We had a snow storm last night in New York City. A few inches of snow stuck around but was almost completely melted by the time I visited Washington Square Park today.
The wind was so strong and the wet snow so heavy, several trees and branches fell across the city. The damage was not so bad in the park; several tree branches were down but were quickly attended to by park staff.
I saw Bobby circling low over the park square as soon as I arrived in the park. He was chasing pigeons:
He flew around for 5 minutes before landing on One Fifth Avenue, the tallest building right outside the park:
He moved to the next ledge after 3 minutes:
He disappeared on me when I wasn’t looking. I walked around the park grounds to take pictures of some of the fallen limbs and branches:
A Junco eating by a patch of snow:
The hornet’s nest I first photographed on October 22nd is in a sorry state due to the storm:
Bobby returned to the park, coming from the east, 40 minutes after I last saw him:
He dove down quickly toward pigeons that hang out north of the park:
He rose up and landed on One Fifth Avenue again:
A Bald Eagle appeared 10 minutes later. I thought I was looking at the dark shape of a Turkey Vulture at first. I zoomed in then realized I was tracking a Bald Eagle!
Its flight path carried it high over the park, over Bobby, and then northeast. Bobby was unimpressed by the visitor. He looked at it then continued gazing over the park.
The last time I saw an adult Bald Eagle near the park was on March 9th of this year so it’s always a treat to see one. Bald Eagles are common at the nearby Hudson River. There are several resident nesting pairs along the Hudson as well as Eagles who visit the area during migration.
A Downy Woodpecker flew around the trees near me:
Bobby left his perch after 25 minutes and disappeared when zooming east:
A pigeon-deterring Hawk decoy I saw when leaving the neighborhood:
Oh My
It is my guess that all of us watching your photos
cannot believe your speed and exactness of not only our hawks
but other species in the park and sky.
So high on the buildings or in the sky and
sometimes including the hawk red tail glow.
Ah that’s very kind of you, Avel. Thank you! We are so lucky to have this variety of wildlife around. All anyone has to do is look up from time to time to see it!
What a thrilling thought that bald eagles occasionally fly over the city! Makes me feel so much more connected to the earth. So glad you captured it in flight – great shot! Thank you so much for keeping us connected!
Isn’t it great? I was awful excited to have seen the Eagle. If I had known it was an Eagle when I first started photographing it (rather than a Turkey Vulture) I might have been too nervous to get a fixed shot of it. 🙂
I did not know Bald Eagles flew into the WSP
I thought they inhabited the skies of less inhabited territories.
Thanks for the wonderful pics and the education , you always include in each segment.
I had to chuckle at Bobby’s apparent disinterest in this stately Bald Eagle , but he did give free passage.
It’s pretty nice how much the raptors give each other their space as they go about their lives. Thanks, Jeanne!