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

Bobby delivers a pigeon to Sadie – June 22nd, 2017

I saw both Bobby and Sadie circling high above the western side of Washington Square Park a few minutes after I arrived today but didn’t get blog-worthy photos I’m afraid. They followed each other for 20 minutes before flying south and then north together.

I then spent about an hour and a half searching for the fledgling in the park trees and on the western buildings where it was reportedly last seen several days ago. I haven’t seen it since June 15th!

I was walking along the east side of Waverly Place (along NYU’s Silver Center building) when all of a sudden I saw Bobby fly from one building to a water tower where he snatched a pigeon. He turned around then flew along Waverly to a Two Fifth Avenue balcony:

I then saw Sadie fly by him, crying out:

She flew to the northwest corner building. Bobby followed her there:

He joined her on the corner where she took ownership of the pigeon:

Bobby:

I created a flight path map to show where Bobby snatched the pigeon, the location of the Two Fifth Avenue balcony, and the NW corner building where Sadie took over:

***

I turned my attention back on Sadie in the hopes of seeing her either eat the pigeon or deliver it to the fledgling but she was gone from the roof corner! It was terrible timing. I scanned the buildings for her and the fledgling but never saw where she went.We’d been so spoiled with up close and near-constant fledgling sightings over the last few years that this year’s lack of sightings is especially biting.

Bobby on One Fifth 20 minutes after his delivery:

I was texting a Hawk report to some fellow Hawk-watchers and when I finished and looked back at One Fifth Bobby was gone. It was just as well because I had to leave the park anyway.


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