have a pair or two, either here for the winter or who are planning on nesting on the west side?

I wouldn’t doubt that this spring, there is a new nesting pair discovered in Manhattan, either by Gracie Mansion, in Highbridge Park, or along Riverside Drive.