Rosie and Bobby Hawk were in fine form at Washington Square Park today.
Hawk-watchers in the park before I arrived reported seeing Bobby catch and partially eat a rat in the park not long before I got there but I did get to see Rosie with a freshly-caught pigeon:
She had been sitting on the Judson Memorial Church cross a few minutes before I arrived. She then flew to the northeast corner of the park. A couple of friends and I looked for her, following the sounds of squirrels making their warning cries to each other. She was difficult to find until she flew past us, heading southwest (the bright park arch on the right):
She flew through the trees, over the park square, and toward the southwestern corner of the park (perfectly diagonally across the park).
And here she was on a lawn at the southwestern area of the park with her pigeon:
Bobby soared and circled above the park square a few times:
He then perched on a flag pole at NYU’s Education Building, a building overlooking the east side of the park:
Rosie finished her meal:
Wiping her beak:
She flew out of the park and to a favorite perch on a building just southwest of the park:
A Mockingbird taunted her:
Rosie flew right to the Red Roost Inn, an old-time overnight roosting spot:
I first saw Violet fly into the roost on October 18th of last year. She and Bobby used to sleep there often, especially during the winter months. Rosie and Bobby roost together there as well but it had been a while since they roosted there overnight together.
Bobby showed up and joined Rosie almost twenty minutes later:
A love peck?
Bobby moved past her and found his own rung to sit on:
Night fell and it was obvious they were both going to stay there together all night.