Sunday in Morningside Park

By D. Bruce YoltonSt. John/Columbia Red-tailed Hawks

Sunday, I went up to Morningside Park for about an hour around 7 p.m. I found Robert Schmunk, who blogs at bloomingdalevillage.blogspot.com with one of the fledglings at the base of the stairs that go up to 113th and Morningside Drive.  The fledgling was only about 20 feet off the ground.

 

The wings are outstretched to help the hawk stay cool in the summer heat.
Some hawk yoga.
Now that we’re birding in the lower portion of the park, we’re meeting new folks from the neighborhood.  They’re beginning to get to know us and have begun to help us find the young hawks.  Tonight, a kind gentleman pointed out the second fledgling in a willow tree over the small pond in the park. 
The pond, which is smaller than an Olympic sized swimming pool, supports an amazing array of wildlife.  Tonight it had a family of Geese, two Double-Crested Cormorants, a first year Black-Crowned Night Heron, and a few mallards.
Soon the hawk in the willow flies south to join its sibling over by the steps that led up to the Cathedral.
After a few minutes both hawks move east.  One flies low and then goes over the fence at the east side of the park.  The other lands in a tree just inside the park at 113th.
Robert and I both try and figure out where the young hawks have ended up.  We’re unsuccessful and both call it a night and go home.