Croton Point Park

After reading reports of ealges and harriers at Croton Point Park, I decided to make the journey north to investigate these sightings. Before I got on the train at Marble Hill, I went to visit the Peregrines on Broadway Bridge. I found them sunning themselves and preening.
The male...


the female.

While the male preened,

the female spotted something and was off.



Then the male was off too.

Pssst...is he still out there?

Yup!

At Croton Point Park,

I immediately spotted two juvy Bald Eagles in some trees. The flew off before I could get close. But then this guy crested over a hill!

He swooped and dove into the long grass!



This norther harrier is a lifer and an amazing bird. I spent at least an hour watching this one effortlessly ride over the hills on the stiff breeze.
Looping around the large hill, I spotted some more eagles out on the ice. This one caught a huge fish!


All in all, I saw about a dozen eagles...about half Adults, half juveniles.


Coming around to the main grassland area, I spotted this guy!

The White Ghost!

Finally, I got a really great look at this juvy!

Looks like he's been banded.

Also saw this lifer...a common Merganser.

Ash Wednesday

"Because I know that time is always time
And place is always and only place
And what is actual is actual only for one time
And only for one place
I rejoice that things are as they are and
I renounce the blessèd face
And renounce the voice
Because I cannot hope to turn again
Consequently I rejoice, having to construct something
Upon which to rejoice"

Raptor Force!

The great thing about keeping a blog is referring to past entries. A year ago this time the resident red-tailed hawks and kestrels could be seen courting and mating all over the place. I set out to see if any evidence of this behaviour could yet be seen. Instead, I wound up encountering lots of female kestrels, some hawks, and got a great look at the peregrine pair on Broadway Bridge. It began with the resident female kestrel, perched on a fire-escape!

She intently watched the flocks of sparrows in Jackie Robinson Park before heading out east.



I then found the male RTH a few blocks away, over looking Edgecombe Ave.


Winding north along Highbridge Park, I looked for evidence of any Red-tails, but saw none. At 183rd St., however I spotted a familiar sillouhette.

And identified a nearby building where the scrape may be located.
I then shot up to Broadway Bridge, where the peregrine pair was in full view!
The male...





And the female. She looked huge all fluffed up in the sun!

And the pair together!

Before heading out, I spotted another female kestrel patrolling the Marble Hill houses on 230th.

Also encountered these guys!



Meerrrowww!
PS sorry for not posting people's comments earlier, for some reason, Blogger had hid them on me. I will do my best to respond to them. Shalom!