Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks Archives - Page 38 of 42

March 22, 2009December 18, 2020Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks

Riverside Female Sitting On Nest

The Riverside female Red-tailed Hawk has begun sitting on the nest north of the Boat House Café. She was there when I arrived early this afternoon. She left briefly to copulate with the male and then returned to the nest mid-afternoon. The male came to nest soon after the copulation with a rodent for his mate. She eat it and then settled down into the nest. She most likely hasn’t laid eggs just yet, but she should over the next week.

When both of them are on the nest together, there are some pictures that clearly show the female’s broken beak compared to the male’s. Her beak is recovering nicely and shouldn’t pose a problem for the pair. But it’s great to have some side by side comparison shots.

Riverside and Broadway

I spent the early afternoon looking at the Riverside Red-tailed Hawk pair on Saturday. There nest is just off the Hudson River near 8st Street and looks great. Last year they laid eggs around mid-March, so the female should start sitting on the nest soon.

Other nests in Manhattan are doing well. Inwood Hill Park, Highbridge Park, St. John the Divine and 5th Avenue nests are doing fine. The Highbridge nest is back to its old spot.

The Central Park South pair is still there but I don’t have any details about their nest. The Houston female lost her mate last year, and may be nesting on the ConEd plant around 14th Street. The pair that was around the City College campus remains a mystery.

Sightings of hawks this winter around the north end of Riverside Park and around the Court House buildings on Center Street make these locations possibilities for new nests this year.

When leaving Riverside Park, check out the American Kestrels that have a scrape at 80th and Broadway. One of them is usually on the building south of Zabar’s or on the church at 79th and Broadway.

March 7, 2009December 24, 2020Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks

Saturday at Riverside, Nest Building

There were lots of trips to and from the nest and lots of time spend arranging the sticks. Both hawks seemed to be eager to do the work, although the female seemed to measuring the placement of the sticks with her body and then rearranging much more than the male.

March 7, 2009December 24, 2020Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks

Saturday at Riverside, Gathering Sticks

Later in the afternoon, nest building resumed. They both gathered sticks. Sometimes breaking off tree branches and sometimes picking them up from the ground. When they picked them up from the ground, they also engaged in a game of cat and mouse with the local squirrels. They are being very industrious. Last year, they started nesting mid-March, so they do need to get the nest finished soon.

March 7, 2009December 24, 2020Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks

Saturday at Riverside, The Normandy Level

It looks rather certain now that 81st Street by the river will be the location of this year’s nest. When I arrived Saturday afternoon, they were both high in the sky near the Normandy building. They had spent the morning working on the nest and were taking a break.

March 6, 2009December 24, 2020Riverside Park Red-tailed Hawks

Back To Familiar Territory At Riverside

It looks like the Riverside Red-tailed Hawk pair may be using their old nest from last summer after all. They haven’t been seen in the 90’s this week, but have been building back at their old site a few blocks north of the Boat House Café.

The female was doing remodeling when I arrived late on Friday afternoon. (Thanks to all of the Riverside birders, who emailed about the updated nest location.)