2/29, Hiding on the Hospital Roof?

Twenty minutes of hawk activity today, all of which got me wondering what was going on up on the roof of St. Luke's.

4:53 - From the corner of Amsterdam and 112th, a red-tail is visible circling over the east end of St. Luke's hospital.

4:56 - Nothing interesting visible from the corner of Morningside Drive and 113th.

5:00 - A red-tail dives off a hiding place on the hospital and makes a bombing pass through the Morningside Park dog run, then angles north through the lower part of the park. What do you want to bet that the Cooper's hawk is perched by the dog run?

5:04 - Sure enough. The coopie is perched in the exact same spot where I've seen it at about this time on Wednesday and Thursday.

You can see why it's such a good spot to hide from the red-tails.

5:07 - From the lower part of the park at 114th St., a hawk is now visible perched atop the cathedral. (See first pic above.) Isolde?

5:08 - Meanwhile, there's a few mallards napping in the icy pond.

Only a half dozen today, but I've seen as many as two dozen mallards at a time here within the past few weeks. There seem to be more around this year, perhaps because there's been only one Canada goose in the park. (That goose can't leave because it has a deformed wing and so it can't fly a lick.)

5:09 - Hawk on Gabriel's horn dives off and flies across 113th St. toward hospital. I start up the long stairs.

5:10 - A hawk flies from hospital area over to nest, or very near nest. 10-15 seconds later another follows.

5:12 - Hawks exit nest and fly way up Morningside Drive. One goes high and far while the other seems to veer left at 116th St.

5:14 - One maybe two hawks visible high over Morningside Drive at 116th St. One circles about several times in the gusty wind.

5:15 - Then soars down toward hospital roof. A few seconds a small flock of small birds bursts into air.

5:48 - ...

Haven't seen a hawk since 5:15 despite trying all sorts of viewing angles to see if I can spot anything on hospital roof. Exit.