Urban Hawks

May 23, 2024May 23, 2024Tompkins Square Red-tailed Hawks

Tompkins Square Park

I spent an hour at the TSP nest from 4 to 5 pm on Wednesday and was lucky enough to see the mother feed the three eyasses. They all look great.

May 20, 2024May 20, 2024Northwest Central Park Hawks

The late afternoon started quietly, but soon both parents arrived. The mother had a squirrel, which she helped the eyasses eat. The father watched from a nearby branch. He’s one of the most involved males I’ve seen in years.

May 20, 2024May 20, 2024Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Back to Normal at the NYAC

It was great to see the adult female looking normal today. No closed left eye or droopy left wing. Instead she looked great. She was on top of the NYAC mid-afternoon, and when I returned around 7 pm was already on the nest helping feed the eyasses. She looked great and as though nothing had happened to her over the last week.

Thank you to the Wild Bird Fund for taking care of her and returning her as soon as possible.

The male made a brief visit mid-afternoon, but he spends so little time on the nest I didn’t have a chance to take his picture.

May 19, 2024May 19, 2024Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Family Reunion at NYAC

Yesterday, the Wild Bird Fund released the female hawk that had been picked up around 72nd Street earlier in the week. She wasn’t seen around the nest on Saturday, so it was unclear if the bird that was released was actually the NYAC female or not.

But today, she was on buildings west of the nest and then came to the nest in the early evening. The nest is attracting a crowd of birders these days, and everyone was saw her come to the nest was happy and relieved.

The adult female still seems to have a few residual effects from her concussion. She was closing her left eye frequently for long periods and sometime would let her left wing drop lower than her right wing. Let’s hope the female continues to recover.

May 19, 2024Governors Island Red-tailed Hawks

One Surviving Eyass at Governors Island

Sadly, one of the eyasses died this past week. The remaining eyass looks good and may fledge within a week. I didn’t have much time to spend at the nest site but the nestling should start jumping up and down to the railing soon.