Juno and Sadie visit the nest together – November 19th, 2019

I had only been in Washington Square Park for a couple of minutes when Juno zoomed close by me and into a tree top:

He then pleasantly shocked me by bending over and pulling on a twig for the nest!

He flew right to the nest with it:

He stayed in the nest for two minutes. He flew out, over the park square, then dove swiftly into the trees again:

He traveled from tree to tree:

He began to hunt rats after 10 minutes of tree-hopping:

He caught a rat behind a western path:

He brought it to a tree and ate it in one minute:

Wiping his beak clean on the branch:

He sat and digested a bit. He watched something intently in the sky. I looked to see what he was watching and saw two huge raptors flying above the park trees. I could not tell what types of birds they were but one looked very much like a Red-tailed Hawk and the other like a Cooper’s Hawk.

Back to hunting:

Head going down the hatch:

A large group of Crows circled and squawked at something outside the southwest corner of the park. I couldn’t see what they were so bothered about at the time. Juno would pause during his meal and watch them. The Crows moved on.

Juno finished eating and zipped from tree to tree again. He is very fast and energetic in the trees. Previous adult Washington Square Park Hawks have been more calm and regal in their flights. Juno seems to have a more youthful demeanor.

Pushing off a branch:

Juno flew out of the park via the southwest corner. I lost sight of him but searched the corner building and spotted Sadie sitting high up on the corner:

It was pretty clear that it was Sadie who the Crows had swarmed earlier. Juno flew away and over the park.

Sadie watched him:

Sadie followed and flew over the park as well.

I spotted her on the corner of NYU’s Silver Center building a minute later:

This building sits outside the eastern side of the park.

I was then treated to the sight of both Juno and Sadie in the nest together:

I watched them busy themselves in the nest for a couple of minutes.

Juno flew out first then landed on the building across the street from the nest:

Sadie joined him soon after:

Sadie on the right:

Juno returned to the nest:

Sadie flew to the Silver Center building again:

I was so busy watching Juno, I didn’t see where Sadie went.

Juno left the nest then landed on the next door building again:

He then flew to the Silver Center building:

He flew far north out of the park and didn’t return after several minutes so I left too.

The nest visit was great because it confirmed that they will attempt to use her nest for next spring’s babies. I had been concerned that perhaps Juno would lure Sadie to a new spot since his arrival after Bobby’s disappearance.