Morningside/Riverside

Both make up a large part of the green highway that funnels through Manhattan, spanning Harlem and the Upperwest Side. Both Parks are also similar in that they have high and low areas where raptors and woodland birds can be found. I started out by walking up the huge, newly renovated staircase at 113th. As I hiked up, I saw many birds in the lower level, Common Yellowthroats, Parulas, Redstarts and a Bay-Breasted Warler. I only managed to get a pic of this first year Male American Redstart.

I also saw a few Magnolias...

and a Black Swallowtail!


As I got 3/4 of the way up, I heard crows cawing and streaking over the trees. I could tell there was an unseen hawk over the ridge. Finally, she was off...



and flew right over head to the Cathedral.

I found her over the nest on a fleur-de-lis.

She seemed to be after mice or rats, running below the scaffolding.
She dove off.


but pulled out of her dive and disappeared behind the apse.

In the nest, the two chicks are still downy. They seem to be a week or so behind the Highbridge Park young.

After this show, I decided to swing over the Riverside Church and see the peregrines there. The light was set perfectly on the west side. And I found the male outside the scrape.








I also got some video of the female, hovering then slicing to the ICC.

The male circled back and alight outside the nesting area.




There was also some action at the drip, but the light was really low. Here's one funny one but again, bad light.