I spent a couple of hours searching for the Washington Square Park Hawks in and around the park with no sightings. I thought a distant, circling Turkey Vulture was one of the Hawks but I was mistaken. Although I didn’t see Hawks today I did see some nice flora and fauna around the park.
The current state of the Hawk nest as seen from the ground:
I took a look at the nest via the live cam when I got home:
Don’t you just miss seeing the Hawk family’s antics in the nest?
We still have bees feasting on flowers:
I will have to start bringing my macro lens with me so I can take more detailed close-ups!
Sparrows feasted on the flowers too. I think these are coneflower/Echinacea plants:
Nibbling seeds:
Other sparrows were busy with some deep-preening:
An NBC News channel 4 chopper hovered not too far from One Fifth Avenue:
The Nest…Can’t believe the “blankie” remains in the tangles of the woven tiny branches of the nest , as well as the vague picture of the bird pictured in the “blowouts” from the hawks on the brick siding behind the nest.
Seems the “birthing and raising “of the babies of Bobby and Sadie , happened so long ago.
I cannot imagine what ou will see w/ your special close up lens , as the pictures of today/night are so wonderful !
The birds and the bees never looked so good…thanks for the pictures of a soon to be, fading park foliage.
It really does seem like forever ago when Bobby and Sadie were feeding and preening the babies! Thanks for your kind words!
Yet again, your eye and dedication to all flora/fauna are what makes your site so special. You take the time to actually, literally – ‘smell {or at least photograph!} the flowers’ and delight us with interactions of bees, smaller birds, flowers and all that goes in in this really quite small patch of almost nature that is WSP. Who would have thought that such vibrant activity goes on amidst all of the humans’ busyness there? I am constantly bemused by your shots of people just walking past our hawks flying at low levels, while the bipeds are engrossed in their phones or each other!
Most grateful – eagerly anticipate all posts…depressing to actually see ’empty nest’…lo, may the winter pass quickly and spring! mating! eggs! babies! come around again to enchant us with Life.
Thank you so much! I was feeling bad that I couldn’t share Hawk photos today and was hoping posting “b-list” pics would be ok until my next Hawk post. Gosh, I guess they were! 😀
It’s amazing how most of the park visitors are either fixed on their phones or people-watching rather than noticing there is so much nature near them! The flower seed-eating sparrows were carrying on maybe three feet behind people on a bench who were oblivious to them. Don’t get me wrong, I like to people-watch too sometimes but how can you not get distracted by the sight of some sparrow cuties standing on flowers strong enough to support their weight? 🙂
Your pictures are always wonderful, and help us see “the rest of the story” about happenings in Washington Square. I used to think of NYC as a place where we were lucky to have some hawks, and where the rest of the animal world consisted of rats. Your beautiful pictures are an education. Thank you so much!!
Thank you, Shirley! It’s especially nice when we get some colorful migrating birds stopping by the park to eat up before their next leg of their travels.
I saw Bobby and Sadie today (I just got back from “Hawking”) and will post pics of them tonight!
Dear Paw (LOL), I am always excited to see your name in the in-box, knowing a treat is in store~ I love the adult hawks more than the “kids” I think. Have a hard time dealing with the aggressive behavior and when one chick blocks the other from food. Always totally amazing to me how often just a few hours in birthing ahead of another chick makes a world of difference in who is bigger and stronger by the end of nesting. Always look forward to the re-bonding period, with Bobby proving to Sadie yet again that he deserves the honor of being her mate and her childrens’ father for another year. I always enjoy seeing them work together, or seeing Sadie correct all the “errors” she thinks Bobby has made.
Thank you! Yeah, it’s difficult watching the younger siblings get beat up on. I love the turnaround when they start to depend on each other for warmth and play.
The adults are what really keep me inspired. It’s such a treat to see them in their domain looking over their territory, hunting, or just relaxing in the trees.
You are correct, the flowers are purple coneflowers, Echinacea purpurea. I know it by heart because it has been one of my favorite flowers for many years. Sparrow cuties are everywhere if you just look for them! Today I set out two crumbled corn muffins beneath a public bench on the upper west side, and immediately the little sparrows showed up, as did some starlings, and everyone dug in. I love birds, all birds. Thanks so much for the great photos. Carlene
Thanks for the confirmation of what flower they were. Thanks, Carlene!
Thank you from a long-time follower from Boston. Love your eye on the ground -and in the air of WSP! Another great season appreciated through your lens.
Thank you, Mimi! Much appreciated!
That pic of the bee on the coneflower is my new Homepage! You see nature not only with your eyes, but your heart.
That’s so nice to hear, thank you! I’m glad you liked the picture so much.