I was lucky to witness Rosie looking especially gorgeous as she cooled off, preened, perched, and hunted this morning. In the photo above, she is sitting on a Washington Square Park lamp post. Her wings are suspended outstretched in an effort to cool down. It’s been especially hot and humid the last few days.
When I first got to the park, and for the duration of my three hour visit, Bobby sat on the Judson Memorial Church cross:
A fellow hawk-watcher spotted Rosie on a lamp post on the western side of the park:
Bobby watching all:
Every once in a while I’ll log how long the hawks stay on perches to give you a sense of how much time they spend on each one. In this case, Rosie sat on the tree branch for thirteen minutes before descending to the grass to hunt.
Clearing her throat:
Time spent perched on the security camera tower and lamp post together: Thirteen minutes.
Rosie landed on a park bench for a few seconds perhaps in pursuit of a squirrel which got away.
She sat on this lamp post for eight minutes.
She sat on her branch for four minutes.
She sat on this branch for twenty six minutes.
Rosie hunted a squirrel which hopped out of reach and into the brush:
One of the babies got up from a nap on this hot, hazy day:
Chasing another squirrel:
Other squirrels taunted her:
She sat on the lamp post for twenty two minutes.
She flew so close to me while she passed by, my camera could not accommodate for her nearness. She whizzed by in a blur (literally according to my camera). The following five pictures hopefully give you an idea of how close she can get; at times no more than two or three feet. It’s exhilarating when the hawks get so close!
She sat on that tree branch for fourteen minutes before landing out of view on a building lining the northern part of the park.
