Mama Sadie Hawk surprised me today by hunting from and flying through the trees.
She was first on an eastern flag pole when I arrived at Washington Square Park:
Bobby was preening atop One Fifth Avenue (at the north side of the park):
Park arch on the right:
It was looking like a ho-hum visit until I saw Sadie had roused herself and circled over the park. Bobby watched her too:
Sadie landing on a different flag pole:
She got dive-bombed by Blue Jays several times but they eventually moved on. Bobby left his perch after half an hour then disappeared over the western trees.
Sadie preening:
One of the babies got energetic then settled down for a rest:
Bobby landed on Sadie’s first flag pole 20 minutes later.
I meandered around the park casually checking the trees just in case Sadie was in one of them and was surprised to actually find her in one 9 minutes later:
I had been standing near her tree for several minutes and hadn’t realized she was there.
She scanned the lawn below her for prey and also watched dogs being walked underneath her every few minutes. She would also look directly toward the nest which was straight across from her.
Hello!
She dove to a lower branch after 10 minutes:
Scratch:
Off to another tree after 10 minutes:
She sat and preened:
Flying past me:
She swooped over the trees then landed on a low eastern building.
Resembling the bunting motif:
She landed in one of the trees outside the nest and yanked hard until she snapped off a twig for the nest:
She left the nest 5 minutes later:
Bobby left his flag pole and went to the nest ledge:
He left the nest and Sadie returned to the nest with some food:
She appeared to start feeding the babies. Bobby returned to the ledge for several seconds before leaving again.
He then flew to the base of the purple flag pole.
I had been at the park for two hours and the Hawks were never outside the park grounds.
Parting shots:
The shot of Sadie, backlit with the black/orange-rust background – wings fully extended – head on – should get a Pulitzer or National Geographic Avian in Flight Award – it’s stunning! Bet you could sell postcards or even big posters of that. Also love the one where the wing feathers are separated and curl up to catch the air currents. Just superb photography all the time.
Still – wondering about babies getting not fed enough? Don’t recall pix of them getting prey drops recently…aren’t they way too young to be on their own about food?
Thanks Susan! I was pretty excited to see my camera had captured those wing curls when I looked at my photos at home. Her flight happened so fast, I didn’t even notice the curling until later.
I watched the cam a bit later in the day and two of them were eating a meal each in the nest so I’m pretty sure they’re eating enough. The park is a gourmet basket full of food and the parents are so vigilant, I personally have no worries. 🙂
Just loved the bunting comparison!
🙂 It’s fun when such resemblances come out of nowhere yet seem so fitting.
Your pics are so clear!
I feel as if I am doing the flying…did you change cameras?
The pic of Sadie w/ her glorious wingspan and feathers catching the air…such determination on her face
I felt as if I needed to duck our of her way as she swooshed by me in flight.
Well done!
It’s the same camera, I’ve just been working at taking better photos. 🙂 I love when they have determined faces like that. I see it in Bobby often when he leaves the nest. Sadie usually perches so high up, it’s difficult getting good looks at her. Thanks to the lower level of the nest we can see her better.