Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Hawk #3 has left the building

After a prolonged wait, Tompkins Square Hawk #3 fledged the nest around 10am this morning (July 2).  Now all three fledglings are out and about around the park.

These shots of #3 were taken this previous weekend:

49 days old

49 days old

49 days old

I joined a couple of dedicated hawk watchers late this afternoon to search for the bird just as a thunderstorm rolled in.  We located it on a rooftop on E 8th Street as it was being bombed by a robin.  Despite the thunder, lightning and heavy downpour, the fledgling stayed in place up on the ledge.


To recap the last several months, here's the info I've collected for these hawks:

Late November 2013 - Christo and Dora arrive in Tompkins Square.

January 2014 - Christo and Dora drive out the juvenile hawks, who had been wintering in the park, and claim the territory.

February 14 - I first saw Christo gathering sticks in the park.

February 15 - I caught Christo taking a stick up to the air-conditioner on the Christodora.

February 25 - Christo and Dora put on a ahem spectacular mating show atop the Christodora.

March 29-31 - Dora lays the first egg.

April 2 - Dora lays the second egg.

April 3 - Dora lays the third egg.

May 8 - First chick hatches, and the second also likely hatched later the same day (38-40 days incubation for the first, 36-37 days for the second).

May 10 - Third egg hatches (36 days incubation).

June 23 - First fledge (Shaft!) after 46 days on the nest.

June 24 - Second fledge (47 days on nest).

July 2 - Third fledge (53 days on nest).


Bonus - here's a shot of one of the older siblings barfing up a pellet in Tompkins Square.  Charming!

Barfing up a pellet

See more hawk photos on my Flickr page:

City hawks 3
City hawks 2
City hawks 1

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