Urban Hawks

The 86th Street hawk is still around.

On Sunday, our 86th Street hawk made an appearance in the small meadow near where she sleeps around 4:15.  She moved from tree to tree, perched on a building at 89th and Central Park West, and then went back into the trees as usual.  It was too cold to stick around to see where she roosted for the evening.

For at least six weeks, an adult Red-tailed Hawk has roosted in trees near 86th Street and Central Park West.  The hawk looks very much like Lola, but comparing notes with other hawk watchers, this is definitely not Lola who has been seen roosting in other locations.

Jean Dane, an avid hawk watcher, who lives in the neighborhood has been sending me updates. 

On January 8th she wrote, “Your division of Central Park into 59-72, 72-86, 86-97, and 97-110 makes a lot of sense to me, and does seem to be borne out by three known pairs in three known territories. My problem with the adult RT at 86th and C.P.W. is that I know for a fact that 86th is Pale Male and Lola’s turf, so couldn’t imagine for a moment that they would allow an adult outsider to be there. So I assumed that this “lady in red” HAD to be Lola (she is quite dark, like Lola, and also a little on the chunky side…). But if you’ve actually got confirmation of Lola on Beresford at same time this one is watching over little dish-shaped meadow at 86th/CPW, then we do indeed have an adult outsider staking out the 86-97 property: spectacularly fine lines these hawks are drawing here, no? – wow!

I’ve been checking every day, and she’s still there every day, starting late afternoon, occasionally moving from tree to tree in that little area. (Once I found her as far north as 103rd, just inside park at C.P.W., but that was about 6 weeks ago.) Your observation regarding cries bears out what I’ve seen and heard–there have been many many times that she screams even while perching (SEVEN yesterday evening from perches) – that seems unusual to me too, and makes it more likely, I think, that she’s trying to attract a mate (oh boy…).”

On January 15th, Jean wrote “Female RT was not in little football/soccer meadow this afternoon for half-hour at 2pm. However, on my way home at 2:30 I saw dark chunky female on top of water tank at 40 West 86th. Watched for another 10 minutes or so – no movement (also no yelling) – she seemed perfectly happy up there.

She could have been there all that time I guess – which, if Lola, would not be particularly unusual, but if Mystery Lady would be highly unusual, as I’ve not seen her on any buildings in 6 weeks, only trees in park: which (if Mystery Lady) makes it more likely she’s a country girl from up the Hudson somewhere, is what I’m thinking – no? Or maybe she’s been on buildings before and I’ve not noticed….

Anyway, new place to check, when you’re in this neighborhood: south side of 86th between CPW/Columbus – water tank on top of 40 West.”

N.B.  I’m a little more conservative when it comes to sexing Red-tails, so you won’t hear me saying “she” just yet.

Jean sent me another update today.  “She was in her own meadow this morning, one of the trees nearest C.P.W. but by midday back on West 40’s tank – not on top like yesterday, but around the east side of tank near the BOTTOM. From several doors west of 21 West 86th you can see a rod or pipe that comes out near the bottom of the tank, between it and tallest yellow-brick chimney -that’s where she is now.”

The lesson here, is that like the Central Park South hawks, some city Red-tails actually enjoy the city more than the park!