Update #2 on the hawk fledgling taken to rehab

After being taken to the Wild Bird Fund on August 14, we've been told the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling is doing better, and has been transferred to The Raptor Trust in New Jersey. The goal is to release the hawk back into the park once it has regained its health.

Fledgling in Tompkins Square on July 29, 2024.

 The Raptor Trust has rehabilitated many city hawks and other birds. You can learn more about the organization here. Please consider making a donation, or check out their selection of merch.

When we know more about a possible release date for the hawk, we'll update here.

Previously.

Summer insects - Part 3

I've made a concerted effort this summer to document insects around the city. It's been a fun and rewarding activity, and below are a few recent highlights photographed at Governors Island and Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Ailanthus Webworm Moth:

Some type of Skipper:

Snowy Urola Moth:

Sweat Bee:

Asian Lady Beetles:

Milkweed Assassin Bug:

Monarch:

Locust Borer Beetle:

Great Golden Digger Wasp:

European Paper Wasp:

Two-Spotted Longhorn Bee:

Gold-Marked Thread-Waisted Wasp:

Bumblebee:

Thick-Headed Fly:

Steel-Blue Cricket Hunter taking a seed pod to its burrow:

Previously:  

Summer insects - Part 1 

Summer insects - Part 2

Summer insects - Part 2

Continuing with summer insect sightings, below are some more pretty little things I've seen recently.

Halloween Pennant dragonfly:

Blue Dasher dragonfly (male):

The back of a female Blue Dasher resting in the sun:

June Beetles in Tompkins Square Park:

Japanese Beetle (invasive species):

American Lady butterfly:

Northeastern Plumetop robber fly:

Cicada Killer wasp:

Eastern Amberwing dragonfly:

Long-Legged Fly:

Flesh Fly:

Previously:  Part 1

Update on the hawk fledgling taken to rehab

On Wednesday, August 14, one of the Tompkins Square hawk fledglings was picked up by Urban Park Rangers and taken to Wild Bird Fund. At the time, the hawk had been on the ground in the skateboard area of the park and was unable to fly. Staff at WBF are treating the hawk for rodenticide poisoning and a possible collision (which could have been caused by disorientation due to poisoning). The hawk is apparently improving, but still requires treatment.

Rodenticide poisoning is always my primary concern for all of our urban hawks. Tompkins Square does not use rodenticide (they use dry ice to control rats), but poison can be found all over the neighborhood and city. The hawks get sick and die after eating rats that have ingested the poison. Hawks are not the only victims - any predator that consumes poisoned rats is affected. After losing raptors, owls, mountain lions, bobcats, and other wildlife to rodenticide, California is taking steps to ban certain types of poison. 

According to the linked article (in California), 

"Unintended poisoning harms people too. There were more than 3,000 cases of anticoagulant rodenticide poisonings involving people in 2022, including at least 2,200 involving children younger than 6."

This is not just a wildlife issue, but also a public health issue. The non-toxic dry ice program in Tompkins has worked really well to control rats in the park. Every month, NYC offers free training on rat prevention (Rat Academy) which I highly recommend. It's geared towards building maintenance staff, supers, and garden organizers, but is open to everyone. The key is rat prevention - taking care of our garbage problem will take care of the rat problem.

Raptors Are The Solution (R.A.T.S.) is a great resource for learning more about rodenticide poisoning and how to take action. 

One of the Tompkins hawk fledglings taken to rehab

Wednesday afternoon, a call came in saying one of the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings appeared to be sick or injured. With my stomach in knots, I headed to the park where I found it on the ground in the skateboard area.

People hanging out there said the hawk had been on the ground a while and they had called 311 earlier to try and get help. When I arrived, the hawk appeared a bit listless and couldn't fly. It also appeared hot (it was about 84° F at the time) and tried to cool itself by sitting in a puddle.

Rob Mastrianni and the NYC Urban Park Rangers soon arrived to assess the situation. This video starts at the moment the hawk was netted.

Rob examined the fledgling, checking for injuries or signs of illness.

It wasn't obvious what was wrong with the hawk, so Rob and the rangers took it to Wild Bird Fund on the Upper West Side to be checked more thoroughly.

As of this posting, I haven't had any information on the hawk's condition, but will post an update as soon as I know.

If this all sounds familiar, one of last year's fledglings was rescued by Rob on July 27, 2023, and taken to WINNOR. She was returned to the park on August 29, but had to be rescued again on September 19. It was never determined what was wrong with that fledgling, but she was able to be re-released a few weeks later.

 

 

Summer insects - Part 1

Each summer, I look forward to seeing all the beautiful dragonflies, butterflies, and other insects that only appear this time of year. Below are some of my favorites so far, all seen here in NYC.

Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (female):

Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (male):

Azure Bluet damselfly:

Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly:

Cicada Killer wasp (female) next to her burrow:

Common Whitetail Skimmer (male):

Blue Dasher dragonfly (male):

Wandering Glider (or Globe Skimmer) dragonfly:

Skipper: