St. Nicholas Park Kestrel

Fall Birds Part 1

The Fall migration is in full swing now. The new cast of characters is on scene ready to play out their wild drama, amidst our urban settings. Resident raptors remain, new raptors are moving through, but both are enjoying the bounty of songbirds prevalent now. From my old roof on 110th, I could make out small groups of warblers, jays, titmice and flycatchers flitting about, trying to fatten up for their long journey South.

Morning, Noon and Night

From my vantage directly across the Park at 110th St., I counted hundreds of warblers per hour moving through the area. Either in small groups or individually, there seems to be a busy army picking their way across the park in a scattered wave. Most were impossible to identify as they whizzed by in darting flocks, but I did manage to pickup yellow rumped, redstarts common yellow throats, black and whites, and palms. There were also dozens and dozens of phoebes and flycatchers, even large numbers of vireos were on the wing. Im sure that the full moon also helped their transit down the Eastern Flyway all night...even a number of raptors and crows got into the action. Its safe to say that it was an amazing spectacle.

Unidentified warbler (see how hard to get a pic?)

















Even this osprey with a huge fish. It flew diagonally from the direction of the reservior, northwest, finally exiting the park at 105th. It flew all the way northwest, passing right through the Cathedral Pair's territory with nary a protest.

Oops also forgot this little guy. I found him on 125th st after some older gentleman scooped him up after colliding with a Starbuck's window. I got a hold of the bird and release it in Marcus Garvey Park. Seemed like a first year common yellow throat. Its chances of surviving seemed fairly slim, but I'm pulling for you little guy.

Home Again

This spring has seen a prodigious crop of nesting raptors in the city. Some birds, like the Highbridge Hawks and the Hawk of the Cathedral of St. John, have returned to their traditional nests. Other birds, like the Central Park South Pair, or the kestrels that nest in my area, have sought out new locations. Over the past few months, I have noticed that the resident pair of kestrels in my nabe have subtly changed their routines. Perching on different antenna, switching up the times they come and go. This weekend, I found the female located on a hidden antenna.

She was soon joined by the male, but then both flew off.
I relocated them a few blocks away where they were mating.

After finishing, the couple remained on the spot...

but the male was soon off!

He flew directly at me,

And latched onto a cornice overhead.

He then entered what appears to be the location of their new nesting scrape!

After a minute or two, he flew out again.

And rejoined the female.

Then it was her turn!


Where she stayed put. I then tracked the male for the next hour over the northern part of his range. He seemed to favor the area surrounding Trinity Cemetery. He would perch on surrounding buildings and make acrobatic forays at the groups of sparrows flitting about on the grounds. I watch him make a dramatic stoop then pull up a few feet off the ground, go almost vertical and land on this flag pole.

Pretty soon, though he was off again where I lost him over Broadway and 156th st.

I also checked up on the peregrines at Broadway Bridge. They seem to be getting along just fine, killing just about anything that happens across their territory. I watched them snag a wayward woodcock, as well as terrorize the local pigeons.



Over in Highbridge, the mama RTH still sits dutifully on the nest. An interesting note about this nest is its depth...I would estimate this to be a mature nest of at least a few seasons. I wonder how long its been in use?

In Riverside Park, I also found this nesting crow!

And late yesterday, the male kestrel snagged a sparrow in front of my window!