Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

888 Seventh Avenue Action!

The eyas on 888 Seventh Avenue is now running/flapping along the ledge, so one can finally see some activity from the street.  The eyas looks very healthy and in great shape to fly soon. 

Until today, this was the one eyas I known about but hadn’t yet seen.  This brings my hawk watching total for the season to 23 adults, 2 1st years, and 23 eyasses/fledglings for a total of 48 Red-tailed hawks in four boroughs of New York.

With the exception of the Astoria nest, all of these nests were in established territories.

I know I am missing a number of nests in the upper Bronx, eastern Queens and all of Staten Island. The total number of New York City’s Red-tailed Hawks could easily be double my count.

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Other Red-tailed Hawks

Unisphere

I learned more about the history of the Unisphere nest.  The pair has been at the location for at least five years according to a parks employee.  The nest has changed locations, having been on the towers of the NY State pavilion and another location in earlier years.  The nest was also on the Unisphere last year, and one of the chicks fell out prematurely and was sent to a rehabilitater but did not survive.

The fledgling hanging out.  It isn’t shy enough yet and a family tried to feed it potato chips!
An American Robin decided to give it a hard time for about 45 minutes.
The robin would not stop!
The eyasses woke up and then were very active.  I got a report from Richard Fleisher that earlier in the day, one of the young ones had ventured all the way to New Zealand.  Should we call branching behavior “globe hopping” at this location?
Other Red-tailed Hawks

Red-tailed Hawks Take Over The Globe!

In Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, Red-tailed Hawks have nested in the Unisphere, a 12-story high globe created for the 1964-1965 World’s Fair.

I didn’t know this when I went to Queens this evening however.  This is the story…

I received an email this morning that a fledgling Red-tailed Hawk had been wandering on the ground and the benches of Flushing Meadows Park.  The letter went on to detail that someone had arranged to put the fledgling in a high tree branch to get it off the ground and in a safer spot.  News like this gets me on the next subway train after my work day is over!
I arrived in Queens and walked to the Unisphere.  I spotted a parent on the top of the globe.  I thought the parents would be near the fledgling in a tree, but would soon find out this hawk was in just the right spot.
The parent, who I think is the female.
I soon heard a group of noisy Robins and Blue Jays and went to take a look.  I found a shy fledgling trying to stay out of sight.
It got fed up with the Robins and Blue Jays and moved about the tree.  It did a good job of jumping and branching.  I didn’t get to see it fly.  It may have fledged a few days too early.
I then saw the parent on the Unisphere and then something caught my eye.
A nest.  A nest on the unofficial icon of Queens.  A nest on the Unisphere!
There were two eyasses on the nest.  This brings my count of Red-tailed Hawk babies to 22 for the season, all visited by Metrocard.
They look close to fledging age.
Then both parents arrived.  One would quickly fly nearby and then off toward the Tennis Complex, and the other would stay and feed the eyasses.
The parent who left quickly, who may be the male.
The other parent feeds an eyas.
Once the feeding is over the parent moves to the other side of the globe.
The nest from the outside view.  It is a third from the left, just above Indonesia.
The light begins to fade, so I return to Manhattan.
Other Red-tailed Hawks

McCarren Park, Brooklyn

I went to McCarren Park in Brooklyn today to follow up a report sent to Rob Jett from a friend who plays baseball in the park. 

Within minutes of arriving, I found this hawk on lights for the baseball field.  It made a hunting attempt across the street.  (The 36 acre park is divided up into strips with north/south streets going through the park.)
It ended on a low branch perfect for taking portraits.
It then flew off and I lost track of it.
Highbridge Park Red-tailed Hawks

Highbridge Park, Brancher or Fledgling

I went up to Highbridge Park today, and found the “window” from the path that provides a view from below.  (Thanks to James and Robert for directions.)  I arrived to what looked to be an empty nest but knew from the angle that the eyasses might just be on the other side of the nest.

What’s this?  The movement came from twenty feet above the nest.
A youngster.
Now are you a brancher or a fledgling?  You’re still in the same tree as your nest.
One of the parents kept circling over the nest in a pattern that seemed to say “Follow me, Follow me.”
Another fly over by the parent.
An eyass appears on the nest.  So, two are accounted for.
Then a second eyass appears.  So, all there young ones are accounted for.
They get close for a bit, two heads stacked.
The eyass looks up at its older sibling on the branch.
And our brancher keeps looking at the parent circling overhead.
So, you didn’t let me know if you were just a brancher or real fledgling.  I do know one thing for sure, you aren’t going to be in this tree next weekend!