![The stare-down](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1703/24530791295_0380e4c8a1_b.jpg)
I wondered if this could be one of the pair of adult red-tails who have been seen around the Lower East Side the last couple of months. Unfortunately, I couldn't see any definitive identifying marks that could prove this hawk was one of the pair or not.
However, this hawk does have some interesting features. It's eyes, for instance, are a light amber color. This could mean the hawk is a young adult.
![LES hawk](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1498/24530782245_73188e3a7e_b.jpg)
![LES hawk](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1546/24504520696_e241116fd9_b.jpg)
By comparison, Dora's eyes (below) are much darker.
![Dora](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5688/23852800396_8a5002f63b_b.jpg)
Christo's eyes are also a darker brown.
![Christo the red-tailed hawk](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/743/23649037352_6db6982291_b.jpg)
Below is a juvenile, who has very bright yellow eyes.
![Red tail in Tompkins Square](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7419/12279064124_9d17a2a850_b.jpg)
Back to the light-eyed adult hawk...
![LES hawk](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1673/24530658485_433cf49fbd_b.jpg)
One other thing I noticed about this hawk is the color pattern on its legs. There is some very pale barring, giving them a light cappuccino color.
![LES hawk](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1642/24162983919_65bd71a540_b.jpg)
![LES hawk](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1678/24448430061_929e088505_b.jpg)
To compare again, Christo has pronounced brown barring on his legs and Dora has none.
On the day I saw this hawk, it spent about an hour staring intently at a patch of grass very close to where one of the South Street kestrels had caught a mouse five days before. I hoped to see the hawk catch something to eat, but I ran out of time and had to leave.
![LES hawk](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1627/24448345791_f01df5ac7e_b.jpg)
It killed me to walk away knowing the hawk was still there.
![LES hawk](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1705/23903601433_30e45ffbcd_b.jpg)
Meanwhile, that same week, a hawk was spotted checking out 169 Bar on East Broadway. This is very near where I saw the mystery hawk, so perhaps it's the same one. ???
See more photos of this hawk on my Flickr page.
No comments:
Post a Comment