Spring March

The warm weather tide is finally shifting through the area. The city's red tails have begun to brood, phoebes and kinglets are coming through and crocuses and daffodils are bursting forth. Here are some pix from the parks in Northern Manhattan.



The cathedral female still testing out the nest!

On 152nd St., the kestrels are still together, although no mating was observed.



After attempting to find the new nest in Highbridge (I wasnt successful, although Bruce was), I spotted this female kestrel hunting on 211th St.

I watched amazed as she darted in on some sparrows.

With a squeak from the bird, she hit it in midair and drove it to a rooftop where she landed the fatal blow! This is her flying off with her quarry to consume it nearby.

Up at Broadway Bridge, I saw 2 juveniles and 2 adults(the adults were over Inwood, while one juvy was over the el while the other was waaay out over Kingsbridge. While I didnt spot the falcons, I did watch these two debate making a nest on the bridge mooring.



Wending back home, I passed through Columbia campus where a hawk darted just above my head!

Hawkmenijad!


Meanwhile, in the North Woods, I happened upon this chap, sunning himself!

Neighborhood Pix

Due to a busy work schedule, I've only been able to get fleeting glimpses of my neighborhood raptors. I regularly see the new Cathedral male darting over St. Nicholas Ave. when I leave for work in the morning. And he can be found cavorting around the Cathedral with his mate when it starts to get dark. After observing him now for a few weeks, it's clear this bird has an altogether different personality than the previous male. While the prior hawk was reticent and epitomized the red-tail as an ambush hunter, this bird uses a different approach. Using his energy and poise, he will hawk through the side streets, flushing all sorts of quarry. I watched him sprint from Wadliegh at some starlings.

Easily missing, he continued over me and into the park, keyarr-ing all the way.

After alighting on 300CPN, he transited the park again and lit off for Morningside, emitting a phrase like keyarr--mating whine--keyyar--mating whine alternately.

It was amazing to feel the confidence and prowess of this new hawk!

I also caught the kestrels together, but no mating was observed.

The tagged female.


The colorful male.



Its always darkest before the dawn!

Love is a Dead Rat!

Nothing says devotion to a Red Tail hawk than a freshly caught Norwegian Brown Rat. The male brought it to the nest and the female here flies out with it. It took me two viewings to realize that when she exits the nest she actually transfers the rat from her beak to her talons in mid-flight!

Sunday Gale

A stiff breeze cleared out the last of the rain. By early morning, there was nothing but a clear, piercing clarity. I knew that hawks would use the favorable wind to make up for the hunting they missed over the last few days. Starting at the Cathedral, I saw first the female, then the male fly into the nest.







The female stayed on the nest for some time while the male circled the Cathedral, flushing pigeons and starlings. I decided to swing over to CCNY while the morning light was still favorable. I saw first one,

then another hawk fly out of the nest!







After a while, neither hawk returned. I caught glimpses of them over the Park, but they didnt return. From there I went to meet Bruce and Chris Lyons to see if we could discover if any redtailed hawks are nesting in Riverside Park near 165th St. To get there, I cut through Trinity Cemetery, where I discovered a nesting pair of crows. They really didnt like me looking, and crowed vigourously at me the whole time.


Over at Trinity Cemetery, no sign of a nest, but I saw 1 Cooper's and 1 jvy RTH.



In Riverside, I spotted two adult RTH's hawking over the trees and occasionally making descents. We were not able to discover the location, but the presence of 2 adults and a juvy do signal that further searches may be warranted.
One of the adults...

and this very lightly colored juvy.



Later, this ring billed

and this female kestrel hunting.

And the Cathedral pair, joining up to ward off a juvy.

I also saw two turkey vultures, and Chris had a juvy bald eagle on the River in the am.

Nest Number 8!

Man, this has been the year for new Red-tailed Hawk nests. There's really a triple irony behind this one. First irony: this is a first year nest, that has popped up on a structure that I have fotographed hawks on numerous time in the past. Additionally this structure and nest would have been visible from an apartment that I had on 145th St...from my living room couch no less. Second irony: this is yet another nest that was first discovered by a dog walker. Ironic because many times the agenda of dog walkers has conflicted with bird watchers. The third and final irony: I had been at this site two weeks prior, fotographed a hawk right near the nest, but failed to recognize it. Sometimes it takes the observations of others to tell us what is directly under our noses.
*Just found out that this the person who reported this nest is not a dog walker. So we holding then at 2 ironies, down from 3. Im sure there will be more irony to report as time goes on.
I found the nest on the east side, overlooking Hamilton Heights.

The bird made some adjustments to the new nest and then sat up tall. It was eyeing something in the distance. After some time, it rocketed out of the nest and dove on some starlings in the park.


It leveled out empty taloned and then landed in the park.



And flew back to the nest on what was a perfect example of dynamic soaring.

More shots of the nest. Not sure what the gargoyle is, but looks like a knave.


Thanks to Bruce for passing on another nest tip--again, from a dog walker.