The Origin of Species

Battle Royale

2012-01-12T17:21:00.016-05:00

There's been quite a heady mix of hungry hawks and falcons this "Winter."
Drawn by the abundance of pigeons and starlings that collect in big flocks along Morningside Ave., many hungry raptors pass through this area daily.

It started off with this adult male Cooper's being bombed by crows.

After being surveyed for a bit, the skittish group quickly scattered for cover...as did the Cooper's!

The Riverside poppa was clearing out his turf.

I was more than surprised to see this juvy peregrine shadowing him.

The peregrines moved east and began to harass a juvy Redtailed on the Adam Clayton Powell State Office building.

The falcons eventually stooped on some pigeons along Madison Ave., and the Cooper's promptly re-appeared. As it setup on the flock across the street, the juvy RTH snuck in and rousted the pigeons.

The Cooper's was none-too-pleased about it and chased the RTH out of the area.

It then circled around for another pass,

coming so close I could hear its wing beats,

and the vacuum of silence that followed in its wake.

Morningside Juvenile

2012-01-10T18:04:00.004-05:00

A fairly shy but very hungry female juvenile redtailed hawk.

Isolde Sunning

2012-01-02T17:35:00.003-05:00

Secrets of Croton Point Park, Part 3: For Whom the Owl Hoots

2011-12-27T17:40:00.008-05:00

Before the GHO flyout on Saturday, we noticed quite a few Eastern Screech Owl calls. After waiting more than 1 year since last hearing the North Woods ESO's call, this was a beautiful reminder of why they are called Screech Owls! After some careful searching, we located this shy female high up in her roost.

By night fall she had fallen silent again and I took this video just before all light was gone. Due to wind noise, I took out the sound, but feel free to click the snoflake button in the bottom right of the youtube player.

Secrets of Croton Point Park: Part 2, The Riddle Solved

2011-12-25T12:54:00.014-05:00

After telling Bey about my GHO experience on Friday, we decided to trek back up to Croton on Saturday to do some more Owling. On the way up, I told him about the cache of bones I had discovered and asked him what he thought. After some time, we settled on the idea of a large mammal, as anything that can kill a redtailed hawk would have to be larger than a fox. The fact that the bones were located together ruled out GHO as they tend to scatter their past meals to deter predators such as raccoons. As we entered the Park, Bey noticed a large dog scouring the grass.

Upon closer examination we realized it was a healthy, well-fed female Coyote!

When it became aware of our presence, it promptly slinked back into the woods, drawing the attention of more than a few crows.

We followed it for a bit and came upon some of its scat. It was packed with duck and gull feathers. So it seems the mystery has been solved...apparently this lone Coyote has been picking off all the birds and small mammals it can find throughout the Park, probably since Late Summer. This is why absolutely no shorebirds were found off the Southern shores of the entire Park. Obviously this presents an ethical dilemma. This Coyote is pretty much eliminating the Park's status as a bird haven by predating on all that it can find. However, the animal seems happy and healthy in its own little Nature preserve. What, if anything, should be done about it? The problem is that it has no future in the Park as it probably wont be able to find a mate and even if it did, a wild population of Coyotes in this location would spell bad news for all involved. Trapping Coyotes often proves fatal although leaving the animal in the Park over the Winter may prove fatal to it also. Many wild Coyotes also have heartworm, mange and even rabies--so lets not forget that Croton Point Park is also a dog park. Also the fact that this particular one seemed to be in good health is no guarantee that it isnt harboring a latent issue. My feeling is that the Coyote should be trapped in as harmless a fashion as possible over the next few weeks. If it survives, I think getting a sample of its DNA would prove useful on several fronts. If the Coyote is in good health, it should be returned to either Bear Mountain, Harriman State Park or some other large, local Park. I also think it should either be tagged or micro-chipped just in case it ever returns in order to make identification possible. If anyone out there cares to weigh in, please leave a comment or email me.
Merry Christmas to all the Nature lovers!

Secrets of Croton Point Park: Part 1

2011-12-25T10:45:00.008-05:00

The past few days at Croton Point have been quite interesting.

Aside from the occasional Bald Eagle, water bird/gull/duck, or redtailed hawk, it was very quiet.

Absolutely no signs of harriers or birds of any kind were to be found on the southern shores. Nearby a flock of crows was agitated about some predator, and I found this sub-adult Cooper's lurking about.

As I scanned the woods, I did find a mysterious cache of bones including a crow, oppossum and partial red-tailed hawk skeleton. Something was killing all the nearby animals, but who could it be? My first thought was a fox, but there was no sign of any den. Then I figured it could be the resident Great Horned Owls, but I had no evidence of this. As I walked the rest of the Park, it was now getting dark. Clusters of American Robins huddled nervously in a tree. Just then, another Cooper's hawk streaked in and drove them off. It weaved through the pines hoping to flush a confused bird. Instead, it flushed one of the Great Horned Owls! The owl was just off the trail and hooted loudly. Amazingly, its mate returned its call and they flew into a tree together where they copulated just in front of me. After they flew off, I managed to get this video of them hooting it up in the Woods.

I watched them for sometime as they hunted silently in the clear night. Since it was a new moon, there was absolutely no light for any shots, but I resolved to return the next day for some more Owling and to try to solve the mystery of all the dead/missing animals.

Recent Water Birds

2011-12-22T18:29:00.005-05:00

Stormin' Norman

2011-12-19T23:38:00.001-05:00

Always locked and loaded.

Highway to the Danger Zone

2011-12-11T17:28:00.012-05:00

The comings and goings at Riverside Church.
Warding off Norman.

Returning to base.

Warding off what is likely one of this year's Cathedral youngster.

Returning with a kill.

I read you loud and clear.

The Wild Parrots of Riverside Park

2011-12-07T18:22:00.009-05:00

After seeing these guys so often near my house, I decided to pay a visit to theirs.
Locating the birds by ear was easy, but they where extremely skittish and warily watched me as I stood beneath the West Side Highway.

There was one bird missing 3 toes.

After some time, I got them going to their nest.

Which had recently been DESTROYED, yet again. Which of course, they were rebuilding.

Yet AGAIN!!!

Keep on keepin on little bros!

Norman Makes a Kill

2011-12-04T14:55:00.007-05:00

Later, Isolde kills a pigeon in almost exactly the same spot.

Norman shows up to beg a morsel.

No, you cant have any!

7th Annual Harlem Hawk Walk

2011-11-28T11:56:00.004-05:00

Here's the tally from yesterday's hawk walk.

Wadleigh, 2 American Kestrels
111th and 5th Ave, 1 Cooper's Hawk
125th St. & FDB, 2 RTH
123rd and Claremont, 1 RTH
Riverside Church, 2 peregrine falcons
Viaduct at 129th, 2 RTH's with one over to NJ
143rd and Riverbank State Park, 10 monk parakeets
145th and Riverside 1 American Kestrel
145th and St. Nicholas, 1 RTH
also many black backed gulls and American Crows along the way.

Many thanks to all who came out!

7th Annual Harlem Hawk Walk

2011-11-25T16:04:00.003-05:00

Will be on Sunday at 11am. Email me at yojimbotatgmaildotcom for details.

Stop, Hey What's That Sound?

2011-11-20T10:54:00.013-05:00

For the past few weeks, the 10 Monk Parakeets have been feeding, sunning and generally chilling out in Hancock Park on St. Nicholas Ave. It has afforded me a great opportunity to study how they go about socializing, finding food and water, avoiding predators and generally being awesome, chatty, squawky dudes. Here's some of the action.
Collecting sticks.

