Category: Northwest Central Park Hawks

Northwest Central Park Hawks

Another Visit To The Wild West Playground

I spent about an hour at the Wild West Playground nest late in the morning on Wednesday. The male was sitting on the nest when I arrived. I wasn’t sure it was the male, but when the female returned to tree about 100 yards north of the nest he flew over and they copulated. Than made it easy to tell who was who. After a few minutes the female flew to the nest.

When hawks start to nest it can be hard to know if they’ve laid eggs yet. A female can start sitting on the nest a few days before she starts laying eggs and the eggs are laid a few days apart. Figuring out the start date is hard. And early March seems a bit earlier than normal.

I would love to see the female roll her eggs to get a better sense of how far things are along. But this is part of the fun of watching a nest, you just have to make observations and do your best to make the right guess.

Northwest Central Park Hawks

Wild West Playground

In the northwest corner of the Wild West Playground around 93rd and Central Park West is a new Red-tailed Hawk Nest, with a brooding female. I went out in the rain, expecting there to be a break, but it was misty or raining the entire time I was there! The male joined the female briefly near the nest, and she came off the nest. They copulated, and then she returned to the nest.

This location has always had bad luck with eyasses and adults dying, mostly from frounce. I hope this pair will do better than past years.

86th and WEA Peregrine Falcons, 927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Northwest Central Park Hawks, San Remo/Pinetum Red-tailed Hawks, TCC/MCNY Red-tailed Hawks

Spring Is Coming

Some updates:

  • The Peregrine Falcons at 86th and West End look to be doing fine. The male hunted for the female this afternoon, and they made an exchange of food above the Broad Nosh Bagel shop on Broadway. She ate the prey on the church tower ledge. I read her band number and it is 77/BV, so she’s the same female as previously. She is from Du Bois Library, at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she hatched and was banded in 2019.
  • The El Dorado Peregrine Falcon pair have been seen often. Where they have a scrape is unknown. Keep an eye and ear out for where it might be.
  • The Peregrine Falcons at Riverside Church are back after a year off for construction.
  • The Red-tailed Hawk pair, with a new nest in the Wild West Playground in Central Park at 93rd, just off Central Park West, has the female sitting on the nest. Female hawks sometimes sit on their nests a few days before they lay eggs, so we’ll have to watch some more to figure out what’s going on. Anyone with an apartment higher than the nest may have a great view.
  • The San Remo pair are back to building a nest high up on the towers again. And a raccoon is still using their old nest to sleep in.
  • Octavia has been seen often along Fifth Avenue around 77th Street in the afternoon, on window she and Pale Male used to share.
Northwest Central Park Hawks, Other Red-tailed Hawks, TCC/MCNY Red-tailed Hawks

Museum of the City of New York

There is a pair of hawks again at the Museum of the City of New York at 103rd and Fifth Avenue again. The previous female died just before nesting began last year. So it was nice to see the male bring a rodent to the female, which she ate on top of the Arsenal North, just to the north of the nest building.

There is also a new nest at 93rd and Central Park West, just inside the park. So, we have at least two active pairs in the park.

After Valentine’s day, we start to see hawks copulating and nest building. Send me an email if you have news of other hawk pairs in Central Park or Manhattan.

Northwest Central Park Hawks

W0302 Update

Tahj Holiday noticed the female of the W0302 on a lower branch off her nest a few days ago. She was lethargic with drooping eyelids. He kept track of her and made sure the Urban Park Rangers knew about her condition. She did not improve and was rescued and sent to rehab on Saturday morning. Thanks to all those involved in her rescue.

These are pictures of her on Friday, perched over the stream that flows under Glen Span Arch.

Northwest Central Park Hawks

W0302 Central Park Nest

This nest had a mother sitting on eggs for Mother’s Day. The male brought her a branch as a gift while I was there. This pair didn’t have it’s eggs hatch last year, and are now second clutching after the problems they had on Fifth Avenue. So, I have limited expectations for them, but I’m hoping for the best.