An appreciation of Ospreys

Summer in NYC is Osprey season. 

They need access to water where they can fish, and we have a lot of that around here. This pair has built a nest along the East River, seen here with the Manhattan Bridge in the background.

To learn about what goes on in an Osprey nest, I always recommend tuning in to the Hellgate (Montana) Osprey Cam which features Iris, the oldest known Osprey (around 30 years old). She is an incredible bird and is raising one chick this year with her new mate, Clark.

 

The Osprey below kept teasing me by flying close to the moon, but never past it. Ah, well. 

Here is a sequence of an Osprey going for a fish.

Failing to nab a fish, the Osprey opted for a bath instead.

It takes an enormous amount of strength to lift and flap itself out of the water.

I could watch Ospreys diving all day. A good place to see them fishing is the salt marsh at Marine Park in Brooklyn, or Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens.

 

 

Tompkins Square hawks gone wild

I really love how the fledgling red-tailed hawks thrill people in Tompkins Square Park. A lot of the time, the birds go unnoticed as they hang out in conspicuous places.

Then again, they deliver some shock and awe to unsuspecting observers. The fledgling below was playing on the grass, then suddenly took off.

We have to remember these young hawks are still learning to fly and haven't quite mastered all aspects of flight control. I think we all assumed this fledgling would make a turn earlier in its flight path...then that moment of realization the the hawk is still heading straight ahead.

LOL. It's hard to tell if the hawk knew what it was doing here when it pulled up at the last second.

This particular individual put on quite a show on this afternoon. It pulled many crazy flight maneuvers, played with sticks in the grass, chased after squirrels, and perched in places where people could easily admire it. 

This is one of the other siblings minutes after it caught a pigeon. Having accomplished that, it quickly looked around for another opportunity.

This fledgling conquers a big stick.

It's getting harder to find the hawks in the park now that they're exploring the area more. A good way to find them is to listen to other birds (particularly robins and blue jays) screaming about their presence. The sound of angry birds usually means there's a hawk nearby.

Although the fledglings are well on their way to self-sufficiency, dad Charlie is still there to help out with providing food. I caught him hunting from a light pole in the park on a recent morning.

And mom Amelia is ever present, watching over the whole family.

Keep an eye out on the streets surrounding the park for fledglings who may be perched on buildings. They have been taking an interest in the pigeon flocks that reside around the park and have been spending more time on the perimeter. 

 

 

Tompkins Square hawk fledgling plays with a feather, catches a pigeon

One of the cutest things I've observed this hawk season in Tompkins Square is seeing one of the fledglings play with a hawk feather molted by one if its parents.

This might be my favorite image from this season.

The young hawks will play with almost anything and feathers make good toys.

The fledgling chases after the feather as it blows away.

A little video:

After wearing itself out hunting the feather, the hawk takes a rest in the grass.

Passers-by were worried about the hawk as it laid in the grass, but this is perfectly normal.

One of the hawk's siblings, however, wanted to play.

Hey, get up!

The first hawk finally did get up, and took off to explore the flower beds.

Meanwhile, the second hawk laid down to sunbathe in the early morning sun.

After rest time, the two hawks enjoyed some time stalking squirrels in the garden.

On the prowl...

On a recent morning, I saw one of the fledgling hawks catch its own pigeon. I'm not sure if this was its first, but judging from the way it caught it (a bit clumsy), I think it could be.

The young hawks have been seen catching rats, so they are on their way to becoming less reliant on their parents for food. Once they are self-sufficient, they will be ready to embark on their migration out of the territory. This usually happens in August or September, so we still have time to enjoy their presence around the park.

 

Hawks cooling off in the sprinkler in Tompkins Square

As we all know, staying cool and hydrated in the summer heat is essential. This is also true for our local Red-Tailed Hawks. As the three fledglings increase their activity in Tompkins Square Park, they have taken advantage of the sprinkler on the main lawn.

This young hawk cools its feet in a puddle. 

Diving in...

Seeing one of its siblings enjoying the pool, a second fledgling joins the fun.

Here is some video of the hawks drinking water from the puddle and getting their feathers wet.

The hawks are tolerant of the presence of people (they were born in the park and have grown up with all the noise and activity), but they are not tame and people should keep their distance. Overall, I've seen people being very respectful this season.

Here is another video of the same pair in the puddle.

I've noticed the hawks are getting more use out of the puddle rather than standing in the spray of the sprinkler.

The music in the background of these videos is from the Luddite Festival, which has hosted daily events and activities in the park. What could be more natural and unplugged than watching baby hawks grow up and play in the park?

This situation with the lawn being partially closed has just been a coincidence this year. The sprinkler and caution tape was set up because new sod was laid earlier in the summer. It wasn't provided specifically for the hawks, but it's worked out really well for them. 

When the lawn puddle isn't available, the hawks will use other water sources like this puddle in the middle of a pathway.

In this video, it's revealed that this hawk was not alone, but watched over by one of its siblings who was nearby.

Hawks generally get all the water they need from their food, but when it's hot, they will drink and bathe where ever they can. Christo used to regularly use a birdbath behind the park offices. It has since been removed, so I'd really love to have another one installed. I've seen the current adult pair (Amelia and Charlie) bathing and drinking from the rain gutters on St Brigid's church on Avenue B.