Searching rooftops for food,

and water.

Eating the seeds of black and honey locusts.

Flying in tight groups to avoid the ever-present hawks.

Spending time with a special someone below a red oak.

The 7th Annual Harlem Hawk walk is scheduled for next weekend 11/25 or 26 depending on which weather day is best.

Harlem Raptors: Fall 2011

2011-11-15T18:08:00.015-05:00

This Fall has seen the largest and most varied amount of hawks, falcons, eagles and vultures in 10 years of hardcore Harlem birding.
My count so far is:
Golden Eagle 1 possibly 2
Bald Eagle 3
Osprey 5
Turkey Vulture 50+
Black Vulture 5
Red-shouldered hawk 3
Coopers hawk 12
Sharpie 3
Merlin 2
Kestrel 12
Peregrine Falcon 6
redtailed hawks 12
broadwinged hawks 24 migrating overhead in kettles.
aAso 1 possible juvenile Goshawk. No Owls, but I am looking!
Here are some recent captures.
Kestrel vs junco.

Overwintering Merlin.

Large groups of Turkey Vutures moving through.

Many redtailed hawks, both resident and haggard.
Adult.

Juvenile.

Adult vs Juvenile.

Peregrine vs Everybody.

7th Annual Harlem Hawk Walk is coming up. Let me know if you are interested...I will have to limit group to 10.

Before Night Falls

2011-11-11T18:17:00.006-05:00

After checking out Inwood, I swung by Broadway Bridge to see if I could catch the peregrines hunting the starlings that roost on there.

Instead I witnessed the falcon race out,

in pursuit of a Cooper's hawk that was roosting across the River!

After overshooting the first dive, the falcon goes inverted here,

and almost catches the hawk out on the water. Instead, the Cooper's found refuge in a bush just next to me.

As the peregrine returned to her watchpost!

All shot on 5000 ISO, just after sunset!

Inwood Hill Park

2011-11-10T15:44:00.006-05:00

Great fall flora and fauna up in Inwood. Starting with a female belted kingfisher,

followed by plenty of redtails,

and beautiful vistas.

By the ballfields there was a skittish flock of brown headed cowbirds,

with a Dickcissel hiding amongst them.

As they fed low in the grass, a Cooper's streaked in low overhead and chased them into some bushes. Here's the Cooper's flying out unsuccessful.

Finally along the shore of the Hudson, I found this poor, parched red eared slider.

Seems he got washed out into the Hudson after all that flooding and had been slowing withering on the beach. We relocated him to a nearby freshwater source...good luck little bro!

Stateline Lookout Park

2011-11-05T09:52:00.002-05:00

Its no secret that the Pallisades is one of my favorite birding spots. During Spring and Fall migrations, it is a nearby location where its possible to get fantastic looks at raptors as they filter down the Hudson. On this trip we were looking specifically for Bald Eagles, but instead, found this Common Raven making a territorial display.

Rising then diving upside down while making its distintive "Quork!" the Raven appeared to be agitated by some unseen presence. Just then, an adult Golden Eagle emerged from the bluffs!

It circled a few times in front of us, before disappearing South.

Raven it tow.

Apparently one of the resident peregrines had heard the commotion and came out to mark its turf against the intruder.

2011 is shaping up to be a great year for the Goldens.

Anatomy of a Kestrel Kill

2011-11-01T19:13:00.010-05:00

Like a boxer waiting patiently for the right angle to strike, the kestrel stalks its quarry until the perfect moment.

RIP juvy magnolia warbler.

The Holy Grail: Part Deux

2011-10-30T18:31:00.015-05:00

Perfect raptor migration weather and today brought out all the heavy hitters:
Scads of canada geese on the move, trying to find clear ground.

Nearly two dozen turkey vultures cascading down the Hudson on the Western Wind.

All the while the resident peregrines held vigil. After sometime, the birds tore out southward in a tandom attack. When their target came in to view, I was astonished to see the markings of a juvenile Golden Eagle!

They pursued it South for over 1 mile, before returning to Riverside Church.
Harlem has the best birds!

Fall Harlem Raptors

2011-10-16T22:19:00.007-05:00

Quite a mix of birds moving through including turkey vultures, red shouldered hawks, peregrines, and this merlin.

Also hunting pigeons were the Cathedral redtailed hawks.

And one of their young.

Quite a few crows about as well, stalking the stalkers.

More Fall Migrants

2011-10-04T10:48:00.005-05:00

Many birds are passing through the City still. Here are some highlights.

The River Runs Red

2011-09-17T16:36:00.011-05:00

For the past few weeks, the lower Hudson has had a light brown to red color. The DEC says its due to clay deposits being washed into the river upstream and I did see several large tree trunks still emptying down the banks.

I wonder how this impacts the fish and other wildlife as they undertake their fall migration. Surprisingly, it didnt seem to deter two osprey that have been hunting up and down the Hudson for the past week.

In addition to the osprey's I've also been seeing tons of kestrels everywhere.

Also the Monk's have been very active searching out fruiting trees around Harlem.

Finally, tons of these guys on the wing.

Navigating like tiny orange argonauts, bound for distant shore.

Back to the Future

2011-09-10T18:34:00.012-05:00

The fall migration has started in earnest. While on my roof today, I got this juvenile bald eagle going Southward.

Even more amazing was that it was shadowed by a sharp-shinned hawk I had not seen. I decided to test my luck in the Park. It wasnt long before I sensed many hawks stalking through the brush. For a time I watched this juvenile redtailed hawk hunting grackles.

It didnt seem to be having too much success. Soon after there was this kestrel hunting dragonflys above the Meer. Here an adult male has just caught one!

He also didnt allow any Jays to steal his spotlight.

Finally the juvy peregrines from Riverside still seem to be hanging around.

Harlem has great birds!
Bird total: 1 juvy BE, 1 juvy RTH, 2 Adult RTH, 6 Kestrels, 2 juvy peregrines, 1 sharp shinned hawk

Kestrel Flyby

2011-08-26T21:49:00.002-05:00

Uptown Updates

2011-08-11T12:48:00.005-05:00

At least 2 babies from Inwood are still around.

Also was able to spy one juvy peregrine still haunting Broadway Bridge.

Over at Riverside Park, the Monks are still going strong in their new nest location.

Interesting note here is that they seem to have integrated a tennis ball into the nest.

Sure would have liked to see them bring that up to the nest. Nearby in Trinity Cemetery, I located one adult redtailed hawk! Not sure if its the surviving adult from the CCNY nest, but it looked healthy. Just across Broadway, I located a new kestrel family. Here's mom,

and at least one juvenile female.

Just goes to show you, nature can be found everywhere and anywhere in the City...not just along 5th Avenue.

Audubon Society Boat Tour

2011-08-01T19:48:00.006-05:00

Courtesy of the New York Water Taxi...Whats not to like?
You got bridges,

echos of a decaying waterfront,

faint patriotism,

smallpox,

and of course,

nesting waterbirds.

Also seen were barn swallows, Great Blue Heron, Fish Crows, Black backed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Ring billed Gulls and a one juvy peregrine at sundown, stooping from Ed Koch Bridge over to NY Presbyterian.
Great trip and only some mild sea sickness to show for it. Shout out to City Birder for recommending.

Bronx Botanical Gardens

2011-07-27T18:37:00.008-05:00

Although they'd much rather you call it the "New York Botanical Gardens" Bronx Botanical Gardens or BBG, is much much cooler. So here's so flora and fauna from this amazing Bronx beauty.

