I’ve been back at work keeping busy and spending my nights getting caught up on personal things so I haven’t been able to bird much lately.
I got the chance to spend a few minutes in the Southeastern section of Central Park yesterday and today during my lunch hour. I saw some nice mallards both days but not much else until I saw the Southeastern Red-Tailed Hawk I’d been seeing over the last year or so.
Today’s birding.
A curious and friendly (Mocking?) bird that checked me out and followed me around for a couple of minutes (it was probably expecting some treats!) Sorry, kiddo:
I was standing by the edge of the Pond watching some Mallards swim and carry on when I heard the Red-tailed Hawk cry out loudly as it soared in the sky above the water then land in a tree:
Another cry:
The Hawk flew above the Pond again before settling in a tree on the grounds of nearby Hallet Nature Sanctuary:
The Hawk took off and flew far north. It was immediately chased by what looked like either another raptor or a Crow:
The Hawk disappeared for a few minutes before flying once more above the Pond and toward the western side of the park:
A mob of birds rushed toward it in anger as soon as it landed in its new tree (the two Time Warner Center skyscrapers in the background):
Angry Mockingbirds:
Cleaning its beak:
The Hawk flew away from its tormentors after two minutes.
It flew north again. It was about time I returned to the office so I started heading back, camera on though in case the Hawk came into view again.
It did!
En route to one of its favorite perches, The Plaza:
This time I really had to go.
It’s a good thing I turned around again because the Hawk took to the sky once again:
Tucking into a steep dive:
Atop another of its favorite building perches (tail feathers in sight):
Office-bound and a shot of the annual Christmas star (the UNICEF snowflake) above 5th Ave and 57th Street:
