Urban Hawks

August 27, 2007December 23, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

888 Seventh Avenue Adults

The 888 fledgling hasn’t been seen for a few days, but its parents have been around their normal hunts. On Monday night they were on top of 15 Central Park West looking into expensive apartments and then roosting for the night.

The adult female who moves from her perch to the workman’s elevator rigging, and then to…

her roost for the night. She’s on the left and the male on the right.

August 26, 2007December 25, 2020Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Other Birds

2nd Annual Shorebird Festival at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

On Saturday, the 2nd Annual Shorebird Festival at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge was held. It was a joint presentation of NYC Audubon and the American Littoral Society. About 80 birders were in attendance.

Kevin Karlson led the walk and gave a lecture in the afternoon. His latest book is about birding by impression – size, and shape rather than field marks. It is a good method, but I’ll need to buy his book to get the hang of it.

Here he talked about using body size to differentiate between a Greater and Lesser Yellow Legs.

I’m too new to get my shorebird I.D.s correct but here are some pictures to enjoy.

August 25, 2007December 23, 2020Other Birds

Blue-winged Teal

A female plumaged Blue-winged Teal has been on the Harlem Meer since the 11th of August. It is a small duck, much smaller than the Mallards, American Ducks and Gadwalls that are normally on the Meer.

I had missed it on two other trips to the Meer, but saw it today. When I saw it on Saturday afternoon it was resting on the sandy beach on the southeast shore of the Meer.

August 19, 2007December 23, 2020Other Birds

Weekend Birds

The fall migration has started. The Central Park list had 81 species on Sunday.

A Spotted Sandpiper in fall plumage on the grass for some unknown reason on the bank of the Harlem Meer.

August 18, 2007December 23, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Saturday Hawks

Saturday Hawk watching started at the Beresford.

Lola was to the left of her normal perch on the window. I then made it to the southwestern tip of the park.

The female adult of the 888 Seventh Avenue pair was on the north tower of the Time-Warner building.

The female comes down to join him and ends up catching a small mouse.

The 888 Seventh Avenue adult female. No high roosts tonight. They slept in trees near Columbus Circle.

August 18, 2007December 23, 2020Other Birds

Barn Swallows

The light was very bright on Saturday, so I got a chance to photograph Barn Swallows in flight over the Harlem Meer. At times two birds would touch in flight. I was able to catch a few of these touches. I haven’t figured out the purpose of the touching, although it seems to be some kind of social behavior.