Several Hawks and a Turkey Vulture in Washington Square – January 15th, 2019

There were several raptors in Washington Square Park today. It was a bright and chilly day and the birds were very active. I saw the resident Red-tailed Hawk Sadie but did not see Bobby today.

One of the Cooper’s Hawks acted like it owned the place. It is the same Cooper’s Hawk that I have seen in the park before (and as recently as January 9th).

Relaxing and sunning in an eastern tree:

It chased pigeons that were assembled on the arch then perched in a tree on the western side of the park:

The pigeons settling down on the park arch:

Sadie entered the park from the east and flew over to the southwest building:

The Cooper’s Hawk watched her but did not get alarmed. It instead started preening:

Sadie has not seemed to mind the Cooper’s presence either.

It chased the pigeons that were on the arch again then flew just north of the park, descending into the mews.

There was a rainbow in the sky south of the park. You could only see it when clouds passed by:

Sadie flew off her perch then eventually returned to her building.

Another Cooper’s Hawk traveled over the park and continued on its way:

Sadie on her perch:

Something caught her eye and stirred her:

She flew to one of the north apartment buildings outside the park and stared intently at something below her:

Closer to what was fascinating her and continuing to stare:

I wondered if she was watching the Cooper’s Hawk that had flown to the mews earlier. She was sitting on One Fifth Avenue, the apartment building directly above the mews.

She flew to the next big building. The pigeons on the arch did not move. They will flee in a major panic if a Cooper’s Hawk flies anywhere near them but for some reason they stay pretty calm when one of the Red-tailed Hawks fly near them (unless the Hawks are actively hunting them of course):

Moving to another building and continuing her stare:

She finally dove off her perch, circled, then descended to the mews herself:

The Con Edison tower (where the Hawks sometimes perch) in the background:

I went to the mews to look for her and just caught sight of the Cooper’s Hawk flying out of the mews and toward the park again.

I didn’t find Sadie. She could have been hidden from view on one of the many low buildings in the mews.

A juvenile Red-tailed Hawk flew over the park while I was looking for Sadie:

It did not stop but continued flying.

Sadie eventually returned to the park and did some fine circling before disappearing northeast:

A Turkey Vulture circled over the park several minutes later then flew far east of the park:

The Cooper’s Hawk hopscotched to a few different trees before settling down again:

Spitting a feather out of its beak:

It picked feathers out of its talons too. I think what happened was it caught a bird and ate it in the mews. Whether its eating was what was fascinating Sadie is something I’ll never know.

Deep preening: