I divided my Hawk-searching time between Washington Square Park (WSP), Union Square Park (USP), then Washington Square Park again today. I spent just over two hours on my ‘shift’ before I left to attend to my Sunday chores.
My first walk about around WSP bore no Red-tailed Hawk sightings. I was on my way to Union Square Park when I found out from a fellow Hawk-watching friend who had just been there that an adult Hawk was seen there.
I spent some time in USP searching all the trees and scanning the buildings but I saw no Hawks so I obviously just missed seeing the adult.
I returned to WSP and thanks to the same Hawk-watcher, was notified that a Hawk was on one of the flag poles. It turned out to be Bobby. He was being harassed and yelled at by a Mockingbird:
It never made contact with him. Sometimes a Mockingbird will bump into the Hawks to try to urge the Hawks away but this one particular bird did not.
I moved closer to Bobby.
As if listening to a movie soundtrack, I heard the cries of a Peregrine Falcon in the distance, getting louder and closer. As if hearing the Jaws theme music, I knew an attack was about to happen.
The Peregrine came into view and harassed Bobby:
It made several passes at Bobby.
I saw a second Red-tailed Hawk soaring in the distance, soaring above University Place and a flew blocks north of the park.
As seen from below an NYU flag:
Same image but cropped in closer to get a better look:
Bobby left his perch and flew just over the park tree tops:
He swooped around and flew east, beyond the buildings lining the park:
I searched and searched but didn’t see a Hawk again so I went home.
The only bird of prey I saw during my walk:
