Both of the recently-rescued Washington Square Park Hawk fledglings were going to be released back into the park today but one of them tested positive for lead earlier this morning so its care will be overseen by The Wild Bird Fund for several more days.
The fledgling that I helped rescue on Friday was returned to the park by Bobby and Cathy Horvath of WINORR (Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation) as scheduled.
I did visit the park for about an hour and a half yesterday morning but the only Hawk sighting of note was of Juno getting chased off the One Fifth Avenue apartment building by a Mockingbird:
This new male Hawk, who was named Juno by one of this site’s readers in honor of his big arrival to the park in June, is the new male who has been bonding with the female Hawk Sadie ever since her previous mate Bobby disappeared.
I searched for Juno, Sadie, and the other fledgling for a couple of hours before WINORR arrived but did not find any of those Hawks.
Today’s fledgling all ready to go:
Bobby Horvath carrying him over to Cathy who placed him in a tree:
The fledgling did a great job hopping and flying higher up the branches of this tree:
The fledgling would cry on and off, preen, move to a new branch, repeat.
This went on for 45 minutes until Juno swooped in and chased him deeper into the park trees.
Juno sitting in a new tree:
The fledgling had gotten himself stuck on scaffold netting right outside the north border of the park:
Juno flew past him a couple of times and perched in trees near him.
It was a good thing Bobby Horvath was still in the park to observe the fledgling’s first few hours of its release! He went to see if he could net the fledgling and remove it from the netting however it managed to free itself and fly further along the scaffolding before landing on the scaffolding shed:
Juno observing all the goings-on:
Juno flew into the park trees.
The fledgling looking toward the park:
Juno flew back out of the park, passed by the fledgling, then landed on the corner scaffolding:
His reaction when hearing the youngster crying:
Juno then circled above the fledgling’s area before landing on a flag pole across the park.
Crying, looking up at Juno:
The fledgling climbed up into the nearest tree after a little over an hour:
Without warning he flew out of the trees, rounded the corner, then landed in a tree on 5th Avenue:
He hopscotched from tree to tree, flying a little further north on 5th Avenue each time:
Crying some more:
He then hopscotched between perches on the Two Fifth Avenue facade:
It had been a really long day and I didn’t want to go but I tore myself away.
Juno was sitting atop One Fifth Avenue (across the street from the fledgling), facing the park, as I left:
As if today wasn’t intense enough, Bobby Horvath got a call that a completely different fledgling was trapped in a narrow area behind two buildings east of the park. So he drove back into the city to rescue it. Apparently the area was too narrow for her (the Hawk was determined to be a female) to fly out of on her own. So she is now going to be cared for before being returned to the park as quickly as possible.
Hopefully all will go well with the two rescued fledglings and all three youngsters can be reunited in the park and stop getting themselves into so many scraps!
Good heavens! What an adventuresome day! How lucky they are (and we are) to have you and the Hovarths keeping track of them. This is starting to look like an action film: Fledge Adventures! Hang in there; we wait avidly for your next posts! ♡♡♡
Good news / bad news kind of day?
I know it’s a terrible thought but i wish WINORR could net Juno and only release him back after the kids have a chance to learn to hunt for themselves and are ready to migrate…
I appreciate how level-headed and “just the facts” your narratives are, while keeping us informed. Helps me to stay a bit calm during all this drama. Thanks!
Kudos Bobby
I understand all of these “adventures” in the new fledgling hawk family , is quite normal w/in the “wild animal world”…but , I think , I will hold off watching the near miss escapades, until all is done and all the hawks have settled.
A rosy glow of the hawks ,through glasses of denial in the world of all things wild, but this old world is tough enough , for me, without bringing it , purposely, into my little world.
So, adieu my dear fledges and Sadie …Juno , you will go on to become your natural self in your new kingdom in WSP…Thank you ,Roger _Paw for all your efforts and pictures….
I will rejoin you all in the next year w/ a new nest and eggs being hatched w/ New Life again , in the adventures of the “Hawk Family” on the campus of NYU,
Is there a reason the babies are not banded when caught? Would help to know their futures when they leave..
This released fledgling was banded. You can see it in some of the pictures (look for it on his left leg). Yes, it would be great to find out where it winds up!
Thanks so much RP and Hovarth’s!
I agree with AAnon, why not just remove Juno.
We have not had this much excitement from the babes, since one’s leg was caught in a plastic bag, in the nest, several years ago!
Juno is acting perfectly naturally as a male establishing dominance in a new territory. We are observers of these interactions and it is not our place to impose our moralities on these wild creatures (as difficult as it can be to watch because we do empathize with the youngsters). I find the developments to be an incredible opportunity to witness what otherwise happens all the time in the wild.
It’s such a treat to read your blog and see the images! Thanks. Also agree completely with the banding and other point about minimizing human intervention in wild animal behavior. It really is harder though in this case for me since I’ve been following them since the nest 🙂
Also it would be against the law to capture these hawks (except for licensed professionals like the Horvaths or rangers who only do so when necessary for rehab and other permitted procedures), since they are protected wild animals.
Thanks, Genia! This unexpected drama this season has tested us all on so many levels.