7/20, Late Appearance

Friday

Missed a couple days because of work and the weather. This, however, is an absolutely gorgeous evening to be looking for red-tail fledglings.

Entered Morningside Park just after 6:10, but for more than an hour the only bird of interest to be seen was the great egret who's been hanging around the pon of late (assuming it's always been the same one).

Two long walks around the park, including one up the goat path as far as 118th St. and nada for hawks. The robins and catbirds have been useless and about the only bird noises have been chatting sparrows. Well, it is getting into late July, and one has to consider that it won't be too long before the fledglings make their departures.

7:16 - Parked on a bench along the west side of the ball fields, on the verge of getting up and leaving. Sundely a hawk comes flying over, from north to south, and alights in the top of a tree about 50 feet to my right.

7:17 - She flies straight across the park and into the trees along Manhattan Ave. and a moment later shifts brancches.

7:20 - then back across the park to a tree near the southwest corner entrance.

7:21 - And to a tree along 110th St. A moment later the catbirds in the berry bushes nearby finally wake up and start complaining. The fledge shifts perches a bit, possibly from being harasses by some small birds.

She gives the pests some dirty looks.

7:26 - Then back to the air and into the tall tree by the corner entrance where the fledges have been found several times and where some of us can take pictures from along Morningside Drive.

Getting a better look at her now. The belly band suggests that this is Brownie.

Also, her crop looks empty. Those intent stares she's been making might be part of looking for a bedtime snack.

7:32 - Shift branch. Stare across street at construction site.

7:34 - Then back to the air. She flies across Morningside Drive and over the construction site, then banks right and flies amongst the buildings of the cathedral Close.

7:44 - Nothing back in the close. Well, three peacocks, yes, but no sign of the hawk fledgling. No complaints from robins like I heard on Tuesday, either. Maybe she did a U-turn and exited the Close over the playground north of the school.