I went up to see how the Red-tailed Hawks were doing up at 95th and Central Park West.  I’ve heard the female found a new mate over the winter and I went up to see if they were rebuilding the old nest.  I didn’t see any sign of them, but I have seen two adult Red-tailed Hawks a bit further north this winter around The Pool.  I know the Fifth Avenue, Tompkins Square and Washington Square Park hawks are doing fine.  I’d be happy to get feedback on other nests, especially any nests north of Central Park.

Having come up empty, I went over to the No. 28 Bridge and saw the Peregrine Falcon female sitting in her usual roost.  She left before I could get my camera out.  I then found a falcon on a terrace railing of the north tower of the El Dorado.  I thought it was the female, but discovered it was the male after he made a pass at the highest air conditioner on the tower, where the female was eating a pigeon.  She made a cry as if to say, “I’m not sharing.”  This was the first time I’ve seen them on the El Dorado, and it was nice to find a spot where they eat.  From the looks of the air conditioner, it looks to be the site of many meals.

Update 2/11/19: I received a report from a resident of 350 Central Park West that visits were made to the Red-tailed Hawk nest Monday morning. Great News!

The air conditioner is marked by the light circle on the right hand tower.

On Tuesday afternoon, I got to see the Peregrine Falcon pair perched in their regular spot near the No. 28/Gothic Bridge.  The female hunted and caught a pigeon mid-air in under a minute.  Peregrine Falcons are deadly hunters!  The pigeon took much longer to eat, around 25 minutes.

The pair of Peregrine Falcons seem to be a regular fixture in a tree on the northwest shore of the Reservoir in Central Park on sunny afternoons.  This easy to watch perch is going to make a lot of birders and photographers very happy this winter.

On Wednesday, I got to see two Peregrine Falcons in a tree just south of the No. 28 Bridge (aka Gothic Bridge), SW of the Reservoir’s North Gate House.  Last winter a single falcon would hang out in this tree during the afternoons, so it was wonderful to see a pair this year in the exact same spot.  In Manhattan, we usually see Peregrine Falcons perched high on a building, so seeing these two birds in a tree was a special treat.

Sometimes you get to see something magical when birding.  Today, I got to see a Cooper’s Hawk make three amazing swift turns and catch a Tufted Titmouse in midair.  It was too sudden to catch with my camera.  I did however get to record the meal being eaten.