Fledgling Hawk is released back into Washington Square Park – June 25th, 2019

The fledgling Red-tailed Hawk that was rescued on the evening of June 16th by WINORR (Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation) was released back into the park today. This was the first baby Hawk to have fledged from the nest this season (on June 7th).

Cathy Horvath of WINORR placing the Hawk in the exact same spot we released the fledgling on the 16th:

The fledgling hopscotched her way up the tree branches and then from tree to tree:

Note her new band on her right leg:

She did this hopscotching for 6 minutes until she flew out of the trees and across the street.

We lost where she went but one of the Hawk-watchers found her in a new tree 5 minutes later.

She was pretty high up in the tree which was good to see. She spent the next hour and thirty five minutes in this tree.

The red stone of the Bobst Library (location of the nest on the north-facing side) in the background:

She flew out of the tree because a pair of Blue Jays began to harass her. She started to cry then fled from them.

Flying along the library:

She flew extremely well. She rounded the corner and toward the park trees. She was out of sight now so I searched for her for 55 minutes until I finally spotted her in the tallest tree across from the library.

She would pick at leaves, preen, and hop about:

She flew out of this new tree 25 minutes later.

She then circled in the sky before flying futher east to the low NYU buildings along that side of the park:

She had landed on one of the water towers on NYU’s Pless building:

She had been photographed on this same water tower on June 9th so perhaps it was all dawning on her that she was back home.

She spent the next 50 minutes playing, sunning, preening, and otherwise looking around on this tower:

She then flew across the eastern buildings and headed further north:

I could not see where she landed. Mama Sadie Hawk appeared 11 minutes later and flew low over the buildings I think the fledgling flew to.

Sadie was looking right down at those building tops (and perhaps found her kid?):

Sadie landed on the apartment building just north of NYU’s Silver Center.

Juno appeared a few minutes later and landed on Silver. He screamed as he landed so it was then that I knew that at least he saw the fledgling. He screams at the fledglings because they are Bobby’s, not his kids.

Juno then circled above the park then flew the opposite direction of Sadie (and the fledgling?). He traveled a few blocks south of the park.

Juno then landed on the southeastern NYU flag pole 10 minutes later:

I was feeling poorly from the heat, humidity, and 5 1/2 hours of standing around so I had to leave. I did not want to leave as it would have been good to know what transpired between the Hawks this evening but this was one of those rare occasions when I was simply not able to stay out longer. But I’ll be back out tomorrow to check on the fledgling and try to find the other fledgling too. The last fledgling remaining is still with Wild Bird Fund last I heard. It’s been with them since June 12th.

The positive that I saw was that Sadie may have found the fledgling and will hopefully start feeding her again very soon. Although Juno very likely saw the fledgling too, he did not physically interact with her when I was there.