3/31, Building a Nest on Central Park West

Sunday was yet another gray day, with sporadic rain to boot. But the new red-tailed hawks building a nest at Central Park West and 92nd St. were at work.

First sighting was a hawk in a tree by the park loop road at 98th St.

Who soon took off, perhaps coaxed by the area blue jays, soared and circled about several times and then disappeared over the rooftops around 96th St.

But then plenty of action around the nest on the apartment half ledge. A hawk flew in, checked out the scene.

Took off.

In and out of the nest a couple times. Both times carrying sticks.

And then after 20 minutes or so, with a couple dog-walkers rushing about trying to figure out what the hawks were up to, all quiet.

But wait. One cannot leave Central Park without the obligatory sighting of a juvenile red-tail in the North Woods.

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Thanks to the small bird with a call like a police whistle for that final sighting.

3/30, Washington Heights Red-Tails

Early Saturday evening found the Washington Heights red-tailed hawk pair in and about their 2013 nest. They have returned to the J. Hood Wright Park area, and seem to have built this year's nest quickly. They are again on a fire escape, and I don't recall seeing any sticks up there when I walked through the area three weeks ago.

In any event, Saturday's first sighting was of the male perched on a water tower on a building along Haven Ave. THen looking the other way, it was apparent the female was in the nest, as she was sitting up and preening. Her pale breast feathers gleamed in the late sun.

So the female is in the nest, but just sitting around. Hmmm.

And then taking off for a bit without the male taking over duty in the nest.

I guess this means no eggs in the nest, yet.

As the female took off heading south, the male came flying up the avenue, past the nest and landing on a rooftop a block up.

Then back down the avenue and into a treetop at P.S. 173.

Then back up the avenue. Then back down the avenue. Then over a rooftop to the south and out of sight.

I wandered about a bit. Then saw the male return, landing on the same rooftop north of the nest.

Apparently he had caught something while he was away, possibly a mouse. But rather than eat on the rooftop, it was back down the street to the big tree.

Must have been a mouse. He couldn't have spent more than five minutes gulping the meal down.

And somewhere in the last 15 minutes while I wasn't paying attention, the female had returned to the nest. A little bit later, the male flew up to see how things were doing.

Then he was back down to the big tree, and then off to the east somewhere.

Sunset approached, and the female laid down in the nest. She may not be brooding but she will be soon.

3/24, CPW Perchers

Another gray Sunday afternoon with dead air. Just the kind of day where if you spot a red-tailed hawk, it's just perching.

So first there's the juvenile RT hawk on top of the project houses at the corner of 100th St. and Manhattan Ave.

And checking on the new nest at Central Park West and 92nd St. ... Dang it's quiet. Nothing happening.

Belatedly, I find that an adult hawk is perching across the street on the roof of the Ardsley.

And that was it for the day.