Tompkins Square red-tail fledglings play in the park

The heat doesn't seem to be keeping the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings from having fun. They've been very active this week, flying all over the park and investigating the flower gardens.

Two of the three fledglings meet up in a planted area: 

They discover a tree branch with proves to be a fascinating toy.

I love how one watches the other try something out first.

Here are a couple of videos of these two in action:

The winner takes the stick.

Having had their fill of the Big Stick, the pair go looking for more entertainment.

One finds another stick.

A squirrel sprints by, briefly drawing the hawks' attention.

After engaging with each other, the two eventually separate and each finds their own object of interest. 

These guys look so cute as they waddle through the grass.

Not everyone finds the hawks so amusing. This Blue Jay followed one of the fledglings to the top of a tree where they had a staring match.

They Jay then buzzed the hawk, letting it know it is not welcome.

The hawks are often harassed by smaller birds like Blue Jays, Robins, and Mockingbirds, but they seem to take it all in stride and ignore the little bullies. 

 

More to come after the holiday weekend. 

 

 

Mid-week Tompkins hawk update

You may have noticed the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawks flying around the park a lot more recently. The three fledglings have been very active practicing their flying and playing, and at least one has caught its own rat.

In all the previous years, the fledglings have kind of kept a schedule throughout the day when they were active in the early morning and late afternoon, but this year, the hawks seem to be energized throughout the day. That may change as we enter another heat wave this week.

This is one of the fledglings hanging out in a tree in the park. All three have colorful plumage at this stage. 

They really are gorgeous.

This one flies past the warm brick of the Christodora along Avenue B.

It landed at the tippy-top of a tree.

 

After looking around a few seconds, the hawk continued on its exploratory journey of the park.

Eventually, the hawk came down and perched very low in a tree where I was happy to get a good look at it.

The parents will supplement the meals as long as needed. Below, Dad brings in a baby starling.

He's quickly ambushed by one of the fledglings who flies in from behind and grabs the food.

Mom Amelia also actively feeds the fledglings. This is her with the remains of a pigeon.

After giving away the food, she remained in the immediate area and kept an eye on everyone.

I caught her visiting a rooftop which I think may be serving as a food drop. She looked around for a few minutes before taking off empty-taloned.

As the weather heats up, you may see the hawks panting, which is normal. They also come to the ground to play, practice catching prey, and take baths. This is also normal behavior. Give them plenty of space and keep those dogs on a leash!

 

More to come. 

Tompkins Square hawk fledglings curious about their world

Good morning! 

All three Tompkins Square Red-Tailed Hawk fledglings continue to do well and have been demonstrating their flying skills by dramatically zipping around the park. 

 

This one stretches its wings in preparation for take-off. 

I caught up with two of the three siblings the other morning as they waited for Dad to deliver breakfast.

The one on the right couldn't stay still and took off to join its other sibling on the other side of the park.

The hawks are also learning to chase prey, like squirrels. So far, the squirrels have out-witted them.

This squirrel had no tolerance for a hawk at the foot of its tree.

After taunting the hawk a while, the squirrel retreated up the tree and the hawk moved on to other things.

This is the same fledgling taking a walk though a meadow, looking for things of interest.

Maybe there's something interesting in these bushes...

The hawks are just past two months old and are basically toddlers, curious about everything around them. They also need their rest, so this one took a break in the shade and let its wings flop out. They also do this to cool off in hot temps.

Just before sunset, one of the fledglings took an interest in people sitting along a fence. It perched behind them and none of them seemed to notice the giant bird.

One way to find the hawks in the park is to listen to other birds screaming at them. Robins and Blue Jays are the loudest and persistent. I found this fledgling in a tree thanks to the Blue Jay on the right who announced its presence to the world.

Seeing the hawks as they are now, it's hard to believe they were still fuzzy little things just a month ago. The photos below are all from May.

 

Two chicks peer from the nest: 

Showing off those impressive wings:

The threesome having a discussion at the nest:

All three hanging out and stretching:

Getting some exercise:

This is one of the last photos I have of them as they are molting out of their fuzzy down and growing their wing and tail feathers.

More to come...