The biggest surprise were the more than 50+ wood ducks!

Look out little bro, someone is watching you very carefully.

Moving On

2011-07-27T18:18:00.006-05:00

This years crop of fledgling raptors are now becoming accomplished killers. Although they still rely on the umbrella of protection their parents provide so they can perfect the art of hunting. I found a juvenile from St. John's in the Close last week.

This next week, I watched it snag a rat on the North side of the Great Hill. In fact, the same thing happened last year where after a few weeks, the parents led their young from their nursery in the Cathedral Close to the richer hunting grounds of Central Park.

In addition to perfecting killing, they are also learning how to eat the different kinds of prey. I watched amazed as this youngster bit off the rat's head, opened the carcass and then removed and discarded the stomach!

Amazing behavior that I had never witnessed in a juvenile before. They seem to just wolf it down most of the time. Needless to say, if Central Park had been using poison, this would have been the last rat this hawk ever ate.

How to be a Peregrine

2011-07-14T19:18:00.009-05:00

To be a peregrine falcon, you must hunt other birds. To catch other birds, you have to be a total badasss. Here's momma showing how its done on a baby robin.

The kill.

Transfer to the youngster.

Now that the parents are less able to feed their dispersed young, the offspring begin to hunt for themselves. On Tuesday I watched a young female make her first kill at 135th and Riverside. As they become more competent hunters, any bird that strays near the scrape is considered fair game. Thats what happened to this DC Cormorant as it came home for the evening.

3 on 1...it was quite the aerial battle, but the Cormorant managed to escaped alive.

Dont worry bro, they cant get you all.

Now that summer's here, Im off practicing how to be a human. Hope you are too!

How to be a Kestrel

2011-07-11T21:05:00.019-05:00

More than any other raptor, the American Kestrel is most likely to live its entire life in a completely man-made world. From hunting atop antenna, to nesting in cornices, to flighting on rooftops, American Kestrels have a complex relationship to our architectural world.

In addition to these environmental hurdles, one of their most difficult tasks is learning to hunt while at the same time being hunted. I had 3 of the 119th St. kestrels together on a roof,

when suddenly a parent let out an alarm. A juvy peregrine had focused in on them and made a stoop at the group. They then scattered to a tree in Morningside Park.

Fear of predators is instinctive, but learning how they are vulnerable to attack is something that not even the most gifted rehabber can teach these bird. Out west, entire broods are killed off by hawks and other falcons. Survival tactics such as these learned on rooftops and nearby Parks provide them with the skills to make it in this very challenging environment. For them the first flight is the hardest as there are few good perches directly out of the nest. However, provided they are in good health, all they need is to be is safely put back into their environment, ie rooftops, in order to be given the best chance of survival.

Today was a very special day in that I got to see this dynamic play out before my very eyes. One 135th St., the kestrels also have 3 chicks. Here baby male begs to the adult male to be fed. The male does not comply and flies off.

A juvy female was attracted to the calls and flew in behind them.

After sometime, I watched her stoop from the rooftop and kill a juvenile sparrow...her first kill! Now her sister and brother begged from her, but she absconded to a further roof. It took some searching, but I was able to see her finish off her first meal.

Welcome to a Brave New World little birdy!

How to be a Hawk

2011-07-09T18:59:00.011-05:00

It take a lot of work to learn to be a successful hawk. Youngsters have to learn the lessons of not only how to hunt, but what to hunt as well. This discrimination takes weeks and weeks of diligent practice but really takes about 6 months to perfect. And even then all it takes is 1 bad rat or pigeon to screw the whole thing up. During this time they will be trained by their parents on exactly where and what to hunt. I caught up with 2 female chicks running all over the Park doing some such stuff.

One flew down!

Then joined by a sibling.

They practiced killing earthworms.

Got some sun.

Then practiced killing each other.

Big sisters can be so pushy!

Settling Down

2011-07-03T12:14:00.003-05:00

Now that most of the crop of baby raptors have fledged, things are quieting down. Unless of course you are an American Robin, in which case you are going to be pipping your head off as these fledglings explore their new surroundings. That is how I managed to find 2 baby kestrels from the 119th Street nest. They were so active it was hard to get a pic, but one did come out into the sun for a bit.

Further down the street, it was the same situation and I was able to locate 2 of the 3 Divine babies.

Meanwhile at Riverside, only one baby could be found.

Although later that day I watched a parent climb with a juvy to about 1000' and practice stooping. Should be fun watching all these guys learn the ropes.

Riverside Church: 7 Peregrines

2011-06-27T16:25:00.010-05:00

Five fledged babies plus two very protective parents equals total chaos during feeding time. The birds all move generally as a group with each fledgling in a different state of being fed. I located four of the chicks over Broadway and it seemed most had eaten already as they had full crops. There was one male chick however that kept begging over and over. Eventually, he flew over the Church, where mom appeared with a freshly caught adult male starling.

Every chick within earshot lit out after mom,

while she deftly transferred the starling in mid air to the begging male.
He landed nearby with sis in tow.

She eventually got the message that this was her brothers kill and flew off. Meanwhile the hungry little dude pretty much devoured every single part of the starling.

After consuming the bird, the chick was joined by mom.

Such incredible birds!

Recent Fledges, Part 3: Riverside Church

2011-06-20T19:23:00.012-05:00

At least 3 of the 5 chicks there have fledged. Here's a shot of dad and the group.

One of the chicks missed his perch and slid down the face of the roof.

He later emerged for a feeding.

Another of the young went back to the Church.

And the awkward youngster flew to the School.

Still a lot of practicing for this guy!

Recent Fledges, Part 2: St. John Hawk

2011-06-19T19:00:00.012-05:00

This morning I was only able to locate one juvenile hawk at St. John the Divine. Im guessing that its siblings were somewhere on St. Luke's as I found some bloody feathers over near Amsterdam. Anyway I had great fun watching it learn to take-off and land.

Skywalker!

Totally sticks the landing here.

Im thinking this is one of my best hawk pix ever.

Also harassed by a few robins.

What do you think...is he gonna make it?

I have a good feeling about this one!

Recent Fledges, Part 1: Gay St. Kestrel Rescue

2011-06-19T18:56:00.004-05:00

Another kestrel rescue, this time on Gay St. in the West Village. Thanks to Camille and Company for keeping this guy safe till I showed up. Also these are her pix!

My first rescue in a downpour!

The Neighbors Are At It Again

2011-06-16T17:00:00.003-05:00

Now that the first crop of baby kestrels is almost grown up, the parents will begin to mate again. The double clutching behavior of urban kestrels is proof of their abundant food sources.

Cathedral Fledges

2011-06-13T16:26:00.004-05:00

Yesterday sometime in the afternoon, the eldest chick fledged the Cathedral of St. John Nest. This is a pic from earlier that morning.

This afternoon I located her in the Close.

Looking healthy and well fed.

After some searching, I found the second fledgling on the School.

Also looking well cared for.

And as always, a watchful parent.

Highbridge Yellows

2011-06-08T21:16:00.009-05:00

The male chirping his distinctive call.

The subdued female circling,

and then eventually settling on the nest.

I watched them for about 1 hr from 630 to 730. Both the male and female visited the nest, but I did not see a feeding. Hard to say if there was something viable there. As for the nest itself, I cannot quite tell what its constructed of, but there does seem to be some mono-filament as well as plant fiber present. I could be wrong, but it also looks like cobwebs holding it all together.

