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

Fledglings fly through the trees, dive for prey – June 30th, 2018

Today was the first time I saw the Washington Square Park Hawk fledglings diving for prey. There were a couple of other firsts today (such as one of the youngsters sitting on a park bench).

Today’s visit started early before it got too hot (we’re expecting to have several days of 90+ degree weather in NYC). One of the fledglings was on the roof of NYU’s Silver Center, the building outside the northeast corner of the park. Mama Sadie Hawk soon flew to and landed below it:

Washington Square Park fledgling and adult Hawk

Looking up toward the fledgling:

Washington Square Park Red-tailed Hawk cam adult mother Sadie

The fledgling would cry sometimes. It would stare at the park trees below it and make motions like it was going to dive down into them but then it’d retreat.

I heard another fledgling crying on the white NYU Pless ‘dinner table’:

Washington Square Park Red tail Hawk fledgling

That fledgling flew to its neighboring building, disappearing out of view.

The Silver Center fledgling made its way down the side of the roof after an hour and 15 minutes to a tuck-away spot I’d never seen a Hawk sit at before:

I focused on Sadie now that the little Hawks were out of sight.

Stretch:

Washington Square Park Red tailed Hawk mother adult Sadie stretching

Washington Square Park Red tailed Hawk mother adult Sadie stretching

After a few minutes I heard a Blue Jay giving out what sounded like Hawk warning calls. One of the fledglings soon flew from west to east, closer to me and the Silver Center building:

Washington Square Park Hawk baby in tree

Washington Square Park Hawk baby in tree

I then spotted its sibling fly to a higher part of its tree:

Washington Square Park Red tail Hawk flying in trees

I was hoping that I was with three fledglings now. I returned to Silver to check on the fledgling that had been in that tuck-away spot but did not see it. I suspect that it flew to the trees when I wasn’t looking.

The two fledglings then spent the next 20 minutes flying from tree to tree. They met up and stayed in one particular eastern tree (on separate branches) for a good 50 minutes.

Washington Square Park Hawk in tree

Washington Square Park Red tailed Hawk flying in trees

One fledgling on a low branch:

Washington Square Park Hawk fledgling in tree

Washington Square Park Hawk fledgling in tree

Washington Sq NYU Hawk preening

The other hopscotching on a few other branches much higher up:

Washington Square Park Hawk fledgling sitting on branch

Washington Square Park Hawk fledgling sitting on branch

Their tree was in a fenced-off area for seeding so they were well separated from people. The fledgling on the lower branch would watch the squirrels passing underneath its tree intently.

The fledgling that had been in the higher part of the tree surprised me and a fellow Hawk-watcher by diving over a few trees to prey on the ground:

Washington Square Park Hawk diving to prey

The fledgling did not catch anything. It flew to a tree and turned around and faced us again. All of a sudden Sadie came rushing through the trees and landed nearby:

Washington Square Park Hawk adult mother Sadie in tree 2018

This set off both fledglings to cry and beg loudly at her. The diving fledgling flew to Sadie’s tree, crying. Sadie moved to a tree closer to the other fledgling. The diving fledgling chased after her:

Washington Square Park Hawk fledgling flying

Sadie on the left, fledgling on the right:

Washington Square Park Hawk baby and adult mother 2018

Past fledglings have rushed parents like this in the past to snatch whatever meal the adult had for them. But Sadie had nothing so the fledgling calmed down and relocated.

Squirrels came to investigate this fledgling:

Washington Square Park Hawk baby and adult mother 2018

Washington Square NYU Hawk and squirrel

Washington Square NYU Hawk and squirrel

Washington Square NYU Hawk and squirrel

Washington Square Park Hawk fledgling baby crying in tree

Sadie:

Washington Square Park Hawk mother Sadie in tree 2018

Both fledglings continued to cry. A group of park-goers and tourists stopped to watch and film the three Hawks. It must have been a shocking sight and sound experience for those not expecting them.

The fledgling that had sought prey earlier apparently took matters into its own hands. It stopped begging from mom and dove into tall grasses:

Washington Sq Park Hawk fledgling flying to ground

Washington Sq Park Hawk fledgling flying to ground

It did not catch anything but it was a good effort because rats and other critters can be found in such grasses.

A few of the tourists that saw the fledgling drop to the ground rushed over to try to get close to it. The fledgling flew to a bench:

Washington Square Park fledgling Red-tail Hawk on bench

The tourists kept heading toward the fledgling but it then flew several feet and ascended to a tall tree (the man on the bench never noticed it):

Washington Square Park Hawk flying past man

Washington Square Park Hawk baby fledgling landing in tree

Both fledglings now flew through the trees again. One of them even flew over the park square to a tree near the arch:

Washington Square Park Hawk fledgling flying over fountain

They both eventually returned to the trees close to Sadie.

They started to beg again. Their cries were very loud. I took video of their crying but please excuse the footage’s shakiness (I don’t normally take video so I had no tripod):

The two fledglings then dove toward prey again before perching in a couple of trees near each other:

Washington Square Park Hawk baby sitting in tree

Washington Square Park Hawk fledgling preening in tree

I left the park with all three Hawks still in their respective trees. Two of my Hawk-watching friends later reported seeing them dive to prey again and soaring near One Fifth Avenue.


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10 thoughts on “Fledglings fly through the trees, dive for prey – June 30th, 2018

  1. You remain a great photographer, Roger Paw. I love the sequence with the peek-a-boo between the fledgling and the squirrel. Keep them coming!

    1. Thank you! I was tempted to write “Peek-a-boo” in the post but thought twice about it. I’m glad you did now! I thought that sequence was pretty hilarious and adorable.

      1. I loved that picture of the fledgling peeking at the squirrel… wicked cute! I had thought of the peek a boo caption too… Loved the video of the baby crying too! Didn’t look shaky to me… We are so lucky to have you out there bringing us your hawk-eyed sight on the world. Thank you so much!

  2. The photos are amazing. Thank you for the captions too. We are so lucky to see the beauty of wildlife in our park through your lens. You are very gifted – and patient! Even in a heat wave 🙂 Thank you!

    1. Thank you so much, Siobhan! The Hawks are so fascinating and beautiful, they are worth all the effort. I’m glad you’re enjoying the site!

  3. All your pix are great, but that peek-a-boo was priceless!! I see mama’s letting them cry now, instead of dishing the meals. She knows! 😀😀

  4. Absolutely love your photos and commentary which have been instructing and entertaining me now for years. Somehow Ii have no luck ever spotting the hawks when I am in the park (admittedly not often or for very long) so I am very happy that you are. Your photographic ability is sensational!

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