Action is heating up in the Washington Square Park Hawk nest. Thanks to the live nest cam, we can watch as more soft nesting material is being brought to the bowl (including a cotton glove!) to help cradle the eggs:
Sadie could lay her eggs any day now. Check out the “Egg Laying” archives I placed under “Special Topics” in the sidebar to see my past egg-laying reports.
Sadie spent a few hours in the nest last night before flying out at 10:15PM. Although her flight was late at night, the city’s illumination obviously provided plenty of light for her to see by.
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Today’s brief Hawk outing was full of action. I first saw Bobby circling over Cooper Square, a small park east of Washington Square Park:
Bobby has traveled to this park several times. One of the most memorable times I had watching him there was on August 18 of last year.
A couple of men working in the area noticed my photographing so I pointed out the Hawk. Turns out one of the men has seen Bobby catching rats in that park. He showed me a beautiful photo he took of Bobby sitting on a stone bench with a rat in his talons.
He told me that he alerted the guys who take care of the park about the hunting Hawk and they told him they’d stop putting rat poison out. This was great news to hear! If you are reading this post, thank you! It’s so great to know that there are so many people who care for the protection of the Hawks!
Bobby disappeared while flying over the buildings so I went around the corner to get a view of the Con Edison tower (located east of Union Square Park) in case one or both of the Hawks were up there. Sadie was seated at the top of the tower. Bobby soon joined her.
Both Hawks on the tower:
Sadie on the left:
Bobby dove off the tower a half hour later and headed toward the park:
I followed him to the park to see what he was up to. I was right outside the park when he flew low above me and the buildings. He was toting a rat.
He circled several times just north of the park with the food:
It looked very much like he was showing Sadie he had food and was trying to lure her ‘home’ from the tower. Well, he circled more and more but she did not come. He then rose up very high and tucked into a fast dive toward the tower. I rushed back to the tower myself to see if Sadie was eating the meal. It took me 3 minutes to get a vantage point again.
The tower with Grace Church in the foreground:
I think it was Bobby who I saw dive off the tower 4 minutes later. He had the rat body in his talons:
I could not tell if Sadie ate any of the rat.
Parting shot for the day:
Baby hawks will soon be on their way!! I’ve always loved Bobby’s decorating skills for the nest, he brings different type of papers or plastic or string and an assortment of other man made products. I’ll bet Bobby brought the cotton glove. He’s very creative.
And it’s great news that those park workmen will not put any poison down. Every time Bobby catches a rat I’m worried. Thanks to you Roger_Paw for being there and sharing your concern for these hawks. They will be in a family way pretty soon. Exciting news today from Washington Square Park***
That glove is so perfect to me. Not to sound completely ridiculous but I think it’s cool that perhaps one bit of man-made material can provide a helping hand to the Hawks! Fingers crossed for a successful baby season!
Gloved fingers crossed!
It is exciting to know the egg laying could begin at any time…
Once eggs and hatchlings are in the nest, my behavior changes and this site is checked in the wee hours of the day…just to make sure “all is well” w/ Bobby ,Sadie and the offspring.
I become a grandparent all over again!
Thanks for the pics, Roger_Paw
Dishes begin to pile up, vacuuming gets put off.. Oh, I am right there with you!