Amelia, Charlie, and a surprise Bald Eagle

I was happy to catch Tompkins Square Red-Tailed Hawks, Charlie and Amelia, perched together on the church cross at Avenue A & 10th Street this last Sunday evening.

Charlie is on the left while Amelia is on the right. 

Charlie moves to the top spot.

This has always been a favorite hawk perch and its comforting for me to see them there just hanging out and appearing to enjoy each other's company at the end of the day.

Eventually, Charlie took off to chase some pigeons, and ended up perched on a rooftop pipe a block down the street.

Amelia remained on the church and I stayed with her until the sun disappeared, at which time she took off to go roost somewhere north of the park.

Meanwhile, there are raptors to be seen in other parts of the city. This is an adult Red-Tailed Hawk in Queens, her crop full of dinner.

This was an exciting surprise. I was in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn on Saturday and saw a shadow move across the landscape. I looked up to see this Bald Eagle flying in over Sylvan Water.

The eagle scanned the ground as it sailed in, perhaps looking for prey.

After the dramatic entrance, the eagle flew up into a tree where it perched for about an hour.

This eagle has an interesting dark-tipped tail, which is helpful for identification. I hope it sticks around and makes more appearances.

 

Mid-October birds - Part 2

Following the first segment of October birds earlier this week, below are some more October highlights. Yellow, olive, brown and gray are the colors of fall bird migration, which coordinates well with the changing colors of the trees.

Female American Redstart: 

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet:

I really love these guys. They're active, cute, and don't seem to mind me photographing them.

Pine Warbler:

Common Yellowthroat:

Yellowthroats are another fave of mine. They're not shy and are pretty no matter the season.

This was my first time seeing a Brown Thrasher in Bryant Park.

The Thrasher was accompanied by a Wood Thrush, another first for me in that park.

Palm Warbler:

Palm Warblers can look kind of drab this time of year, but some retain their bright yellow color. This one caught and ate an insect.

For some reason, I see more Blackpoll Warblers in the fall than I do in the spring.

Black-and-White Warbler:

The only bird that may be cuter than the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet is the Golden-Crowned Kinglet.  For me, they're also much harder to photograph.

Put up a rope fence and you're almost guaranteed to attract an Eastern Phoebe. I spent an afternoon watching several hawking insects from this rope perch.

The most elusive bird in this batch is the Yellow-Breasted Chat. They prefer the shadows and are often challenging to photograph.

Check out Birdcast to see when birds are expected to move through the area over the next few days.

 

 

Mid-October birds - Part 1

This week looks to be good for bird migration along the East Coast. Over the last several days, there has been a big influx of sparrows across the NYC area, as well as thrushes and kinglets. Although most warblers are leaving the area, many can still be found as they head south for the winter.

Below are some highlights from the last few days.

Northern Parula: 

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet:

American Redstart:

Black-Throated Blue Warbler:

Magnolia Warbler:

Yellow-Rumped Warbler:

Swamp Sparrow:

Lincoln's Sparrow:

White-Throated Sparrow:

Female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak:

Immature Red-Tailed Hawk:

Red-tails live in the city year-round, but this is the time of year we see many young hawks migrating through the area. Some may stay the winter.