Saturday was a fabulous day of following the Washington Square Park Red-tailed Hawks Rosie and Bobby around. I had intended on being in the park for a couple of hours but ended up staying for six!
Highlights of the day were Rosie taking a bath, Bobby catching and eating a pigeon, Rosie sitting on a park lamp post right above people, and Rosie catching a little rat. And, of course, their beautiful flying and sitting at new and interesting perches.
The day started with Rosie flying over the trees above and landing on a building diagonally across from the nest:
Flying to the nest:
In the nest with Bobby:
Bobby:
Rosie and baby:
Rosie joined Bobby:
Cleaning off her beak:
Rosie left the perch and went to NYU’s Law Building’s rain gutter to take a bath:
A park-goer said he saw people walking on the sidewalk get wet from Rosie’s bath water. Hilarious!
Happy shake:
Wings slightly outstretched for drying:
Bobby still hanging out on the cross:
Rosie continued on her way:
Rosie joined Bobby again:
Bobby:
Rosie returned to the nest:
Back with Bobby:
Bobby stretch:
Rosie flew east then back to the nest:
Bobby dropped down to catch a pigeon:
The pigeon started to slip off the branch so Bobby grabbed it and brought it to another place to eat:
Bobby walked back and forth on the ledge a couple of times over several minutes.
Rosie:
Bobby walked out of sight again. When I saw Rosie sitting on the ledge I thought I was seeing things. Wait, wasn’t I watching Bobby? Where’s Bobby?
Rosie:
Bobby popped back into view. He had been sitting further back on the roof. Rosie on the left, Bobby on the right:
He flew north over the park and out of sight from my vantage point.
Rosie:
Bobby reappeared on the cross:
Rosie had ventured to the eastern side of the park and was sitting atop one of the lamp posts:
She was calmly scanning the ground for prey but was causing quite an awesome scene for everyone around who saw her.
She dropped onto a lawn still fenced off for seeding:
An excited kid yelled out, “It got something!” She had caught a young rat:
The crowd cheered and laughed over her triumph:
She brought the rat to the nest.I left the park with Bobby still sitting on the cross:
