4/12, Grant's Tomb

It seems that the Grant's Tomb red-tailed hawks have opted to nest elsewhere this year. Despite report of a pair of hawks in the area early this year, the old nests in the light towers are going unused, and we haven't heard that they might be nesting somewhere else near-by.

But that doesn't mean that there are no hawks around. Apparently sightings are occasionally made north of the tomb, and early Friday evening there was a red-tail perched just across the road from the tomb. However, it was a year-old "brown tail".

I considered whether it might be the same year-old bird I encountered almost two weeks ago at 109th St., but finally decided that there were some coloring differences that argued otherwise.

Apparently he had eaten somewhat recently. His crop bulged just a bit and he showed no signs of hunting behavior. Instead he was looking about as if making sure no one was sneaking up him. There was a blue jay hanging about, but perhaps he was also aware of the peregrine falcons who live just a block away.

4/8, St. John the Divine

Nesting at the red-tailed hawk at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine continues. Monday I got my first really good look at the male in almost a year, and was happy to see he looks like the same guy. Basically, that means that the feather coloring on his throat and "chin" looks right.

He was perched just inside Morningside Park, half a block down the street from the nest. He was holding down some food (looks like rat, yum) with one foot, apparently calling for the female, and ducking a couple of blue jays.

But he seemed to be paying a fair amount of attention to something in the direction of the Cathedral School, which I couldn't figure out.

And after a few minutes he was off to the roof of the school and then gone. Walking well up the street, and looking back towards the nest, I could just barely see that the female was in there.

4/2, Riverside Park Around 110th

Although nesting season has begun, there are still unattached red-tailed hawks to be found around the city. Apparently two have been seen hanging about the vicinity of Riverside Park at 110th St. in recent days or weeks. On Sunday evening (without a camera), I encountered an adult near the park wall at 111th St. On a gray, dreary Tuesday evening I ran into a year-old hunting just below 109th St.

There was something about the park wall that was the focus of his attention, although there were no squirrels about. Perhaps there were mice in the nooks and crannies. In any event, the hawk made a swoop at the wall, came away empty-taloned and perched in another tree a bit north.

Glaring at photographers.

But still hunting.