Friday, July 18, 2025

Friday hawk highlights

It's been a hot and muggy week here in NYC, but that hasn't kept the Tompkins Square Red-Tailed Hawk fledglings from having their fun. Late one afternoon, when the temps went down a bit, I caught two of them frolicking together in one of the gardens.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings playing.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings playing together.

At one point, their play-fighting got a little intense.

A flurry of wings.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings playing in the grass.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings in the grass.

No worries, as one of the hawks found some toys nearby, including a discarded can of iced tea.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling with a can of iced tea.

And a plastic bottle. The hawks will investigate and play with almost anything, including our trash.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling with a platic bottle.

While I was watching one hawk, another one suddenly came at me and I barely had time to swing my camera around. It flew in so fast, I didn't quite get a good focus on this shot, but I'm happy to have captured most of the bird, especially those talons.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling coming at me.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling perched in a tree.

I can't get enough of these yoga poses.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling twisting its head.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling leaping off a branch.

Just as I was leaving the park one evening, this fledgling decided to pose near me on a fence, forcing me to stay. Okay then!

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling perched on a fence.

The hawk quickly drew some admirers.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling with a couple of admirers.

This one prepares to lunge at prey on the ground.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling ready to pounce.

All the fledglings have been catching their own food, but the parents are supplementing them, so they are not going hungry. I've noticed that the young hawks will often stash food their parents bring them, then go hunting on their own before returning to the stash later.
 
Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling flying past the camera.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling flying out of a tree.

Flying over me and crying:

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling flying overhead.

As the sun went down, I attempted to leave the park again, but the fledgling flew up to a building in the fading light. I decided to stick around to see what it would do.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling perched on a roof.

It ended up laying down and taking a nap, LOL. This was my cue to go home.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledgling taking a nap on a roof.

More to come.

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