February 26, 2016

2/26, Riverside and 116th

Riverside Hawk - 6166

A quick walk along the Riverside Park wall on Friday afternoon found one of the new Morningside hawks perched in a tree at about 105th St., a half mile south of the new nest. Although the hawk was doing a lot of looking around, it appears that its crop was full. It was simply checking out the area and taking mental notes while digesting a meal, and not inclined to go anywhere soon.

Riverside Hawk - 6162

Riverside Hawk - 6170

Riverside Hawk - 6175

February 14, 2016

2/14, Riverside and 116th

New Morningside Hawk - 6148

New Morningside Hawks - 6147

Late afternoon on a very cold Valentine's Day offered a couple fast looks at the new Morningside Heights red-tailed hawks as they buzzed around Riverside Park. The only times I saw one or both perch, it lasted less than a half minute before they were back in motion. Last sighting had both headed down toward the highway around 113th St.

New Morningside Hawk - 6152

New Morningside Hawk - 6154

February 10, 2016

2/10, New Morningside Hawks?

Coliseum Hawk - 6115

Two or three reports in the past month suggested that a pair of adult red-tailed hawks might be trying to claim the western edge of Morningside Heights, over along Riverside Park. On Tuesday I spotted a red-tail gone to roost in the park at 112th St., but the light was too poor to see if it was adult or youngster. Then early today (Wednesday) I received a report of four hawks circling over Riverside around 112th. Possibly the cathedral hawks had flown over to have a discussion about territorial rights.

Late this afternoon I made a couple sightings of two hawks along Riverside in the Morningside neighborhood. First was a brief look at two hawks at Riverside and 110th, both arriving from the east, apparently paying little attention to each other, and then splitting off in opposite directions.

A bit later and a bit north, a pair of red-tails again popped out of the adjoining neighborhood, circled over Riverside for a moment, and then alit on apartment buildings. One landed on the Coliseum on the southeast corner of Riverside and 116th.

Coliseum Hawk - 6117

While the other alit atop the Paterno on the northeast corner.

Paterno Hawk - 6122

And then moments later, off again.

Paterno Hawk - 6125

Comments from a neighborhood hawkwatcher who was seen the duo a few times indicate that they are working on a nest inside Riverside Park. One wonders if this is last year's Grant's Tomb pair, trying again a little bit farther away from the nasty falcons at Riverside Church, or if a totally new pair is giving the neighborhood a try.