Checking in on Amelia and Charlie

There hasn't been much to report recently about our local Red-Tailed Hawks, Amelia and Charlie, but they are around and appear to be doing well.

I found Charlie perched on the ladder on the roof of the Christodora building last week. 

Just before sunset, he flew down into the park and went on the hunt for rats.

He made the rounds of the park, moving from tree to tree in different areas to check out the rodent selection. Then he flew to a lamp post on the west side of the park and proceeded to turn the light on and off. I've seen him do this before and it's pretty amusing.

While I'd like to think he turns on the light so he can see the rats better, I'm pretty sure he's covering the sensor on top of the light, which turns it on. When he moves his feet, the sensor is exposed and the light turns off. 

Taking one last look around, Charlie took off and caught a rat on the far side of the park. 

This is him perched on a snow-covered branch after one of the snowfalls in December.

 

On Friday, I found Amelia and Charlie perched on the cross of St Nicholas of Myra church on Avenue A.

After a few minutes, Charlie took off into the park.

This is Amelia perched on the dome of Most Holy Redeemer on E. 3rd Street.

And this is her atop St Brigid's church on Avenue B. 

In the next few weeks, the hawks should start displaying mating behavior, and if all goes well, we look forward to another nesting season this spring.