Cooper’s Hawk, Red-Tailed Hawk and American Woodcock

By D. Bruce Yolton927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Other Birds

I started my Saturday afternoon in Central Park in the SE corner.

I walked north and found this juvenile Cooper’s Hawk among a group of crows below the Zoo.  I ended up being able to follow the juvenile, as it traveled north all the way up to the Oven, where I lost track of the hawk.
When I got to the Model Boat Pond, I could see Lola enjoying the warmth from the vent of a chimney on a building at 79th and Fifth Avenue.
The Cooper’s hawk landed in a tree directly above the hawk bench.
Cold? Just fluff up your down coat.
The Cooper’s Hawk led me to the oven, where there were two American Woodcocks along the small stream that flows into the Lake.  It was one of the few areas in the park that had some unfrozen ground.
In the fall, it’s rare to see an American Woodcock moving about.  You usually see them sitting still or flying when flushed by dogs.  In the cold weather and the snow, we had an unusual treat of seeing them feeding.  They stick their long beaks into the mud looking for food.
Lola was still on the vent, as I left the park.  The Boathouse cafe is closed for remodeling, so there was no hot chocolate to extend my stay!