Red-tailed Hawk landing on nest, Bobst Library, NYU, New York City

Bobby’s early guard duty and Rosie’s sun bath – May 30th, 2013

Bobby was watching over the nest from NYU’s Silver Center when I arrived at Washington Square Park this morning.

A crane was hoisting material to the roof most of the early part of the day but Bobby didn’t mind it.

It was already very warm and muggy and the babes were panting:

We reached a hazy 91/99 degrees in the city today (depending on which weather service was keeping tabs). I was in the park for four hours but managed to stay relatively comfortable in the shade. Thankfully the little Hawks get shade at various points of the ledge throughout the day.

Fanning out to cool down:

A little bit of jump-flapping before naptime:

Bobby moved to a different perch on Silver but still in sight of the nest:

He moved to yet another spot on Silver:

He went to the nest:

One of the babes with a nest twig in its beak:

Rosie joined the rest of her family:

She moved further in and picked up some prey that was already in the nest.

Bobby flew out:

Check out the little one’s expression (the one behind Rosie):

Bobby returned to Silver. It was pretty remarkable how often he flew back and forth to Silver to keep watch.

Rosie then looked like she was either feeding her babes or tearing into the prey to make it easier to eat. I missed seeing Rosie leave the nest.

Little one cooling down:

Bobby dropped down to the trees near where I and a friend were standing.

He spent a little while scanning for prey. A Robin flew and perched about him, angrily calling/yelling. A squirrel was creaking out its warning cry to fellow squirrels.

He did not catch whatever he swooped down to grab.

He kept flying west and dropped down out of sight. My fellow Hawk-watcher spotted a Hawk on Judson Memorial Church’s smaller green cross but the sight confused us because it looked like Bobby flew further than that.

Indeed he had. It was Rosie on the cross:

My companion found Bobby eating atop one of the NYU buildings just west of the church.

Rosie flew off her perch after a little while:

She landed on the side of Judson Memorial Church’s tower:

She stretched out to cool down:

Bobby finished eating and landed on the smaller cross.

Rosie flew off the tower and headed right toward us (the eastern side of the park):

Bobby flew off the cross and into a tree at the western side of the park:

A few Robins harassed Rosie. She left her perch after twenty minutes.

Landing on NYU’s Catholic Center, a building between Bobst Library and Judson Memorial Church:

She then flew about the park and rose higher and higher and disappeared.

One of the eyasses was up and about:

I was spending so much time watching the little ones, I didn’t look to see that one of the Hawk parents had returned until later in my visit.

Update: As of 9PM none of the babes have fledged yet.

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