I spent a little over half an hour looking for Red-tailed Hawks in Washington Square Park but was having no luck at all. I walked north to look for the Hawk fledglings because I had seen one of them a few blocks north of the park a few days ago.
I spotted what looked like a Hawk eating on the corner of the Cardozo Law School building:
It was one of the fledglings! I realized later by its markings that it was F1, the first Hawk to have fledged this season:
It had been eating on the building top. It moved to the northern corner of the building after four minutes:
This building is located at 5th Avenue and 12th Street (several blocks north of the park). It’s a popular spot for the adult Hawks.
I had to wonder if one of the adult Hawks dropped off the food there or if the fledgling caught its meal itself. I haven’t seen the fledglings catch meals for themselves so far this season but they’re advanced enough to be able to hunt on their own.
I had to walk further north to get a good view of the fledgling’s new location:
I watched it cavort on the building top for the next hour:
The rascal walked over to some potted flowers and started picking them off their stems:
It walked to the other side of the ledge, rested for a few minutes, then returned to the flowers:
What I think was a Cooper’s Hawk flew past:
There are almost always raptors around. You just have to remember to look up for them!
One Fifth Avenue in the distance:
The fledgling settled down so I got closer and took this parting shot:
I returned to Washington Square Park to look for the other Hawks but didn’t see any during my search.
Who knew that hawks played!??! Yet another marvelous reason that your viewing community finds your pictures & comments so invaluable. While perhaps not “scientifically rigorous” – the insights you have given us into the RTHs lives, and their interactions with the outside world – avian, human, prey, architectural! are outstanding. What a joy to be able to peek inside and gain happiness from something we’d know nothing about were it not for your dedicated hours (and technical ability) of reporting. Thank you so much!
Thanks, Susan! It is the fun I have (and fascination I feel) while I observe them navigate through their new world is what I often hope most to convey. Thank you!
Someone’s going to be wondering who picked their flowers!! 😂😂
I know! I was thinking the same thing.
Kids these day, huh?! Must have been tasty.
The Hawk looked like it was having a fun time with its innocent destructive play. Too funny.
Nesting instincts surfacing early in the formation of skills ? or..just curiosity at “things” sticking up in the air?