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

Quality time spent with Bobby Hawk – September 7th, 2018

Today’s visit to Washington Square Park was one of those effortless ones where you find a Red-tailed Hawk right away and get to enjoy watching it relax in a tree for a few hours.

I heard a distant Blue Jay yelling up a storm as soon as I entered the park so I followed its calls and cries. The Jays almost only sound like that if there is a raptor in the trees. The Jay led me right to Bobby:

Washington Square Park Hawk Bobby preening his back

He was enjoying a deep preen even though the Jay was flying around him and dive-bombing him on occasion.

Washington Square Hawk Bobby preening chest in tree

Bobby would look for prey in the lawn below him:

Washington Square Park Hawk Bobby in tree looking for prey

The complaining Jay:

Washington Square Park Blue Jay

The Jay moved on and Bobby got to relax a little better:

Washington Square Hawk Bobby in tree with leg kick

Something in the distance made him alert but I didn’t see what he was looking at:

Washington Square Hawk Bobby looking in distance

Washington Square Hawk Bobby sitting in tree

It was pretty overcast today which is why the images are especially dark.

Back to preening:

Washington Square Hawk Bobby sitting in tree

Some birds were on one of the Hawk perches across the park:

Birds on Washington Square Park building finial

Stretch (notice some fluffy Hawk feathers stuck on the twig above him):

Washington Square Hawk Bobby stretching leg in tree

Sorry buddy, I don’t have any treats for you:

Washington Square Park Squirrel begging for food

Washington Square Red-tailed Hawk Bobby in tree

Washington Square Hawk Bobby flying between trees

Washington Square Hawk Bobby perched in tree

Washington Square Park Hawk Bobby in tree looking at prey

Washington Square Park Hawk Bobby preening chest

Washington Square Hawk Bobby sitting with leg up

Washington Square Hawk Bobby stretching leg

Washington Square Hawk Bobby stretching leg

Washington Square Hawk Bobby stretching wings

Crossed talons:

Washington Square Hawk Bobby stretching wings

Washington Square Hawk Bobby preening chest feathers

All seemed well and Bobby appeared to be in no urgency to hunt or move on so I left the park:

Washington Square Hawk Bobby in tree

Washington Square Hawk Bobby in distant tree


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7 thoughts on “Quality time spent with Bobby Hawk – September 7th, 2018

  1. Your last 3 pics seem to tell of your walking away and the eventual goodbye.
    Quite poetic…

    All in all ,a lazy relaxed day for our Bobby

    The news tells of a coastal storm approaching the east coast
    we want our favorite hawks and their photographer to be safe.

    1. Indeed! I would take a parting shot, walk away, then have to stop to look at him one more time. Because it’s not easy to tear yourself away from such a gorgeous bird!

      Thanks for the heads-up on this storm. I will have to check our forecast now!

  2. I just got in after seeing and hearing a bluejay making a storm of noise on West 80th Street. The street is filled with trees and today it was overcast so for a time it was hard to spot him, but I did, and there he was caw-caw-cawing like a crow!! Years ago I was feeding birds at my window and one day a bluejay brought her three precious baby bluejays right to the window. It was hot and they looked worn out, but I will never forget how much that mother bluejay trusted me to take care of her young ones.

    1. Wow! I love it when Jays mimic other birds. I’ve heard them mimic the Hawks but never a crow. How cool. I love the story of your mother Blue Jay. It must have felt so nice to be trusted by such vulnerable creatures.

  3. Roger_Paw, I kept looking for a crow, and when I finally looked up and saw the bluejay above me making that incredible racket I felt kind of foolish but charmed. That bluejay completely tricked me. For some reason I was the only person responding to the noise above us. Maybe other people just accepted that it was a crow. The bluejay had the last laugh for sure. He was totally convincing!! Thank you for citing the bluejay. I have a wonderful memory of those baby bluejays at my window.

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