Because I was late in publishing this post (I missed the automated midnight deadline), it isn’t appearing as a September 30th post but as an October 1st post. However the photos below are from my September 30th outing.
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I hadn’t been to Central Park in a few weeks so I stopped by today to see what migrants I may find. I saw some Kinglets and Warblers and a pair of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds for the most part.
White Throated Sparrow:
Black and White Warbler:
At one point a Cardinal came tearing through the area and past me like a bat out of hell. It was calling out loudly. Other birds shrieked in response then all fell silent. I looked up to see if maybe a Hawk was soaring in the sky above.
A few seconds later I saw and heard movement in the tree to my left. It was a Cooper’s Hawk that had just landed there. It surveyed the trees and shrubbery below. It was then obvious who got the Cardinal so upset.
Some loud people hollering to each other and tramping along the trail scared the Hawk away.
A few minutes later I was pleasantly surprised to see a Ruby-throated Hummingbird resting by The Lake:
Preening:
The Hummingbird was supping from a patch of Jewelweed:
Another Ruby-throated Hummingbird appeared. They began to fight each other but it wasn’t too violent.
A sleeping Cardinal didn’t even budge while they whirred around it:
Blue Jay with an acorn top:
A Red-tailed Hawk flew overhead and chased pigeons. It called out loudly while doing so.
I checked in on Pale Male’s nest several minutes later.
Pale Male was in his nest and Octavia was on a window frame nearby:
Octavia swooped around and joined him in the nest:
My next stop was Washington Square Park.
The pigeons were going nuts, flying all panicked. I saw Bobby land in a tree across the park. He was hunting them.
Happy shake:
Hello:
Pigeons would fly around him, see him, change course, but then land near him anyway.
They made it pretty easy for him. He hopped off his branch then caught one of the pigeons in midair.
I didn’t get a great shot of it but this was the moment when he captured the bird and flew with it to a new tree:
Adoring crowd:
A squirrel climbed close to him and challenged him a few times but Bobby spread his wings and held his own:
He ate the pigeon over the course of an hour.
Wiping up:
Nice full crop:
It was cool to have seen four Hawks today. I was especially glad to see Bobby. I hadn’t seen him since September 7th!