7/19, Do You Know This Hawk?

Late Saturday afternoon, Ranger Rob from the Parks Department rescued a juvenile red-tailed hawk near the tennis courts in Central Park at about 96th St. Word is that was thin and weak, but no word as to whether it was because of disease or simply hunger.

(Photo by Jean Shum)

Because the nest at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is one of the closest nests to the location, and because no one I know has definitely seen both of the healthy cathedral juvies in over a week, initial suspicion was that was a cathedral bird.

But comparison of this photo and others of the rescuee to those of the young red-tails at the cathedral has suggested it is not from the cathedral. You'll note that the bird shown here has a "dog collar" of dark feathers around his neck. Of the two healthy kids at the cathedral, one may have a wispy, barely noticeable such collar and the other no collar at all.

So where did this juvenile hawk come from?

The Riverside nest may be closer to where this hawk was found, but the single juvenile there was seen in Riverside around the 83rd St playground late in the week. And no one has said anything about the trio from Palemale's nest by Central Park wandering north.

7/18, St. John the Divine

A very fine Friday evening found two red-tailed hawks in view in the cathedral area, an adult and a juvenile.

Norman, the adult male, was hanging out atop St. Luke's hospital, perched on his favorite chimney screen.

And in the close on the south side of the cathedral, one of Norman's kids was on the prowl. Initially he was lurking in the treetops above the pulpit lawn, but I spotted him as he came flying out, first perching in a tree by the Cathedral House, and then heading over to the roof of the Deanery.

Although he settled and looked around for a minute or so.

Before taking off the to the east and past the Cathedral School. Whether he headed into Morningside Park or circled back around, I wasn't able to find him again.

7/16, St. John the Divine

Early Wednesday evening found just one juvie red-tailed hawk on the south side of the cathedral grounds. Much thanks to the whining squirrel for pinpointing his location, with an assist to the mockingbird that was trying to chase him off.

The hawk was lurking in one of the trees in the pulpit lawn. Possibly I'd missed some fun, as I'd been told there had been a ruckus not long before.

But after the squirrel and the mocking bird shut up, it was quiet when closing time arrived.