Special thanks to Ben Cacace for sussing this one out and providing the awesome description on how to find, ie "the stonehenge benches." What really helped was the loudly singing male...just follow that call from the chipwood path.

East Harlem Kestrel Rescue

2011-06-05T13:58:00.010-05:00

June is a very busy month if you are a birder in New York City. The fact is birds nest pretty much everywhere in the City and when their young fledge, there are scant safe places for them to complete their flight training. As a result, many individuals--both officially sanctioned and self-appointed--assume the responsibility of giving these birds at least a halfway decent chance of surviving beyond the first jump. One tool that has emerged are the listservs where citizens, volunteers and "official bird people" can share information about birds that have gotten into trouble. One such announcement came in this morning about some "hawks" in a garden not far from my house. Arriving on scene, I saw this gorgeous but still very young, male kestrel on a Park bench.

The local community garden may appear to be a perfect oasis for these guys, but in fact Parks and gardens are patrolled by many feral cats. This one was no exception and we saw at least one black and white cat climbing a tree in order to get a robin while there. Because of this, these young falcons are assured a death sentence if left on the ground. And although young, this bird was mostly flighted, so it was imperative no to spook it. It took some time, but I managed to get right next to him for a quick capture.

After that, I gave it an inspection to see if any external injuries were visible and that its wings and legs were in good working order. If there were, I have a rehabber on speed-dial! No sign of hunger trace, feather mites or bumblefoot and of course the look down the gullet for frounce.

Once he checked out, I figured it was best to get him to a safe spot where the parents would see it. A nearby roof provided a perfect spot...no cats, no holes for him to fall into, no wiring or fencing to get snagged on and a lip surrounding the roof that he would have to jump over to get off the roof.

I gently placed him down and backed away. From a safe spot, we watched the Mom show up and take a few calls from him before moving off. The male worked his way back across the roof to over look the garden, but then settled safely in.

From experience I knew that there can be up to 4 chicks so I then set out to find the remaining brood. After some careful searching, we found the scrape in a building across the street that revealed two more babies soon to go.

While taking a picture we also found a fourth female, already fledged.

Good luck guys and to the 111th St Herb Community Garden, thanks for caring!

Broadway Peregrines

2011-06-03T17:34:00.018-05:00

Havent checked in on the Broadway Bridge peregrines in two weeks so I trekked up to the tip of Manhattan to watch what is always a dicey fledge period. In 2008 I saved one bird from the being hit in the road and again in 2009. Unfortunately, in 2010 I was not so lucky, but I figured that there would be another chance in 2011. When I arrived on the scene I noticed a fresh sprig in the scrape. After waiting for a bit to see if any chicks were still there, the mom stopped in for a quick visit.

I eventually found one small and unsteady eyass, sunning itself on a lower railing while the parents circled overhead.

After watching it for some time I noticed a commotion on top of Columbia Hospital. Another eyass was flapping and calling about. Shortly a fish crow came upon the scene and gave her a few a rude welcome.

The crow drove the falcon off and down into the foliage at the base of the bridge.

Turns out the DEC had just released that bird after it was rescued yesterday on the road. After some searching, it emerged from the trees and tried to land on a nearby crane.

This proved to be a terrible perch and it slid down a few feet before launching back towards the bridge.

It flew off and landed on the Bronx side on a building near the El station. Begging loudly, the parents carefully inspected the prodigal chick!

Before flying off to retrieve a starling, which the youngster lustily consumed.

She visited the eyass a few times

Both parents were very territorial and some workmen reported being attacked as they replaced the roof of the 225th Street Station.

Finally, the remaining chick seems viable, but still very young so he'll need a lot of luck. Dont worry dude, we're pulling for you.

Riverside Feeding

2011-05-25T20:59:00.007-05:00

Although no chick are yet visible, I witnessed the mom flyout from the nest, then kill and strip a carcass which she brought back for her young.

Later, both parents flew close passes near the scrape.

Morningside Kestrel

2011-05-19T21:22:00.001-05:00

Lunch Break

2011-05-17T14:48:00.005-05:00

Caught up with the Divine Hawks during a break in the rain.

Norman blew past with a squab.

Isolde soon followed.

Norman was out...

and mama fed both of the chicks.

Disposing the carcass somewhere over the Park.

All shot with ISO 2500, on a cold rainy, but very birdy, day!

Banding the Falcons of 55 Water

2011-05-13T13:46:00.014-05:00

In light of the situation over at NYU, the reasons for banding raptors are be re-evaluated.
On the pro-banding side, the NYS and Fish and Wildlife compile the invaluable raw data that such tagging inevitably provides.
On the anti-banding side, we have the fact that no matter how skilled or experienced the tagger, something can eventually go wrong at one time or another. The potential for catastrophe is high when dealing with raptors as they need to be in top form to survive in the wild. It was in this light that I re-visited the falcons at 55 Water St. to see this process close up to try to tease out the facts from such a contentious subject.
To start with, the female peregrine at 55 Water would not leave the nest and had to be hand captured before any babies could be removed.

Chris was very calm and professional and at no time was the bird put through any unnecessary handling.

One of the chicks was significantly smaller than the rest, so Runty couldnt be banded.

Carefully sized, fitted and tags recorded.

Its also a great time to assess the health of the chicks with frounce, mites and tick checks.

One final observation was that afterward, the chicks were aversive to human presence and called loudly if anyone came too close to the carrier.

Having some early adverse human conditioning is actually a good thing for wild animals. Lets hope this is their last encounter with us!

All in all, I can still say that banding has definite merits. When and where it does go wrong, those with the most experience in the business of capturing and rehabbing raptors should be allowed to rectify the matter if at all possible.

Highbridge

2011-05-09T18:14:00.005-05:00

Got a great view of the Highbridge nest before its totally blocked. After this week, Im not sure where you'll be able to see the nest from, as the trail and hill are almost completely leafed out.

Only saw one chick though. Also wear some bug repellent!

Perfectly Pleasant Pallisades

2011-05-07T17:40:00.011-05:00

Migration is in full swing on both side of the Hudson. Soon after entering Pallisades Park, I noticed a drab tanager flitting about. It got quite close as it moved through the woods.

I followed her for a short time till I heard a familiar call. I didnt have to search long before I found a gorgeous male yellow warbler.

It was impossible to get a clear shot, but I had great fun listening to its sweet trilling and watching it hunt for bugs.

As I moved through the woods, bird song was all around. The gentle flutes of orioles and tanagers carried on the clear air through the canopy below me. Up on the bluffs I heard this chestnut sided as it picked through catkins.

At certain points there were flycatchers of all sorts joining the chorus. That's how I found this gorgeous but shy Great Crested Flycatcher

and this kingbird.

Scanning the rocky bluffs, I did not see any peregrines, but shockingly quite a few geese were nesting up there.

I also found this gorgeous redtail patrolling the cliffs where starling were nesting.

There was also a pair of nesting Ravens. I watched them for some time and what struck me most is how raptor-like their wings and tail can appear.

and from a distance I mistook them for turkey vultures.

Great birding in a serene and grand location that is accessible by walking.

Morningside Nesters

2011-05-05T21:46:00.006-05:00

Both the hawks and kestrels are progressing well. Anyday now we should see some chicks!
Norman leaving the nest.

Isolde to it.

Just down the steps and around the pond, the female kestrel was being harassed by a robin.

The male leaving...notice he checks for hawks before flying out!

Trying not to get my hopes up, but its looking like a promising summer!

