Morningside Hawks

The red-tailed hawk nesting season for 2019 looks to be over. Hawk sightings at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine continue, but they are just the resident adults. Thus the following photo of Mama Maddy taken two weeks ago...

Both she and the adult male have been seen about the area in the past two weeks, although not especially close together.

As for this year's baby hawks, my last sighting came on July 16, when the one non-injured kid was pecking on food atop the Cathedral School.

As for the other, injured fledgling from this year's nest, I haven fortunately never heard further about its rehab.

Red-tail fledgling One revealed himself Monday evening by screeching for food and/or attention. I found him perched atop a lamp post on the middle walkway through the close on the south side of the cathedral.

But a few moments later, he (and I do mean "he" — the bird looks a bit smallish and so likely male) flew over to the pulpit in the center of the lawn.

Where he stayed for quite a while, staring intently here and there, although mostly at things on the ground.

If he hasn't made his first hunting attack yet, he's working himself up to it.

Last view from over by the Peace Fountain.

Although mama Maddy was perched in plain sight, it took obsessive chirping from a single robin to reveal the location of red-tailed hawk fledgling One at St. John's on Monday evening. The young bird had been lurking about the rooftop of the old orphanage building, but moved to a perch on the corner of the roof where it could be seen from the driveway below.

But both fledgling and mama seemed to be done with the day. Both remained on their respective perches as long as I continued to watch.

Sorry, but no recent news on the status of fledgling Two.

Red-tail fledgling One at St. John's was easy to find on Wednesday, perched atop a gable of the Cathedral School, in the same general area where he has spent much of the past week.

Moments later he switched over to the other side of the school, perching atop a chimney.

There he kept watching the sky and screeching occasionally, so I wondered if he was hungry and possibly catching sight of a parent.

But after several minutes, he parachuted down into the trees alongside Morningside Drive.

If he was investigating a robin's nest or similar, I couldn't see any sign of it.

Robins in the area were, of course, having a mass freak-out, with one or two taking a dive at the fledgling.

After a bit, the fledgling began moving about, shifting up higher, but still looking around.

Moving again, then again.

And finally getting out of the trees and making a nice flight with a hair-pin turn. And returning to the school chimney.

Early Friday evening found red-tail fledgling One at St. John's perched quietly on one of the spires of St. James chapel, overlooking the biblical garden.

Hawkwatcher Melody was already watching and reported that he'd been perched atop the Cathedral School but had given up the spot after being harassed by robins. He returned there after I departed when both parents arrived and dinner was delivered.

Aside from a couple possible "squeeps" when I watched him on Thursday, it was noted that he's been a very quiet child.

Early Thursday evening, I was barely on cathedral grounds for a minute before spotting the red-tail fledgling One. He was atop a chimney of the Cathedral House, noshing on pigeon. And a good thing, too, because shortly later he took and alit in a spot where over the many years I have perhaps just once found a fledgling to be lurking.

The pigeon must have been in two parts, as the fledgling finished with whatever was on the right side of the chimney top, then picked up another that was toward the left.

Perhaps he was moving off in order to get out of the hot sun, or perhaps small birds were harassing him. In any event, he flew over the roof of the old orphanage building. I found him perched on the cathedral wall behind the orphanage and overlooking the side door of the cathedral.

He finished off what remained of the pigeon.

Made a few cries. Possibly a parent was in sight, or maybe if was because there was definitely some harassment over here from sparrows and a grackle.

Then sidled along the ledge that was a bit more protected, both from other birds and from the sun.

Yes, that pigeon feather remained stuck to his beak for the rest of the time I was there.

And after another 15 minutes or so, I headed out to get my own dinner.

The hawkwatching grapevine has reported that fledgling Two is doing well at rehab and could be ready for release "soon".

Monday evening at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine found the un-injured red-tailed hawk fledgling exploring and practicing its moves. The finding, though, took a little while as it was mostly not visible from alongside Morningside Drive, and only spotting a departing adult provided a clue where it was at. It was lurking about the south side of the cathedral, perched on the buttress between the crossing and choir.

Within a minute it was in the air.

And alighting on a finial at the east end of St. James chapel. Stuck the landing very nicely.

It stayed there for a while, alternately watching activity on the ground and trying to maintain its balance on the pointed perch.

Then it decided to spend a little more time practicing its landings, flying back and forth between that finial and one nearby.

After which it dropped down to the roof of St. James chapel and was out of sight for about 10 minutes before re-appearing.

And from there it flew over to the roof of Cathedral House in the center of the close.

A quick check at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine late Friday afternoon again found hawk fledgling one lurking about the turret about the statue of St. James the Great. But it seemed very interested in something close by, and eventually I said "D'oh!", because mama was perched on a nearby ledge. Very nearby.

To be honest, I've never spotted one of the cathedral hawks on that ledge in years of watching. But then, I had no particular reason to look there. One wonders what I may have missed.

Although the fledgling edged over toward mama a couple times, he didn't try to join her.

No food on offer over there. Mama is just having a good, long preen. A couple new tail feathers were just visible as she undergoes her summer molt, so maybe she's feeling extra itchy.

When I left, the fledgling had settled down toward the middle of the turret and was having his own preen.

No word on the status of fledgling two. Will update when I receive any info.