It was a long Hawking day, 6 hours in fact. There were several times during my visit when I was preparing to leave but then action picked up and I’d stay longer, hoping to see the fledgling get fed or leave the Pless window or both!
The first fledgling (F1) was atop Shimkin when I arrived at the park:
The Pless fledgling was still on a window ledge but on a lower level than it had been the last few days. Apparently it lost its footing after jumping up at the window and tumbled to the (thankfully) wider ledge one floor down.
It had more room to run on. It would walk or run across the ledge and visit the three windows at that ledge section.
It spread its wings for a few minutes to cool off:
Seeing the spread reminded me of the day I was lucky to photograph Rosie cooling off on a park lamp post in the spring of 2012:
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Sadie did many fly-bys today and Bobby perched several times near the Pless fledgling to check on it:
F1 once flew overhead and to Sadie for a meal atop Silver:
Bobby looking down at the Pless fledgling:
An Animal Control van pulled up on the street between Silver and Pless. I saw the driver bring out an empty cardboard carrier and set it on the street as he closed up the van. I approached him and asked what the box was for and he confirmed that it was for the Hawk he received a call about.
We spoke for about 10 or 15 minutes wherein I explained the fledgling was fine, it was not injured, that it had been getting regularly fed (which I learned earlier in the day), that the parents knew where it was and were around it all the time, that it was safe, and that this happens every year.
The Officer was a really nice young man who understood what I was saying and was asking me relevant questions. As it so happened, Bobby was flying back and forth between Pless and Silver and back again with food for the fledgling. It was great timing too because the Officer was able to witness the baby get fed right then and there.
There was a crowd watching the Hawk action and everyone was pretty awed to see this feeding take place.
Bobby on Pless, above the fledgling:
He swooped to a higher window and looked down at the babe:
He then started to swoop toward the fledgling with the food but then changed direction and flew around the corner:
It looked very much like he was trying to lure the fledgling off the building and follow him. The fledgling cried and jumped vertically instead.
Bobby returned, flying past the facade then landing on a roof corner:
He then flew across the street and landed on Silver:
He looked at the fledgling again then returned to Pless:
The moment of delivery finally arrived:
Bobby landed on a lamp pole at the corner and watched the fledgling eat for a couple of minutes:
The Animal Control Officer enjoyed the amazing sight along with the rest of us. He then packed up and let me know he was going to inform the agency that the fledgling was OK.
He then drove off to his next call:
Bobby flew to a park tree along the street:
He watched over the fledgling a little more before flying deeper into the trees:
I informed Cathy Horvath of WINORR (Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation) and a NYC Park Ranger friend about the Animal Control visit as an FYI.
The fledgling ate for about half an hour:
I left the area soon after but was glad I was there to advise the Officer about the Hawk family dynamic and that the fledgling was OK.
I can understand the feelings of the person who called Animal Control. They clearly didn’t know who the right people to contact were and were probably worried to see a young Hawk seemingly stuck on a ledge for days and so were trying to help the fellah out.
Things could have turned out quite differently for the Hawks and I’m relieved with how things went.