Birdpocalypse

2011-05-03T18:21:00.012-05:00

Tons of birds making their way through Central Park this year. The North End has yielded an incredible bounty for our wayward guests.
Blue Winged Warbler

Northern Parula

Black and White Warbler

Common Yellow throated Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Palm Warbler Bathing

Yellow Warbler after bath

Yellow Rumped Warbler coming down for a drink.

Kestrel hovering over High Meadow

Lots of birds were drawn to a hatch out.

like this American Redstart.

and this Scarlet Tanager.

Also heard and then located were this Carolina Wren

and last but not least, this Least Flycatcher.

Incredible Inwood

2011-05-01T06:46:00.013-05:00

Broadway Peregrines

Inwood Redtails

Running off last year's juvy.

A feeding!

Also a kingbird and oriole coming down for a drink.

and last but not least, one of a handful of Turkey Vultures.

Morningside Kestrels Reloaded

2011-04-29T18:50:00.020-05:00

After weeks and weeks of searching, I found another kestrel scrape in Harlem. This one is located on 115th St. and Morningside Ave. and features a row of benches to sit and wait from. It is also a bit safer than the 119th St. scrape as that is the building featured here. This location is high up enough that people cant interfere, yet open enough so you can get a great view. I also told a Super and Parks worker, so there are enough sane people around to make sure no one tries to invade their sanctuary. Anyway, that's enough hyperlinking for now...here's a sample of pix I was able to get while running errands around the nabe.
The male will always call before approaching the scrape so that the female will not attack him.

Depending on the size of the cavity, he will either go in as she goes out, or he will flyout, making a distinct cry.

If there's food she will follow him,

where she will consume it, while he does nest duty!

Other kestrel news to report: 80th and Broadway is yes, W. Houston and 6th Ave. is no, 116th btween ACP and Lenox is no, 511 Amsterdam is yes, 135th and Amsterdam is no, Pearl Paints scrape looks probable!

Recent Raptors

2011-04-21T18:47:00.006-05:00

A mix of nesting residents and migrating birds. Today I saw 2 Turkey Vultures, one quite close over Morningside. And while no eagles, I did spy this little killer.

Out of the corner of my eye, I had actually seen him snag the poor white throated sparrow just past the Lily Pond. It landed just nearby, the sparrow still horribly struggling. I watched amazed as the hawk delivered the killing blow then absconded beyond the Great Hill with its prize!
For it knows that someone is always watching...as in the case of this kestrel who gets run off by a crow over a mouse it was eating.

Also hunting hard above Riverside are the peregrines. Here's an attempt at a panning shot while she goes after one of the juvenile redtails who are still unbelievably plying the pigeon trade over St. Nicholas Park.

Last but not least, still no sign of chicks at St. John. I caught up with Isolde feeding on a squirrel over Morningside, but no food was brought to the nest.

Predator and Prey

2011-04-14T19:01:00.011-05:00

Today there were 3 ospreys spaced about 1 hr apart, migrating up the Hudson. On the perfect WNW wind, they expended virtually no energy as they cruised northward. At one point the female peregrine at Riverside grew extremely agitated as one came too near!

She was calling repeatedly and displaying in front of the scrape.

Circling the Church, I found breakfast.

and maybe lunch and dinner?

Morningside Kestrels

2011-03-28T18:09:00.004-05:00

More pix of their comings and goings around the neighborhood.

The female during nest break.

The male visiting my building.

Straining for a grip in the gale.

Gotta go!

But not before I give this hawk a haircut!

More Cathedral Nest Pix

2011-03-26T15:19:00.005-05:00

Very stealthy these hawks are. Even when waiting and watching, they almost gave me the slip for their mid-day nest exchange.

Isolde sunning and preening (with brood patch visible).

Later joined by a juvenile hawk over Morningside.

Morningside Kestrels

2011-03-21T11:54:00.005-05:00

The Harlem kestrels are back in full swing. I count 5 separate pairs nesting on the Westside between 135th and 110th.
114th and Manhattan Ave.
114th and Broadway
116th and Lenox Ave.
118th and Manhattan Ave.
135th and Amsterdam
Here are the pix of the 118th St. pair doing it is what nesting birds do.

It maybe that some of these pairs are duplicates or overlaps, so if you get a good kestrel pic, send it my way and I'll put it into the file.

Meet the Neighbors

2011-03-18T21:14:00.006-05:00

The last week has been some of the most awesome bird watching to date.
On Monday the resident peregrines launched a sustained attack on the over-wintering juvenile Cooper's hawk. They wheeled over and over as the falcons took turns driving the Coopers down amongst the brownstones, nearly killing it. This is a sure sign they are nesting.
On Tuesday the Cooper's re-appeared over St. Nicholas Park, only to be attacked by the over wintering Merlin and then resident redtailed hawks.
On Wednesday, the resident kestrels appeared after a long absence. Mating over Manhattan Ave., they have re-chosen their former nesting spot.

On Thursday I witness both the CCNY hawks and the Cathedral Hawks mating (separately). In one incredible encounter, all 4 adult hawks were mixing it up over St. Nicholas Park!

The males jousted on the strong winds, displaying an agility rarely seen.
Now that that's been settled, lets get on with the business of nesting.

Peregrine Pairs

2011-03-10T17:17:00.010-05:00

Doing what it is mated raptors do this time of year.
Broadway Bridge

Riverside Church

Good luck guys...we'll be watching!

Screechy Tremolo

2011-03-05T09:59:00.001-05:00

Screechy and Peachy

2011-02-27T10:09:00.007-05:00

Passing on a trail, I spotted this gal taking a mid-day sun nap.

Oblivious to the strollers, joggers and bikers, she roused only when an idling Ambulance gurgled to a stop nearby,

before re-adjusting to face the sun again.
From where I stood, I could see a distant kestrel perched atop a building. I tracked the bird to Amsterdam Ave. where I found her stalking a flock of starlings. Suddenly the starlings flew out in a storm, but the kestrel remained. After hearing a few "squeaks" I found the cause.

This escaped peach-faced love bird seemed to be calling to me. I called back and surprisingly she flew down to my feet where I promptly scooped her up. Half starved and half asleep, she snoozed in my hat while I hailed a cab home.
Welcome to the Sanctuary little Bro!

Disclaimer: No birds were violated during the taking of these pictures, although Peachy requested that I take her pic exclusively from the right-side from now on.

The Holy Grail

2011-02-21T16:16:00.020-05:00

"Some call it madness to search for the Grail." --John Lennon

The Holy Grail to birders, and raptor lovers especially, is Aquila chrysaetos, aka the Golden Eagle. North America's largest Eagle is an occasional visitor to New York State, but to see them anywhere Downstate is exceedingly rare. In fact the only place where they are on occasion spotted, is nestled amongst the rolling foothills of Dutchess County in a place called Stissing Mountain. Driving out along 199 past dairy and Christmas tree farms, I scanned the terrain for any signs of raptors. There were absolutely none to be found, not even the occasional redtailed hawk or Cooper's. In the distance a group of raptors kettled above a hill but soon disappeared. I reckoned I would have a chance to get into position somewhere to watch them fly out. After miles of hiking I was covered in sweat and utterly alone on a freezing hill. The trees groaned as the wind brushed past them, like a rude commuter. It was gut check time. Physically I was very close exhaustion, mentally I was confused and unfocused, but emotionally, the excitement I felt at being so close to this bird, was near ecstasy. I had come so far and there was no turning back. As I caught my breath and adjusted my camera settings in the dark pines, I could hear deer crunching through snow. Behind the ridge on my right, a turkey clucked loudly. And in the distance were the sounds of Pileated Woodpeckers drumming. Everywhere in this forgotten wood was a presence of an ancient rhythm, circulating like a heart, faithfully, year after year. With that I turned up the hill, following a deer track through the snow. Emerging from the Pines I found myself near the top of a ridge. A redtailed hawk keeyar-ed close by. And again. I found a beautiful dark redtailed slicing just over the hill. It was soon joined by another hawk, then another, then another. Trying to get a shot through the branches was near impossible, but I did get this juvenile coming over the trees.

