Fledgling gets itself in and out of a jam – June 18th, 2018

It was hot and humid in New York City today which I think made the Washington Square Park Hawks a bit quiet energetically but they all got through the day great.

One of the adult Hawks on a flag pole when I arrived at the park:

It took me close to an hour and a half to find the fledgling. It was on one of the windows of the same building it flew to and from yesterday. The nest building, Bobst Library, is on the right:

Both Hawk adults were sitting on respective flag poles, looking over their three youngins.

Bobby brought in some food for the two nest babies 15 minutes later:

He came out with old scraps a minute later:

The fledgling started crying after it watched Bobby deliver the food. Several minutes passed and the little Hawk started to walk along the window ledge but got tangled in the pigeon prevention wires suspended above the sill:

It righted itself after a few seconds of flapping then slipped its foot out of the wires:

It was a tense and worrisome sight for me and a few other Hawk-watchers on the scene. We were prepared to call on help from a helpful park ranger friend or WINORR (Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation) if the fledgling really did get into trouble. Luckily for all the fledgling settled down and started preening and relaxing.

One of the nest babies looking out onto the street and park:

The fledgling got restless two hours later and got a little tangled on the wires again but not as bad as before:

Rushing across the window ledge:

To my great relief the fledgling rose up and flew expertly off the window sill and onto the familiar buildings across the street.

Mama Sadie was on Silver Center (a building along the east side of the park) when a fellow Hawk-watcher and I went into the park to look for the fledgling.

She had what looked like a pigeon in her talons:

She flew to a nearby building, turned, then took the meal into the nest:

She took the meal right back out of the nest and across the park again. It looked very much like she was using it to lure the two nest Hawk babies out of the nest (a regular tactic that has worked well to encourage past fledgings):

The two were not moved though and stayed put on the nest ledge.

It was only a few minutes later when one of the babies got up to practice flying:

Bobby and Sadie on One Fifth Avenue an hour later:

Sadie on the right, being bumped by a Mockingbird:

Bruce from Urban Hawks let me know the fledgling was resting on an old water tower base, the same structure last year’s fledgling played on its first day out of the nest! It’s pretty funny how the fledglings find the same buildings and structures to play and rest on every year.

I spotted Bobby in the nest 20 minutes later. He was bringing a small bird out of the nest:

Hot and panting:

The following 3 1/2 hours were a mix of naps, ledge flights, and playing:

Playing with a stick:

Another stick being played with (notice the wing tip draped over the edge):

There were so many times when the babies would flap, jump, then stand at the edge with wings outstretched as if ready to fly out. They’d then settle back down and retreat from the thought.