I spent less than an hour watching the 350 Central Park West nest on Friday. 

It was a great birding day for the park, so hawks took a backseat.  I saw 53 species.  It helped that ended the day birding with Nadir Souirgi’s  New York City Audubon Birding Tour of the North Woods, which leaves from 103rd and Central Park West, at 5:30 p.m. Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays during migration.  It’s free and Nadir is an excellent birder and walk leader. Details are on the New York City Audubon, www.nycaudubon.org website.

While I was at the nest not much happened.  The female stood up with her lower chest near the eyasses for most of the time.  This is another sign that all of the eggs have hatched and brooding is over.

After a great day of watching migrating birds in Central Park, including 17 warbler species, I made my way up to 350 Central Park West.  The mother was in the middle of a feeding when I arrived.  She then left the nest unattended a few times and the male made a visit.  She returned and they both stared into the nest together.  Given the behavior I saw today, I suspect that all the eggs have hatched. 

When I was watching earlier in the week, she seemed intent to feed as quickly as possible and then get back down on the nest, as though at least one egg hadn’t hatched (they hatch a few days apart) and incubation was still needed.  (This is only a guess.  An alternative reason could be, that with today’s warm weather rather than the colder weather we had early in the week, she felt comfortable leaving the nest.) 

The newly hatched hawks still need their parents to help stay warm.  It will be another 10-14 days before they can regulate their own temperature enough to be left alone for an extended period.

The eyasses (newly hatched hawks) are too small to see from the street just yet.  This neighborhood is full of school children and they should be able to enjoy watching the eyasses grow up this year.  The young hawks be on the nest for about 45 days and then move to Central Park by late June, staying the summer before leaving home.

I went by the nest on Tuesday and failed to see a feeding.  I went back today, and after a long wait finally saw another feeding.  The male would fly by the nest every hour or so, and perch on a nearby building for a few minutes. 

It was great to receive reports that hawk watchers saw a feeding on Sunday at 350 Central Park West.  It’s very hard to establish a new territory, and after the death of the male last year, it was unclear that this nest would work out this year.

When I arrived early on Monday afternoon a feeding was already in progress.  I caught the tale end of it.  I came back later in the afternoon and caught a few visits to the nest by the male.  Like many new Red-tail Hawk fathers he wasn’t sure how much food to bring to the nest.