3/17, A Juvie by the Pool and a Cathedral Note

Sunday hawkwatching looked to be almost a bust. I tried to check on two new Manhattan red-tailed hawk nest sites but had no luck finding either.

Late in the day as I was packing it in, I ran across a juvenile red-tail just south of the Pool in Central Park.

He was doing some head-bobbing, although whether it was because he was hunting or he was staring down all the little birds chirping about his presence it was hard to say.

The skies were gray and the day seemed over. But as I was heading up the hill to Morningside Heights, I was startled to spot a Cooper's Hawk in Morningside Park, perched just across the street from the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

And speaking of the cathedral, what about the red-tail nest there? Well, it turns out that it's in use and the female is brooding. James reported Friday that he could see the tips of some tail feathers poking above the lip of the nest. I saw the same late Sunday, but it turned out that earlier in the day, James had also seen a nest break. It seems the season at the cathedral nest has started a week early this year.

3/16, Egg-nant in Highbridge

Reports are beginning to come in of Manhattan's female red-tailed hawks brooding eggs in their nests. On a snowy Saturday afternoon I again checked on Highbridge as it's usually one of the first. To my surprise, Martha was not brooding, but it very much seemed she will be soon.

Approaching the nest site from along Dyckman St., I found both Martha and George perched in a tree close to where they nested last year. Martha was perched high up.

While George was about 30 feet down in the crook of a branch and digging into a meal. It seemed he had just started because ten minutes later he was still working on it. Martha, meanwhile, just sat quietly, watching the snow I guess.

George seemed to slow down, but then picked up the carcass and flew south toward the nest site. I found him standing on the edge of the nest, where he had resumed eating.

Martha flew past a few minutes later, alighting in a treetop perhaps 40 yards from the nest. A minute or two later, George again picked up his food and took off, this time landing even closer and again resuming his meal.

Ah, it's squirrel.

There they stayed, Martha quietly perching and George tearing off bits of food. It's been over a half hour and he's still eating. I can't recall ever seeing a hawk spending that long on a meal.

A third time he picked up the carcass and took off, this time returning to the nest. No, it looks like he's not trying to eat any more of it. (I wondered if he had spent so much time on the meal because he wanted to line the nest with a bit of fur.) Martha joined him a minute later.

Nest inspection time?

Another minute and George was off, landing in a nearby tree where he could watch Martha and the nest. Martha stayed put.

And stayed put.

And stayed put some more.

Close to an hour after I first spotted the pair, another burst of snow started coming down. I left them to their contemplations.

3/10, The New Neighbors, and an Unexpected Encounter

It seems another pair of red-tailed hawks have taken a liking to Central Park. Bruce reported a couple weeks ago that two adult birds were scouting nesting sites along Central Park West in the 90s. They're definitely still in the area, although where they're actually building a nest remains in question.

On a scrumptious Sunday afternoon, I headed over to Central Park and began looking about for the new birds. First caught a glimpse of one flying through the trees at 96th St. near CPW, then five minutes later another carrying a stick toward somewhere around 93rd St. Another look at a hawk heading toward the Eldorado at 90th St. Finally some good overhead soaring.

And yes, both birds, high up and enjoying the afternoon air.

And then it seemed they disappeared behind the Eldorado and gone from sight.

Aside from one brief sighting around 94th St., there was no sign of the duo for the next 20 minutes. But as I was thinking of heading north toward the cathedral, they re-appeared, soared about some more, and headed toward the Eldorado. The female alit first, on the north tower, while the male soared about a bit longer.

It seemed he had mating in mind, but as he made his move, the female took off. They ended up perched separately on the two towers of the Eldorado, the female on the south and the male on the north.

At 5:30, both took off to the south and out of view. Uh-oh. I hope they weren't going south to pick a fight with Palemale or his mate.

It was 5:30 and I still wanted to visit Morningside Park and the cathedral to see if Isolde and her new male were about. They were seen mating along 114th St. on Saturday, so I knew they're around.

But I never made it there.

Heading up the Great Hill, I saw a red-tail soaring around. A juvenile. Then at the top of the hill, a large shape perched in a tree just 50-60 feet off the road. The juvie? Hmmm, the bird seemed a bit small for a hawk and it seemed to be wearing... a hoodie?

Oh, my. A barred owl!

Out in plain view in front of God and everybody, a full hour before sunset.

No blue jays or other harassment except for one tufted titmouse who briefly chirped at him.

Well, this being an owl and it not yet being sunset, he wasn't in an active mode. Some 50 minutes later, he was in the same spot, still alternating between light snoozing and slowly looking around.

And dang, I'd love to stay for fly out, but Sunday dinner does not wait when someone else is doing the cooking.