When I got to the top, I could see a group of about 20 ravens down in the creek, they appeared to be on a carcass. The red-tailed hawks continued to swirl as they drove off the eagle and I felt a presence emerge from the trees as their call elevated to a fever pitch. Steadily, the juvy Golden flew right past me at eye level. As it passed I could see that it regarded me casually, then continued on, non-plussed.

The red-tails looked like robins next to it!

After this, it dipped down behind the hill. The next time I saw it was as it crested over Stissing Mountain. This definitely was my best birding experience ever. Not because of the pictures (although I am stoked), nor the fact that this is more proof that New York State still provides some of the best birding in the World. It is the fact that I succeeded on my quest to realise my dream. And for that faith and determination, I was acknowledged by Spirit and that fills me with a gratitude that is the real reward. And that, is the Grail, as symbolized by the great Golden Eagle.

Columbia Peregrine Hunt

2011-02-03T22:11:00.007-05:00

I was lucky enough to track the Peregrines to a spot near one of their favorite ambush locations. It seems that by occasionally changing up their hunting perches, they are able to retain the element of surprise. And no one was more surprised than me by the awesome teamwork these two birds used to alternately flush and then run down their favorite prey.
What time is it?

Its lunch time!

Shout out if you love Peregrines!!!

After consuming her share, she then let the male feed,

while she lit out somewhere over Broadway.

Now here's some video of the same!

I was also found this juvy redtailed hawk snacking on a squirrel in Riverside Park.

And this Ice Blue Heron in Winter Plumage!

One of my best birding experiences today, many thanks to Mother Nature for the close encounters.

Hunting Hawks

2011-01-30T18:38:00.006-05:00

Lots of hungry hawks today. These are two different hawks making passes by the roof.
First this unscathed young male making a pass,

then this young hawk with two missing right primaries.

Lots of great hawk action, but very hard to follow. At one point there were 4 hawks, 2 peregrines, 1 kestrel and what seemed to be 3 bald eagles all in view. Oh and 4 monk parakeets also taking sun over 125th. Here's a few other choice shots.

It Takes An East Village

2011-01-04T16:47:00.008-05:00

There was an email today on the raptorsnyc@googlegroups.com listserv about a trapped hawk in the East Village. After contacting the poster, it seemed there was a juvenile redtailed hawk that was stuck in the building air-shaft since before the blizzard. Both Bobby Horvath and myself arrived on the scene and after carefully coordination between myself, Franco (concerned tenant) and the Super, we were able to shoo the bird to a 4th floor window ledge where Bobby snagged it! I was very relieved as it was kind of sketchy and either bird or human could've been very easily hurt. This is why its great to have the raptorsnyc group, so that experienced people can attempt these rescues with out them turning tragic. In this case we wound up with an emaciated and tar stained bird that was had torn off the tips of most of the primaries as it flitted about in the narrow confines of the brick shaft.

Here you can see some of the tar hanging off its beak that was also on its feet and tail feathers. It also had a bit of blood from where it bit its tongue.

As I circled the block, I noticed the Marble Cemetery was just south so I wanted to see how the hawk may have been drawn in there while chasing a large flock of pigeons that congregates there. To my surprise, there was another juvenile red-tailed hawk on the very building I had just come from. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a nest somewhere very close to that area, that is separate and distinct from the nest near Washington Sq. Park. Perhaps it is the reconstituted Houston St. pair from 2008? I noticed Tompkins Sq. Park is just north of this location, but have not found a nest there. Also of note is an American Kestrel nest on this block and many people told me of the Common Raven found there. The East Village is going to the birds!!!

Hanging with the Horvaths

2010-12-20T16:15:00.008-05:00

Got a chance to attend a hawk release over by the Queens Botannical Gardens. We released a total of 4 hawks, 3 of which were juvy redtailed hawks and 1 of which was this broadwinged hawk.

Next up were the three redtailed hawks.

We had a great time watching them all interact with their new environment and testing out their new freedom!

Special thanks to the Horvath's for their tireless work in fixing up these wayward birds till they have enough strength to make it on their own.

Soul Mate

2010-12-17T18:29:00.012-05:00

Its a known fact that raptors mate for life. The peregrines at Broadway Bridge have been together for almost 10 years and in that time have sired numerous broods from the bounty to be found on their territory. At this nest I've previously found the remains of Pigeons, starlings, flickers, crows, grackles, woodcock, cuckoos, catbirds, thrashers, cedar waxwings and the occasional parakeet. In addition, they will also attempt to kill any other raptor that flies into their turf. One of their most hated intruders is the always present juvenile red-tailed hawk who tries to poach their pigeon flock. Today I was able to observe the pair as they launched a concerted attack on this wayward hawk just over, ironically enough, the neighborhood Target.

They drove it off past the VA hospital and then circled low over Baker's Field.

Here's the male landing next to her after failing to copulate.

They stayed there for some time, scanning the water for any passing birds. Then together they both flew off,

giving me a great look at them flying in tandem! They returned to the Bridge where again I heard the female utter her territorial "Eee-Chuck!" call, telling the male of an intruder.

To my astonishment, it was not another pesky hawk, but an adult male peregrine! It wheeled above and then dove at the perched male, breaking off just in time. It then lit out low over Broadway. Here's the resident male flying out in hot pursuit...

He eventually caught up with the challenger way south over Dyckman,

as they clashed over and over in a brutal and poetic loop. Eventually they were too tiny to see so I ran south after them. After some searching I was unable to find them. I noticed the sun began to set, so I thought I might have time left to visit Swindler's Cove, but couldnt make it so I went to nearby Sherman's Creek instead. Peering out over to the Bronx I heard the soft "chuuurrrrrrrr!" of a Belted Kingfisher. It was threatening some stray cat nearing its tree. As it flew off, I manage to grab these pics...

I was on such a bird high after that! I am just very thankful that such amazing natural beauty can be found amidst our paved and littered landscape. On a final note, over by the Sanitation Station there is now a huge colony of American Crows. I stopped counting after 40. Apparently they use the garbage trucks as their main food source and have really multiplied. I observed them for a bit today and got to meet the old matriarch of the bunch!

Here's one group of them discussing the relative merits of Wikileaks!

Hancock Monks

2010-11-30T12:48:00.004-05:00

Over the past few days I've watched the Monk parakeets shelter from the gale in Hancock Park. Here's a collection of their beauty.

Croton Point Park

2010-11-21T17:35:00.013-05:00

It was a great day to check out Croton Point Park. Although there was some bird action, its not the untrammeled place it once was. After catching a Cooper's near miss near the train station,

I noticed a model helicopter passing over the Hill. Immediately I knew there would be no Harriers today. So veered into the woods where I was treated to a great look at a Belted Kingfisher, who promptly flew off as I got my camera ready. Pressing on, I encountered lots of sparrows,

Chickadees, Titmice, and Downy woodpeckers. While checking out wp holes for ESO's, I happened upon this pair, shacking up in an old beehive!

Despite a through search I could find no Owls, nor signs of them. Upon leaving the Park,
I was treated to the resident redtailed pair, hunting in tandem through the woods.

