Thursday, July 28, 2016

Shower scene

While one of the Tompkins Square hawk fledglings was showering over at the swimming pool, its sibling decided to frolic in the sprinkler behind the park offices.

Let's play!

Hawk playing in the sprinkler

Hawk playing in the sprinkler

Note the big stick in the photos above - it made the perfect hawk toy.

Hawk playing with stick in the sprinkler

Hawk playing in the sprinkler

Hawk playing with a stick in the sprinkler

Hawk playing with a stick in the sprinkler

Hawk playing with a stick in the sprinkler

Hawk playing with a stick in the sprinkler

After playing with the stick for several minutes, the hawk settled in for a thorough shower.

Hawk taking a shower

Hawk taking a shower

When a hawk shakes, it creates rainbows!

Hawk taking a shower

Hawk taking a shower

Also check out Urban Hawks, who has some beautiful hawk shower photos.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Bathing in rainbows

Allow me to introduce Hawk and her Rainbow...

A hawk and her rainbow

Magic!

Hawk bathing in a rainbow

Another sweltering summer afternoon in Tompkins Square drove this fledgling hawk to seek relief in the waterfall that was created by run-off from the swimming pool.

Hawk bathing in a rainbow

Ahhhhhhh....

Hawk bathing in a rainbow

Shake, shake, shake...

Hawk bathing in a rainbow

Hawk bathing in a rainbow

Post-shower hawk

After her shower, the hawk briefly posed for admirers atop the fence next to the swimming pool.

Post-shower hawk

She then moved to a light pole near the entrance to the basketball courts to dry off.

Drying off after a shower

Drying off after a shower

Drying off after a shower

A few shakes, and she was off to return to the shady trees.

Drying off after a shower 

More to come...

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Snack time, bath time

On a blazing hot Sunday, there wasn't much to do except stay in the shade of Tompkins Square.  Christo and two of his kids spent several hours relaxing in the trees behind the park offices.

Christo:

Christo

Christo

But, the kids had to eat, which meant work for dad.  I've still yet to see any of the fledglings catch, kill and eat prey on their own.  On this day, Christo brought a mouse into a tree and let the two fledglings compete for it.

The winner:

Fledgling with a mouse

Check out the way the feathers on the hawk's face contort to make it look like some ancient creature.

Looking freaky

Looking prettier:

Tompkins Square fledgling

Despite one fledgling claiming the mouse, there wasn't any animosity between the siblings.  They still often perch together.

Siblings

One of them decided to beat the heat by plopping down in a puddle at the water fountain.

Bathing hawk

The young hawk wasn't phased at all by this bike that whizzed by.

Checking out the bikes

As it was so hot, the hawk would not be scared away from its pool so easily.

Chillin' 

More summer hawk action to come...

Monday, July 25, 2016

Christo and kid visit the General Slocum memorial

The summer heat just won't let up, driving the Tompkins Square hawks to find relief by playing in sprinklers and soaking in the birdbaths.  On Sunday, I found Christo catching a breeze atop the cellphone antenna on the roof of the park offices.  He's currently molting and looking a little disheveled, but he'll soon be back to his handsome self.

Molting Christo

The day was so hot, even a hawk has to drink water.  Christo couldn't resist the tempting lure of the cool running stream at the General Slocum memorial fountain.

Christo at the General Slocum memorial

Christo at the General Slocum memorial

Christo drinks from the General Slocum memorial

I've never seen a hawk drink from this fountain, so I was pretty excited to see this.

Christo at the General Slocum memorial

After getting his fill, Christo took off to play with some kids into the shade.

Christo swooping through the park

About a minute later, one of the fledglings appeared on the roof of the park offices.

Fledgling hawk in Tompkins Square

It, too, needed to quench its thirst, so it dove down to a puddle at the foot of the fountain.

Fledgling hawk drinking at a puddle

But why settle for puddle water when there's fresh water to be had?

Fledgling hawk at the General Slocum memorial

Did Christo show the fledgling to drink from the water fountain?  Did the kid learn by watching someone else do it first?  Or maybe the young hawk has done this before and I just haven't seen it.  Regardless, seeing two different hawks do this back to back was a thrill.

Fledgling hawk at the General Slocum memorial

Fledgling hawk at the General Slocum memorial

Fledgling hawk in Tompkins Square

Taking after its dad, the fledgling flew right at my head.  It's always unnerving, but I love it.

Fledgling hawk coming for me 

More summer hawk water park fun to come...

Sunday, July 24, 2016

But wait, there's more!

Although I already posted some hawk highlights from last week, I have a few more.  The Tompkins Square fledglings have been so active, they keep giving me reasons to take a zillion pictures.

First, though, it was nice to see Dora and Christo perched together in a tree over the semi-circle on Thursday.  Both of them are molting, so they look kind of raggedy. 

Dora and Christo

Meanwhile, while mom and dad were enjoying the last light of day, one of the kids perched itself on the statue at the Temperance fountain.

Fledgling on the Temperance fountain

Stretch...

Fledgling on the Temperance fountain

After about 20 minutes, the fledgling headed for Avenue A.

Tompkins Square fledgling

Tompkins Square fledgling

Flying with a full crop.

Tompkins Square fledgling

They really do like to check people out.

Tompkins Square fledgling

Tompkins Square fledgling

And they definitely have no fear of people.  Although entertaining, this does worry me. 

Tompkins Square fledgling

But I really love how these hawks make people happy.

Tompkins Square fledgling

Tompkins Square fledgling

Tompkins Square fledgling

Soaking up the last bits of sun...

Tompkins Square fledgling 

This weekend was very eventful, so there will be many more hawk photos coming this week.  Stay tuned...