Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Hawks at play

Our Tompkins Square hawk fledglings really love to play with sticks.  After watching them have so much fun, I don't think I'll ever look at another stick and not think of pouncing on it.

Stick-play

Stick-play

Stick-play

Stick-play 

Juvenile red tail playing with a stick

There's always time to take a break from stick-play to pose for photos...

Superstar

...or to people-watch.

Untitled

Just after sunset on Sunday, one of the kids caught a rat over by the handball courts.

Baby catches a rat

I've seen the young hawks catch mice, but this was the first time I saw any of them catch a rat, and the scene drew quite a crowd...

Baby catches a rat

...and there were many cheers as the hawk struggled to get the heavy rat up and over  a fence, then zoomed down Avenue B.

Baby catches a rat

I hear a lot of interesting comments from people encountering the hawks for the first time.  My favorites from this day were:

Man (while watching a hawk hop around in a tree):  What is that?  Oh, it's just a cat.

Another man (coming upon a crowd of people looking up at a hawk in a tree):  What are y'all looking at?  GOD?!

Yes.


See more hawk photos here:

City hawks 3
City hawks 2
City hawks 1

Previously.

1 comment:

  1. OMG...such great pictures! They really tell stories. So perfect. Love the expression on the lady with thered hair, and the man who asked "What y'all looking at? God?" And your reply. Perfect.

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