Urban Hawks

August 11, 2007December 28, 2020Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Other Birds, Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

High Above Opposite Ends Of The Park

I birded both ends of Central Park on Saturday. Up north, there were Snowy Egrets flying south. The fall migration has started and the species list on NYC Bird Report has warblers, ducks and other birds that haven’t been seen since the spring.

Down at the southern end of the park one of the 888 Seventh Avenue Red-tailed Hawk parents was on the upper right hand corner of the Essex House sign.

An American Kestrel came by to give the Red-tailed Hawk a hard time, but didn’t actually come too close before…

August 6, 2007December 17, 2020927 5th Avenue Red-tailed Hawks, Other Birds, Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Sunday Walk Starts And Ends With Fathers

My Sunday walk from the Sheep Meadow to the Metropolitan Museum of Art started and ended with two fathers, the 888 Seventh Avenue male, nicknamed Junior and the 5th Avenue male, Pale Male.

Junior was with his daughter in the southwestern corner of the Sheep Meadow. He had just delivered a late lunch.

After eating and wiping her beak on some bark, she relaxed in the shade.

After watching the fledgling, I went up to The Lake to watch Sandpipers. Here are two Least Sandpipers having fun. They’re quite a social bunch. We’re used to seeing a stray Sandpiper or two in the park, so it’s a treat to watch the Least Sandpiper flock behavior.

On my way out of the park, I saw another father, Pale Male on the Beresford’s North Tower.

August 4, 2007December 25, 2020Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and Osprey, Other Birds

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

On Saturday, I took a NYC Audbon trip to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The trip was led by Don Riepe, who did a wonderful job. Audubon provided a bus, so the trip was easy. After leaving the Manhattan Audubon office, our first stop was the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge’s West Pond, followed by the East Pond and then a visit to Fort Tilden before returning to Manhattan.

An easy walk from the visitor’s center is an Osprey nest on the West Pond. The 2007 kids had already left. These are the adults.

This is a second nest on the other side of the West Pond.

A tree filled with both Snowy and Great Egrets.

We then visited the East Pond, stopping first at a blind. There we saw a Black-crowned Night-Heron and…

Then it was off to the East Pond. Here’s a Gull. (Still learning how to I.D. them.)

Great Blue Heron (left) and Black-crowned Night-Heron (right)

Immature Peregrine Falcon. This is the first time I’ve seen one on the ground!

A bridge near Fort Tilden, where the center gun turret was converted into a Peregrine Falcon nest site. It might have been the birthplace of the Peregrine Falcon seen on the East Pond.

It was a fun day. The trip had a full range of birders, from the beginner to the advanced. Don Riepe, did a great job of keeping everyone interested and kept us out of the Poison Ivy too! NYC Audubon has a full calender of events throughout the year. The current schedule can be found on their website, www.nycaudubon.org.

August 3, 2007December 17, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

888 Seventh Avenue Mother

I went looking for the 888 Seventh Avenue fledgling this afternoon, but found her mother instead. She was at the northwest corner of the Sheep Meadow in Central Park around 67th near Tavern on the Green.

She was being scolded by a group of Robins, who helped me find her.

The adult hawk flew off out of sight. While looking for her, I found this raccoon sleeping just north of Tavern on the Green. Does it dream of the goodies in the dumpsters nearby?

August 3, 2007General News

Great News – City Will Redraft Photography Permit Regulations

Thank you to all of the readers who wrote to the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting. The MOFTB announced this afternoon that the proposed film rules will be re-drafted and new hearings and public comment period will be scheduled.

Full details of the announcement are at the MOFTB website.

Update: On Saturday, a portion of my letter of protest against the regulations was quoted by The New York Times!

August 1, 2007December 17, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Internship at Time-Warner

I found the 888 fledgling flying west on 58th Street today, and then landing on the Time-Warner building in Columbus Circle. Her flying skills have really improved. This perch is about ten stories high.