I saw Bobby Hawk tidying sticks in his nest when I checked on the live Hawk cam around 11 this morning:
He arranged a couple of sticks, looked around a bit, then flew out:
His activity nearly mirrored Sadie’s behavior seen in this video footage I published of her on the 27th.
I visited the park a half hour later and saw Bobby seated atop the Con Edison building in the distance:
It was only 4 minutes later when I saw Sadie fly to and land on the southwest corner building:
She looked down from her perch sometimes as though she were hunting:
She flew to the other corner a few minutes later then ventured to the top of the roof:
A Red-bellied Woodpecker was singing and eating insects as it traveled from tree to tree:
Bobby on another perch:
I noticed Sadie staring intently in Bobby’s direction several minutes later:
I spun around and checked on the tower but Bobby was gone from the tower. Maybe she had been watching her mate flying around? We’ll never know. 🙂
Some of the park pigeons would circle around nervously but I did not see what, if any, raptor was scaring them:
Someone tossed bird seed on one of the paths. The pigeons rushed right over to the food:
Sadie had moved to the northwest corner building (she had been sitting on the southwest corner building originally):
Caught in mid-groom:
Bobby returned to the ConEd tower half an hour later:
Sadie flew off her perch without my noticing. I didn’t see which direction she went.
I was about to leave the park when I saw what looked like a raven circling around the southwest building:
But I was confused. I thought to myself, ‘Do ravens circle and soar? Was I looking at a juvenile Bald Eagle?’
Nope, it was a raven after all but I didn’t figure that out until I was home and could see my pictures better.
The raven was doing impressive acrobatics. It circled, soared, and rose higher and higher in the sky. It would then dive down fast, twisting its body at times during its dive.
I had only seen ravens flying short distances in the past. This was the first time I noticed one soaring and diving like this.
You wouldn’t expect it considering how bright and sunny it was but we had an intense winter snow squall pass through the city a couple of hours after I left the park.
The snow fall got so heavy at one point, you could hardly see the buildings across the street.
As always, Roger _Paw, your pics are wonderful and so colorful …the little red capped woodpecker could be
displayed in a book. Thank you!
Oh, I do not miss the snow and sudden snow squalls that arrive and disrupt so quickly.
As a transplanted east coast to west coast person , I have become accustomed to the milder climate so readily
and cannot imagine ever working a snow shovel again.
Thanks, Jeanne! Funny, I actually wish we had more of a winter! I miss having proper snow-filled winters. 🙂
For Jeanne, I did a little research on the raven. It differs from crows because of its size, and it has a larger and heavier black beak, and a wedge-shaped tail. Flying ravens can be distinguished from crows by their larger wings, and a stable soaring style of flying, which involves less wing flapping, such as what Roger_Paw witnessed.
The skies over Washington Square Park are always fascinating! Thank you Roger_Paw. And btw I miss our snow-filled winters also. It’s just not winter without snow. I love the way the city becomes magically hushed under a blanket of snow.
Thanks, Carlene! It’s amazing how much the snow mutes a big portion of city noise. I love it!
My favorite raven experience was seeing a pair eat leftovers a Peregrine Falcon had left behind. I took pictures of that activity in this post.
Many thanks Roger, and I love the photos of the Kestrel, one of my favorite birds. Thank you also for the link to a wealth of information on the raven.
Thanks, Carlene and Roger_Paw, for the facts of the birds.
I see these huge black ,noisy birds flying about in the sun and I now think, they may be the Ravens you speak of…
I was thinking they were the BIGGEST crows, I had ever seen …now, thanks to you both, I am aware of observing the Raven!
Always enjoy being educated and you both are giving much to us all. Many thanks!
Don’t forget…after the hush and beauty of the magnificent snow fall…snow shovels and noisy snow plows are dispatched to enable finding your car ,mailbox and neighbor…I will never forget SURVIVING the blizzard of ’78.
Ha! I remember the blizzard of ’78 from when I lived in upstate New York! I was a wee youngster but I remember the snow banks rising over my head and how fun it was to walk through the sidewalk snow channel!