They squirrel they were after managed to evade, but it was a great site to see the male chase it to one side, as the female flew in to that side.

6th Annual Harlem Hawk Walk

2010-11-16T17:19:00.008-05:00

Thanks to all the intrepid hawk watchers who came out for a great raptor day.

Here's the finally tally:
6 Redtailed Hawks: three adults, three juveniles
4 American Kestrels: 2 adult males, 2 adult females
1 Peregrine Falcon
1 Cooper's Hawk
Approximate locations can been seen on www.flickr.com/yojimbot

Peregrine Kill

2010-11-11T10:52:00.007-05:00

Not sure what it was about yesterday, but I saw more intense raptor action in 2 hours than I've captured in the past 2 months. From my roof I see hawks and falcons hunting daily, but that is characterized by long, long waiting periods only to see the bird flyoff down and away, out of sight. For whatever reason, the birds were breaking in all the right directions yesterday so here's a compilation of yesterday's best action.
Riverside Peregrine circling...

then a stoop.

And a miss, but the falcon recomposed and turned out over the Union Theological Seminary.

Hawking over the buildings, he flushed prey while the female waited above for the right moment to single out a bird.

In this case, she snags a Yellow Shafted Flicker above Columbia,

this pic is all of 5 seconds after the kill as she flies off to meet the male.
Later, from the Harlem Viaduct, I spotted the pair aggressively defending their turf from an intruding adult Peregrine.

A bit north at Riverbank State Park, an adult RTH chasing off a juvy.

and a hunting adult Male Kestrel.

PS the Parks Dept has removed all traces of the Monk Parakeet Colony above the football field. Its a cruel, cruel world out there sometimes birdys, but keep your heads up...I know you'll find a way!

6th Annual Harlem Hawk Walk

2010-11-03T16:17:00.004-05:00

Scheduled this year for November 14th or 15th, depending on the weather. Lace up those walking shoes and come on out for the only Raptor Tour in NYC.

Shine on you crazy diamonds!

Freedom Rings

2010-10-29T18:16:00.004-05:00

Riverside Church, standing irresolute. One day it will crumble, but until then it is the year round home of 2 peregrine falcons. It is also home to Columbia University, who is also a very protective resident. After being harrassed by two New York City Police officers for taking pictures of said falcons, I hung tight also. Here's what I saw/was able to capture.

In the fading light,

someone's hunting for dinner.

Diving after starlings, it didnt seem to even be real how fast it plunged.
Turning behind the Church after an unseen MISS! Here's her recovery...

and flyby/flyin.

The Ovenbird

2010-10-10T12:13:00.004-05:00

In situ.

There is a singer everyone has heard,
Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird,
Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.
He says that leaves are old and that for flowers
Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.
He says the early petal-fall is past
When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers
On sunny days a moment overcast;
And comes that other fall we name the fall.
He says the highway dust is over all.
The bird would cease and be as other birds
But that he knows in singing not to sing.
The question that he frames in all but words
Is what to make of a diminished thing.

I think Eddie has an idea what to make of it...

lunch!

CCNY RTH

2010-10-02T21:11:00.006-05:00

Riverside Peregrines

2010-09-20T21:01:00.007-05:00

By now the young have dispersed, yet the Riverside Peregrines continue to lord over their territory.

Cleverly concealed among the cornices, they lie in wait for anything that either offends or attracts.

In this case, an osprey headed north (man these guys are everywhere)!

Sunbird!

What is it about that interaction between our world and theirs?

Like some strange language that twins teach each other!?! (shout out to Austin Powers).

And in their wake, the remains of a kill from this morning.

A yellow billed cuckoo. Sleep well my friend.

"Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,"

Pallisades Park

2010-09-18T22:53:00.014-05:00

From the George Washington Bridge, I tracked a large osprey meandering over the cliffs of the Pallisades. Eventually crossing over and through the woods, I came to an overlook deep in the Park. And even though I only had my 18-250mm lens, this big girl came in so low over the trees, that my shot needed no cropping.

Still I pressed on, searching for the wild heart of this jagged place.
Deeper still, I came to an outcropping that offered an uninterrupted view of the entire west side of the island of manhattan, as well as its own rocky cliffs.

From a hidden cave I heard what sounded like the utterings of parrots or dinosaurs. A chattering, like a child trying to learn a language. Patiently I waited...what seemed to be making it was moving around back in the woods now. As I peered over a boulder, a medium sized falcon raced toward me from the shadows. I held my ground as it broke across the cliff and swirled around me. This is what I saw.

Two juvenile Merlins, inviting me to play.

They call softly, wingbeats easy and sure.

This is what a Merlin traveling at 50mph, 10 feet away looks like.

And now the video.

Finally, as the sun began to set,

two quorking ravens skimming the trees below.

Highbridge Kestrels

2010-09-13T20:14:00.010-05:00

I found 2 juvenile kestrels whizzing around Highbridge Park today. Here are the best shots. First this gorgeous young female.

And then her orange breasted brother.

Harlem Monk Parakeets

2010-09-13T10:26:00.002-05:00

For at least 3 years there has been a feral colony of Monk Parakeets living in the upper reaches of Riverside Park. About 3 weeks ago I received a report of two men, rigging a rope around the branches of the tree, pulling it through and destroying their nest. Who or why such people act they way they do, is beyond me to understand. But I do know this: most birds are smarter than most people, and these guys escaped and just relocated. Through a combination of intuition and good sense, I relocated these awesome guys, a few blocks south, in a much more secure location.

Here I found an emerging colony of at least 6 different birds amongst 3 different nests.

And to the sick fucks who tried to exploit these wonderful and free animals I say this:
You can kill a bird. You can kill me. And one day, they will probably even kill the internet.

But you cant kill Love.

RIP Shea Osprey

2010-08-30T19:29:00.009-05:00

Unfortunately, the Osprey we picked up in Queens had to be euthanized. His terrible injury and subsequent infection left no choice in this poor guy's fate. It is a constant reminder that we do not live in harmony with earth creatures, but rather live in total ignorance of them and their habits. In light of that, I thank this beautiful bird, and my friends, for allowing me to learn and share about the mystery and power of this beautiful animal.

Take These Broken Wings

2010-08-26T14:32:00.004-05:00

Got a report today about an injured adult male Osprey out in a parking lot near Willets Point. Bobby Horvath had already corralled the bird by the time I got there, and mentioned the fracture to the right wing may not be repairable. He was on his way back out to LI to a vet to get some xrays...more updates as they become available.

Good luck bro and thanks again to the Horvaths for their tireless work!

St. Nick Hawk

2010-08-20T19:02:00.001-05:00

Walking on air!

OMG JBNWR!

2010-08-13T16:41:00.014-05:00

Swans!

Yellow Legs.

BCNH.

Birds everywhere you Tern.

GBH flying off with a freshly caught eel.

Oxymoronically, an albino black duck.

Aptly named, Glossy Ibis.

Egrets in repose.

YCNH with a railbird lurking in the reeds!

Speaking of lurking.

And finally,

the awesome Osprey!

Shout out to all my Peeps on Cross Bay Blvd.

Riverside Park Hawk Babies

2010-08-04T08:32:00.006-05:00

Finally got a chance to check out the little dudes over at Riverside Park...they seem to be doing great! Hopefully they will continue to thrive although once fledged, there are a whole new set of dangers awaiting them. Till then its just wait and see.

