The male Plaza Hawk flew and landed on one of his favorite building perches early in my visit to Southeastern Central Park today.
Great Blue Heron tucked in:
About an hour before visiting the park I was asking a friend where the Canada Geese that frequent the park were, if they shouldn’t be back already from their migration.
I laughed out loud when I saw a gaggle of geese at The Pond. They’re back!
It was the first time I’ve seen them this season anyway.
Wood Duck:
The male Plaza Hawk flew from his building to over Grand Army Plaza (Plaza Hotel on the right):
He circled around and soared with two other Red-tailed Hawks.
One of them had muddy legs, feet, and tail feather tips (on the left, male Plaza Hawk on the right):
Chase:
Gearing up for a fight:
Three Hawks in one shot, top of the Sherry-Netherland Hotel at the lower right:
A Mallard kept half-hopping up out of the water then settling back down again until finally leaping into flight:
Starlings drinking from a puddle on the path:
The Plaza male landed at The Pierre Hotel:
Off again:
He went toward the Crown Building, where his old nest site is:
He dropped down onto the nest site for a minute:
Out of the nest site and flying back toward the Plaza square:
Octavia showed up and joined him:
She followed and soared with him:
He landed on the Sherry-Netherland Hotel:
He flew off then back again:
Back to the Pierre:
On a regular perch:
Break time was over so I returned to work.
I visited Washington Square Park at the end of the day to check on Bobby and Rosie.
I spotted Bobby on the west side of the park as soon as I arrived:
He was looking for prey.
By this time a friend had arrived and told me he saw both Hawks on the Judson Memorial Church cross, then one fly off, then Rosie fly to the Red Roost Inn for the night (all in a span of a couple of minutes) so Bobby must have just landed when I saw him in his tree.
I was tempted to check on Rosie at the evening roost but I was with Bobby and didn’t want to miss what he might do next.
He dropped to the ground but did not catch any prey.
I turned to take a shot of Rosie at the roost while I still had some light:
Bobby could have flown at any level and in any direction but he flew low and right over my head when passing:
I personally found Bobby’s close flyby exhilarating but my friend joked that Bobby was probably finding me irksome and flew close in order to display his discontent. 🙂
Bobby dropped down again to another patch of tall grass but came up with no prey again.
On a new tree:
Bobby gave up hunting and went to bed:
Rosie on the upper rung:
Bobby:
