Christo & Dora update

Although today was a dreary one, I ventured to Tompkins Square Park and found Christo and Dora in the big elm by the Avenue A playground.  Dora chowed down on a pigeon as Christo stood guard.



Christo is on the left and Dora is on the right.



After Dora was done eating, Christo flew to the branch where the leftovers were, but didn't seem interested in finishing them off. Instead, he broke a branch out of the tree and flew it towards the Gingko over on the east side of the park, where they appear to be building a new nest.



Meanwhile, Dora settled in to digest her lunch.



She didn't mind the drizzle.



About an hour later, Christo reappeared near the 7th Street entrance and seemed to be keeping his sights on the territory south of the park.



He has good reason to be keeping vigil. On Saturday, I saw Dora flying down Avenue A, then up to the top of one of the Village View buildings near 6th Street.

As she landed, Christo and an immature red-tail fought in the air high over the Avenue. In the photos below, Christo is the lower hawk.

They tussled for a few minutes before flying back to the park.  A fellow hawk-watcher said all three red-tails landed in the tree on the central lawn.

It's the time of year for raptor migration, so keep your eyes peeled for hawk drama in the skies.

Governors Island 2017 - Part 5

Governors Island extended its visiting season this year by staying open through October, so I was happy to catch the last of the fall bird migration on the island.

One of my favorite sightings was this Brown Thrasher.  For several days, I heard it calling from the thick underbrush at Hammock Grove, but it only made itself visible to me one cloudy day when no one else was around.



This Bobolink unexpectedly popped out of the grass as I was rushing to catch a return ferry.  



Song Sparrows were around earlier in the summer, but they passed back through the island on their way south.





I saw more Northern Flickers on Governors Island in October than I have in my entire life.  One afternoon, I counted sixteen of them foraging on the Parade Ground along with a Merlin, two Kestrels, four Hermit Thrushes, two Phoebes, several Palm Warblers and a flock of Mourning Doves.





Palm Warbler:



Golden-Crowned Kinglets were some of the last migrants I saw pass through. 



Many of the birds who looked so bright and colorful in spring were now displaying their drab fall colors such as this Yellow-Rumped Warbler.



And this Indigo Bunting.



A lot of sparrows could be found late in the season such as this Chipping Sparrow.



Goldfinches hung around Hammock Grove for several weeks.  Without their bright yellow color, I often found them via their happy calls.



Black Ducks can be found around the island year-round.  To me, they always look like they're smiling.



As Halloween was the last day for visiting this island, it was only fitting to end with this...





One major group of birds that has been missing from these Governors Island posts is raptors.  Hawks and falcons were what drew me to the island in the first place, so some raptor posts will be coming next week.

Sad update on Flatbush the hawk

I have received some heartbreaking news regarding Flatbush, the red-tailed hawk fledgling who was fostered by Christo and Dora this last summer.  He apparently suffered a fatal collision on August 15, which was likely caused by the effects of West Nile virus.



We last saw him in Tompkins Square on August 13.  He was then found two days later on a balcony at Avenue C & 10th Street and was reported to Audubon.  Lab work was done and he tested positive for West Nile.

West Nile virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes that bite the bird.  Flatbush did not display any obvious signs of illness, but the virus does not always show itself, and it may have affected him very quickly.  According to Microbe Wiki, symptoms can include lack of coordination, lethargy, inability to fly and lack of awareness.  These things can all lead to a collision.  Even if he had displayed obvious symptoms, it's not likely anything could have been done for him.

I am grateful to have known Flatbush while he was with us.  Not only did he bring a lot of joy to the neighborhood, he enabled us to witness Christo and Dora take care of him as their own. That is something we would likely never see anywhere else and it just showed how incredible these hawks are.

If anyone finds a dead bird of any kind, please report it to Audubon via their D-Bird database. This is part of Project Safe Flight, which strives to make our environment as safe as possible for birds.

Governors Island 2017 - Part 4

As there hasn't been any interesting news to report about local hawks, Christo and Dora, I'm taking advantage of the time to catch up on six months spent documenting wildlife on Governors Island. The island was open an additional two months this year, and after counting almost 100 bird species between May and October, I hope the island will be open to the public more in the future as it's a great place to see a variety of wildlife.

September saw the exit of most of the summer residents like Yellow-Crowned Night Herons, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Fish Crows, Tree Swallows and Barn Swallows, and welcomed those heading south for fall migration.

Below, a Northern Flicker relaxes with an American Robin.



This stunning little Prairie Warbler was surprisingly hard to see in the dense foliage despite its bright bumblebee coloring.



An Eastern Wood Pewee feasted on bountiful insects.



It was interesting to see the day-glo yellow American Goldfinches fade to a more subdued yellow, then to a dull olive color.  Although harder to spot in their fall plumage, they made their presence known with their cheerful calls.



Northern Parulas were often seen eating tiny insects in the trees and bushes.



A Parula demonstrates some impressive acrobatics by grabbing food off a branch while hanging upside-down by its feet.



One of my favorites, the Golden-Crowned Kinglet:



Palm Warblers were abundant on the island and could be found almost everywhere on the ground and in trees.



A Yellow Warbler:



Northern Cardinals are year-round residents, but there seemed to be a few who were just passing through.



I was excited to see some immature White-Crowned Sparrows.





A Savannah Sparrow:



Swainson's Thrush:



This Black-Throated Blue Warbler dined on insects and/or larvae in cobwebs in window frames of one of the old Coast Guard buildings.



A Winter Wren on the porch of a house at Nolan Park:



Buttermilk Channel, which separates the island from Redhook, Brooklyn, served as a fishing ground for this Belted Kingfisher.




More fall migration birds to come...

Governors Island 2017 - Part 3

My time on Governors Island during the month of August was dominated by nesting Yellow-Crowned Night Herons.  I've never seen them anywhere else, so they are particularly special to me.  This year, the nest yielded four youngsters, seen below.



For such large birds, they were difficult to see, especially once the young started branching.  Here is some video of the nestlings:







One afternoon, one of the parents was out in the open on a nearby building.



I love the way they move, slowly creeping, as can be seen in this video:



By the end of the month, the chicks had fledged to parts unknown, but I found one young heron at a puddle on the opposite side of the island. I suspect it probably is one from the nest, but could not be certain.



Herring Gulls also nested on the island and I enjoyed seeing the adults showing the kids the ropes.  Below, a young gull snaps up a crab that was brought in by the adult on the right.



Nearby, another gull ambitiously downed a much bigger meal.



Another young gull found a ginkgo leaf, which it proceeded to fly around like a little orange flag.



Governors Island is a good place to see Mockingbirds and listen to them practice their repertoire.



Here is an example of a Mockingbird trying out a few songs:



Late summer is the time for insects, and insects attract predators like this Eastern Kingbird.



A Kingbird poses with Jersey City in the background.



More to come...

Previously.