Riverside Peregrines

2010-06-28T22:02:00.007-05:00

Over the course of the last week I have had occasional sightings of the Riverside juveniles, all of which have recently fledged. I was able to catch up to one small male this evening as he rested low near Grant's Tomb.

Sporting his DEP tags.
Some more flight training...

Good luck little guys!

Nesting in Kestrels HD

2010-05-22T21:48:00.002-05:00

119th St. Kestrels

2010-05-22T17:24:00.006-05:00

They are in serious nesting mode and very sensitive to my presence near their scrape. As I hung back, the male called out to the female!

The male flying to transfer the prey.

The female flying out with the squab.

Later appearing on the roof with the prepared carcass for the young!

Why I love Science.

2010-05-21T22:04:00.013-05:00

The natural world always holds a deeper mystery. Just when you think you know the deal, something else takes place that radically changes your understanding. The best tool for this discovery is science, based on observation, rather than heresay. As Darwin himself says, "To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes even better than, the establishing of a new truth or fact." For this I submit the case of the Morningside Kestrels!
The male still bringing food to the female.

Flying to the scrape after transferring the prey in Morningside Park.

I didnt hear chicks responding to his entry, so its hard to say where they are in the nesting period...but as I watched the female in Morningside, I noticed a dark shape dart towards a tv aerial on Manhattan Ave. As I spun around, I was incredulous to see a female kestrel dive into a hole! Amazed I checked back towards the female in Morningside Park, and she was still there. Incredibly, another male kestrel showed up and then promptly flew into the nest hole too!

At once I accepted the inevitable conclusion, there must be two independent kestrel nests, within 1 block of each other! Totally unprecedented. To seal the deal, I waited out the cavity in the late evening, to find the female heading home!

Here are the approximate locations of the scrapes.

Good luck to both nesters!

Bird Banding @ 55 Water St.

2010-05-12T19:18:00.014-05:00

I had an awesome opportunity to tag along with Chris Nadareski from the DEP as he banded the 4 young from the 55 Water St. nest (2 male, 2 female). Like all great bird handlers, Chris was calm, relaxed and professional as he took on the not so easy task of wrangling a very PO'ed mama peregrine. In fact she refused to leave the nest,

so Chris hand captured her in order to safely remove the babies!

Here's her release and subsequent joining up with the male to defend the nest.

With the babies safely in baskets, we began the work of health checks and tagging.

Checking for lice and mites...

checking for frounce.

The outstretched finger prompts a feeding response in the chick so you can look in the mouth and throat.

The good people of 55 Water St., the NYC DEP and our future bird taker-carer-of-ers!
We then returned the chicks...mom was not stoked to see us!

Back in da Nest!

All in all it they were away for about 30 minutes and once back in the scrape quickly returned to their mother's incredible care and protection. Thanks again to 55 Water St., The New York Post, the NYC DEP and all the people out there who care! Good luck little guys...we'll be watching.

How fast is fast?

2010-05-05T21:22:00.004-05:00

The Canon 7D shoots in bursts of 8 frames per second. Here's a sequence of 3 shots, taking place over 3/8ths or .375 seconds! In other words, the bird goes from a complete standstill to launching off and into a dive in 1/3rd of second.

Here he is inspecting the rooftop of PS 180.

"Wild in New York" Premiere Tonight @ Anthology Film Archive

2010-04-28T13:06:00.005-05:00

Im a little late on this, but one of my films 'Wild in New York" is premiering tonight at 9pm at the Anthology Film Archive as part of their Bird Week Series.
We shot it in Summer 2008 and has top secret bird footage on it! Q&A session afterward with a Peregrine and Red-tailed Hawk.

pic of rescued eyass @ Bway Bridge, Summer 2008.

More Kestrels

2010-04-27T18:10:00.009-05:00

Coughing up a pellet!

Taking off.

Peregrine Sunset

2010-04-26T15:25:00.002-05:00

From the tippy top of Riverside Church, this falcon sets up an ambush in the fading light!

St. John's Hawks

2010-04-25T11:47:00.007-05:00

Definitely chicks up there, but it might still be a day or two before we can see them. Here's mom taking a nest break.

Aaaaaand we're back!

2010-04-21T16:33:00.011-05:00

WTF?!? Ill tell you WTF...gmail and blogger got the ish hacked out of them. Someone or something broke into my gmail and emailed everyone in my address book potentially virus laden spam. As a result, blogger flagged my account as a spammer but within the span of a few hours viola, ish was back like nothing happened.
These are not the droids youre looking for...huzzzah?
So now that I've put the fear of the Chinese in you for ever trusting anything on the internets, here's some more pix from the wonderful world of birds. I give you:
Anatomy of a Peregrine Kill!

Pigeon flies into the hole.

Peregrine flies into hole.

Peregrine surprises pigeon and begins to kill it.
Pigeon cries bloody murder for about 90 seconds.

Peregrine feasts on bird for the next 20 minutes.

The culprit emerges, gore still on his talons!

Morningside Kestrels

2010-04-19T12:33:00.021-05:00

Some new friends of mine allowed me access to their roof for some close-up kestrel observations. What I saw tops the list of cool ass kestrel close encounters. The Canon 7D was there for the action (although it did blow a number of close passes and background shots). Still, I was more than satisfied with the results as I did catch a lot of luck with the cloud cover breaking at all the right moments.

Almost There!

2010-04-17T20:08:00.008-05:00

The male atop Gabriel.

The female fussing around in the nest alot today. Notice the little bloody article just under her feet.

Cape May, NJ

2010-04-14T12:45:00.022-05:00

I have always been told that Cape May, New Jersey is The Bird Mecca of the continental US, and now I know why. In reality, it is a combination of all of my favorite places to bird, for it contains: The lighthouse of Fire Island, the low scrub pines and grasses of Jones Beach, the profusion of shorebirds as in Jamaica Bay, the passerines of Central Park and of course, my personal fave: the Raptors of Hawk Mountain! In the space of a few hours I was immersed in the richness and bounty that is still to be found on the East Coast during Spring and Fall migrations, as birds of one sort or another move on to wherever it is they go.
A meandering Osprey.

A Broadwinged Hawk emerged out of a kettle of Turkey Vultures!

One of a number of American Kestrels.

Peepers in the thousands!

Bluebirds

Nesting in an old woodpecker hole, at the edge of the grasslands.

And as always, the wandering Osprey...birds of my dreams!

Everyone's Doin It!

2010-04-07T18:28:00.011-05:00

What I like about the pair bonding of raptors is the uncomplicated distinction between the pair roles in creating territory, defending it and raising young. The male hunts while the female nests, and when there is a threat, the male defends. Here is the Riverside female issuing her territorial E-Chuk! call as the male comes out and then attacks some unseen intruder (my guess is the plucky Osprey that's been making trips from CP to the West Side).

While the Morningside Kestrels follow the same pattern. It is the female who call the male to mate, and he who hunts for that priviledge. Here is the female coming out of their nesting cavity to receive her prize!

Cant wait for those little chickies!!!

CCNY Hawks

2010-04-07T09:47:00.004-05:00

Its still not clear if these hawks will nest on Shepard Hall, but I've been observing them nest-building and mating for the past 2 weeks. Here's some of the action and as always, an interesting surprise!
Mom and Dad, busy adding sticks to their nest.

Thats when another hawk showed up!

WTF...it was last year's baby,

joining in on nest building duty!
The parents amazingly tolerated the youngster, but didnt seem too thrilled when it repeatedly landed in the nest. Is this why they always choose not to pick this location or are they nesting in another spot further uptown? Only time will tell.