Harlem Goshawk

It took me a few days to notice, but when I looked at the pictures from Jan. 4th, there was a juvenile goshawk. It was hunting pigeons over the 125th street Viaduct just like any self-respecting red-tailed hawk. So that's what I filed it away under...but no it's definitely a large juvenile gos!

Harlem Hawk Walk/Harlem Bird Count

For the past few years I've merged my annual hawk walk with the Xmas Bird Count. It's hard to believe that I've spent a good part of the last 10 years documenting the birds Uptown and meeting all the people who have an interest in such things. Here's this years tally and pix to go along. Red-tailed Hawks: 5 Peregrine Falcons: 2 American Kestrel: 2 We also had, 5 American crows, 5 Downy WP, 1 Red-bellied WP, 1 WB Nuthatch, 6 Mallards, 35 Robins, 2 House Finch, 15 Blue Jay, 2 Mockingbirds, 2 Song Sparrow, 25 WT Sparrows, 25 Junco, 11 Northern Cardinals, 6 Ring-billed Gulls, 15 Mourning Doves, 145 Pigeons, 140 HOSP, 70 Starling

Harlem Golden Eagle

For two consecutive years Ive seen a juvenile Golden Eagle fly past my roof in Harlem. In addition to that, the birds flew by on exactly the same date, one year apart. From my pictures that day last year, it is entirely possible this is the same bird. I guess if I am correct, then next year I should see the bird on the same day, but this time without the white patches on its wings.

Nesting Season '09

So far '09 is looking positive as all the familiar resident raptors claim their territory from over-wintering juveniles. A few early pairs are already sitting on the nest...here's some updates.
One of the Cathedral hawks over the Dwyer. They have both been making forays northward recently.

At 150th I saw an adult rth ward off this juvy.

As it passes the Polo Grounds.

I have seen the kestrels around here too, but none of them mating yet. I did catch this pair at 177th St. and Amsterdam Ave.



Nearby at Highbridge,

This pair understand that the key to a relationship is good communication!

A closeup of the female.


She sprang down from the branch, weaving through the woods, redtail bobbing!
I tracked her to the nest where she settled down. (Same location as 2 yrs ago).

Further north, the Broadway Peregrines are still doing their thing. I got shots of them mating again, but they were bad. Yes, it has come to this, Im censoring falcon porn.




Last but not least, I made out this curious sight in Highbridge, near the hawk nest.

Nice raccoon loft!

If anyone has any info on raptors sightings in Harlem, let me know. Good luck!

10,000 Visits

Blogging has been a very educational process. I've learned tons of development like html, css and php. But the most fascinating part has been learning about the web is how people find each other across the planet. There are about a dozen regular visitors to this site, the vast majority though, come through some type of string inputted into a search engine. Google, google images and yahoo are incredible links that produce mostly intentional, but many times random connections. Occasionally there will have been a visit from some cool country I've never been to like Japan or Australia, and I think about what the birds would be like there. Maybe after hitting the Powerball tomorrow, I'll try to find out. Till then, its more of the same great bird action brought to you live and direct from Nature!
The Cathedral female,

and this beat up juvenile!

Special shout out to all the blogs that link me. They are:
www.urbanhawks.blogs.com
www.bloomingdalevillage.blogspot.com
http://owlbox.blogspot.com
http://reidnr.blogspot.com
and to the ebirdsnyc yahoo list and Network 54, birds forum.
(they also have a specialty hummingbirds forum that is tres nice!