Urban Hawks

January 21, 2006December 16, 2020Owls

Great Horned Owl Moves Thirty Blocks

After hearing reports of the possibility of Buteo hawks other than Red-Tails in the park, I went birding on a wonderfully warm Saturday starting at 105th and 5th Avenue hoping to find a new hawk species for my Central Park list.

I walked past the Meer which had an interesting selection of birds: 2 Mute Swans, 3 female Wood Ducks, an American Coot, a male Gadwall, 2 Buffleheads, a few Ruddy Ducks, Mallards, Canadian Geese, and Ring-billed Gulls.

As I walked through the North Woods, I heard an incredible number of jays harassing something on a path. Oh, great I thought, a new hawk! I went around and saw not only Blue Jays but Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, and a Downey Woodpecker all around one tree branch. Tucked behind a number of branches wasn’t a hawk, but a Great Horned Owl. Most likely, the one who has spent the last month roosting in the Ramble.

Squirrels are just as inquisitive in the North Woods as they are in the Ramble.

The Owl kept an eye on dogs and children while I was there, but the combination of a gentleman with very loud boom-box and a passing weather front (very dark clouds and high winds for about fifteen minutes) spooked the owl. It first moved to a tree about 20 feet north, for a few minutes.

It then went to a branch on the largest tree in a meadow.

After about fifteen minutes of stretching and preening (Plus two appearances by a bat. A bat in January!!!) the Owl makes it way from tree to tree going southwest. After a few minutes the Owl then took a long trip south out of sight.

January 20, 2006December 16, 2020Owls

Great Horned Owl Yoga

Some pre-fly out stretches. What should we call the last one? The DeLorean?

January 16, 2006December 16, 2020Other Red-tailed Hawks

Monday Holiday – Red-tailed Hawk in the Loch

While in the Loch looking for owls, I saw this immature Red-tailed Hawk make its way north along the western path of the Loch (the stream/valley that runs from the Pool to the Harlem Meer between 103rd and 106th Streets in the center of the park). When it got to the northern end, it stayed for twenty minutes overlooking the skaters at the Lasker Rink.

January 16, 2006December 28, 2020Other Animals, Other Birds

Monday Holiday – Birds and Racoons

I spent the afternoon in the park, starting at 105th and Fifth, first exploring the Conservatory Garden (which I discovered has two stray cats living in the snow), the Meer and the Loch. I then went down to 79th and explored the Ramble.

I had planned my day to look for owls of any kind. So, it was a hunt for tree cavities (Eastern Screech Owls) (where did the 5 Eastern Screech Owls we saw in the Spring go?), in bushes (Northern Saw-whet Owls), and Evergreens (Long-eared Owls). I didn’t have any luck. My only owl of the day was the Great Horned Owl, who had returned to the tree it had used earlier in the week.

As often happens with birding, I saw interesting things I wasn’t looking for…

Like this raccoon den in the Loch, which for the first time revealed to me that it is home to not one, but at least two, raccoons.

This Hermit Thrush eating berries on a tree branch rather than being on the ground.

This Fox Sparrow, a new bird for my Central Park list.

This Rusty Blackbird, another new bird for my Central Park list.

January 13, 2006December 15, 2020Owls

Great Horned Owl Fly Out

On a spring like evening Thursday, I was able to catch the Great Horned Owl fly out. A group of hawk watchers was able to track the owl for over an hour after the fly out.

Then to the NE Shore of the Lake, where the owl stayed for over half an hour in the moonlight.

January 12, 2006December 15, 2020Southern Central Park Red-tailed Hawks

Charlotte on Nest

Veronica G., who has the good fortune to have a view of the Trump Parc Nest from her kitchen, reports that Charlotte was sitting on the nest this morning at 7:15 a.m. She also reports that the volume of twigs on the nest has increased. Let the fun begin, again!