I spotted Bobby and his new female companion sitting together atop One Fifth Avenue as soon as I arrived at Washington Square Park today:
It was good timing because Bobby hopped off the building only 3 minutes later:
Seeing them together again cemented the likelihood that they took to each other and are now a couple. Her arrival came not a moment too soon either because there’s still just enough time for them to mate and have springtime babies, right on nature’s schedule.
Since the female was clearly a keeper, we figured she was due a proper name. It was the most devoted and regular Hawk-watcher who first spotted the female and spent all day watching her with me so it was only fair that my friend be the one to suggest a name for her.
My friend wanted the female to be named in honor of the hard work and dedication Cathy and Bobby Horvath of WINORR (Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation)do for wildlife so the name Sadie was suggested. Sadie is the Horvaths’ daughter’s name. I asked Cathy Horvath if her family would permit the usage of the name (and the explanation of the name’s origin) and she gave it her blessings. So from now on I will refer to the new female as Sadie.
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Bobby spent the next 25 minutes diving at pigeons by the arch, along 4th Street (a block east of the park), and then by the base of One Fifth Avenue. He was not successful at his hunting.
Sadie watched Bobby then left One Fifth Avenue:
They both then returned to One Fifth Avenue seconds later, one following the other to the same ledge they were on before.
Bobby landed first, followed by Sadie:
Bobby left One Fifth after another 3 minutes and landed on NYU’s Silver Center:
He continued unsuccessfully hunting pigeons:
Sadie visited the nest 20 minutes later:
She spent one minute arranging the nesting material before flying out:
She and Bobby then flew together in tight circles above the park trees and the blocks east of the park for 15 minutes before perching together in a western park tree:
They sat together for a couple of minutes before Sadie jumped off and flew about the western border of the park:
She then circled above the park square and eyed the pigeons that were walking on the ground by the fountain:
She was flying so low above them, I half believed she was going to try to snatch one (even with people walking around the pigeons and the fountain). But instead she rose higher and soared above the park:
Bobby watched her the whole time:
He left the tree 4 minutes after she had:
They soared in tight circles together again:
I was hoping they’d lock talons in a courtship dance but no such luck.
Bobby flew to One Fifth Avenue after a couple of minutes:
Sadie joined him seconds later:
Bobby on the left, Sadie on the right:
It’s pretty easy to tell them apart when they sit so close to each other.
It looked like the pair were settling into a prolonged sun bath so I left the park after another half hour or so.