Other Red-tailed Hawks Archives - Page 21 of 29

December 15, 2007December 21, 2020Other Red-tailed Hawks, Owls, St. John/Columbia Red-tailed Hawks

Owls and Hawks

On Saturday, I started birding at the Long-eared Owls. Both were visible.

The second owl, which is usually impossible to photograph finally had some light.

I then when north, trying to do a practice run for the Central Park Bird Count. On my way north I found an adult Red-tailed Hawk that was having fun scaring the hundreds of Grackles north of the Reservoir.

As I kept track of the Red-tail, I ran into a Screech-Owl. Needless to say, I was side-tracked by the owl for the rest of the afternoon.

Not exactly. There were two owls in the cavity.

One of the owls after fly out. I couldn’t figure out if it was the first or second to fly out.

December 2, 2007December 23, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Other Birds, Other Red-tailed Hawks

Sunday Around The Great Lawn

Lola was on the Beresford when I looked for her early on Sunday afternoon.

She was looking down at something, so I went to look for it. I was hoping for a Long-Eared Owl, but found this…

I then saw Pale Male at the bottom of the Great Lawn. He switched trees a few times.

Here he’s taking off to fly to another tree.

We had a number of “intruders”, including a Cooper’s Hawk, American Kestrel and this Turkey Vulture.

Pale Male on one of the baseball backstops.

Pale Male was found to be on his favorite MET security camera. He soon flew off, towards Turtle Pond.

While watching for owls, the first year hawk came by.

It ended up in a tree for the night in what I call the DMZ. The zone between the Central Park South hawks and Pale Male and Lola.

Enjoy the winter in Central Park, but remember you’re going to be kicked out come spring by the old folks!

October 14, 2007December 25, 2020Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Other Birds, Other Red-tailed Hawks

Pelham Bay Park Landfill

Sunday, I spent mid-day in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. It’s at the end of the 6 Subway Line, which is an easy but long ride from Manhattan. Long Island Sound basically ends at the park, which makes it a perfect magnet for birds migrating from New England.

Once a year, the Urban Park Rangers lead a hawk watching tour of the landfill which is normally closed to visitors. This year’s tour ended up being a perfect day for hawk watching. The weather was nice, and the wind was steady and from a northwesterly direction. We ended up having hawks in view the entire time we were on the landfill, which is highly unusual. Needless to say, I had a great time.

The landfill is a large hill. It is the highest point in the area giving us a great view, plus it creates updrafts for the hawks and falcons.

We ended up seeing many Red-tailed Hawks (seven were in the air at once), American Kestrels (at least four), Northern Harriers (at least two), Osprey (two, not photographed) and one possible Sharp-shinned hawk.

There were at least two American Kestrel pairs on the landfill. Two were seen on the barb-wire cages that surround the methane gas vents. Needless to say the fences have large signs saying “No Smoking”.

My guess is that this is an accipiter. Based on the size, it is was likely to be a Sharp-shinned Hawk but this is only a guess.

Reverse view of the same unidentified hawk.

As we were leaving the landfill I commented how nice it would be if a hawk landed on the Bronx Victory Memorial. A few minutes later my wish came true!

As we returned to the Ranger Station, a juvenile Red-tailed hawk landed on a tree 15 feet from the station.

I was able to follow it for about an hour. It hunted along the edge of the highway, in a playground, and on top of a stadium light. The hunting attempts weren’t successful, but I think the young hawk was practicing rather than giving it the full effort.

It moved from tree to tree making a hunting attempt each time.

Here it is in a bush after trying for a mouse in a playground.

It then went after the Monk Parakeets of Pelham Bay Park, which use the stadium lights of the running track.

The Monk Parakeets were safely one stadium light tower away from the hawk. But they sure made a racket.

The hawk takes a few looks, moves around a bit and then flies away.

I returned to Manhattan with a detour into Central Park, where I found…

…and Pale Male was in a new spot near his regular roosting tree.

August 29, 2007December 23, 2020Other Red-tailed Hawks

New Kid On The Block

We’re in a fun but unpredictable period for hawk watching in Central Park. Familiar fledglings are disappearing and new ones are appearing as birds migrate and wander about the New York area. There have been sightings of immature hawks in the Conservency Gardens at the north of the park and at Bethesda Fountain. in the center of the park.

At the south end of the park, we have a new immature hawk. Lincoln Karim saw it on Monday, and I found it again on Tuesday. Its smack dab in the middle of the 888 Seventh Avenue adults territory, but they don’t seem to mind. Late fall and early winter seem to be relaxed times with roaming juveniles being given lots of leeway.

The new juvenile was finishing a meal of a rodent when I found it.

This new bird is not banded and has a think neck collar of dark feathers.

Note the full crop, while this bird is doing well, many young Red-tails starve during this period. Now separated from their parents, if they haven’t developed their hunting skills by now or haven’t found a hunting ground with enough food they could be in trouble. Red-tailed Hawk rehabilitation experts talk about two spikes in bird rescues, one during fledgling season and another during the early fall has young Red-tails starve.

August 12, 2007December 22, 2020Other Red-tailed Hawks

Mt. Sinai Guggenheim Pavilion

Up at the top of the Guggenheim Pavillion of Mt. Sinai Hospital was a Red-tailed Hawk and an American Crown on Sunday morning. I’m not sure who this hawk is. Is it the new hawk folks have been seeing or Pale Male up north?

Update: Robert Schmunk reminded me that this could also be the St. John the Divine male. Both of the St. John’s hawks hunt in northern portions of Central Park.

July 28, 2007December 15, 2020Other Red-tailed Hawks

New Red-tail In Central Park?

There have been sightings of a new Red-tailed Hawk in Central Park over the last few weeks. Locations for the bird include 95th Street and 86th Street along Fifth Avenue. On Saturday, I photographed what I think is the same bird in the Locust Grove.

Could this be the 1st Year, that spend the winter in the North Woods or a new hawk?