It was quite chilly today thanks to the temperatures staying mostly in the low-to-mid-forties and the cold winds blustering close to 30 mph.
Rosie and Bobby had some difficulty flying between the breezes from time to time so they compensated by flying more like bullets from point to point rather than soar in lazy circles.
I caught the sight of Rosie flying to a building on the southwestern side of Washington Square Park shortly after my arrival:
After a few minutes she descended to the trees to hunt:
Relaxing for a bit:
The park was nearly empty of people thanks to the cold weather so the lawns were all hers.
She spotted something in the grass and landed on top of it:
A crowd of about ten or eleven people stopped in awe to watch her and ask about her. A woman behind me asked if she had caught something. I replied that we’d know any second now… and sure enough, Rosie did not disappoint!
As soon as Rosie pulled the rat up into view, the crowd spontaneously uttered, “Ahhh” in delight then laughed, cheered, and gave her an applause for being such a good hunter. One person even said, “Good girl!”
Bloody beak:
Not a great photo but a rare glimpse into her mouth:
After she finished eating, she flew to a nearby tree. It was bittersweet to see her in that tree and on that particular branch since it was the very last one Violet ever perched on:
Wiping her beak clean:
Cute face, bloody feet:
Flying across the park to the east:
Rounding north and toward the arch:
Soaring:
She returned to the nest. She is on the right. Bobby is on the left, getting up from his egg-warming shift:
Bobby:
He shot like a bullet to the Judson Memorial Church cross:
He flew north past the apartment building One Fifth Avenue:
It was bitter cold and windy and I was underdressed. Since he hadn’t returned to the park after several minutes, I hurried to the subway and went home.