Tompkins Square hawk fledglings are exploring the park - please take care

The Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk chicks have now fledged the nest and are exploring the park under the supervision of mom, Amelia, and dad, Christo. It's unclear when exactly the chicks took their first flights, but it was soon after the previous post.

Here is one of them looking pretty confident:

The first few flights I observed were a bit wobbly, but both young hawks are now flying around with ease.

As the fledglings learn to fly and hunt, they often visit the ground where they are vulnerable to threats, like dogs. It's at this time in their development when it's essential we all be as conscientious as possible and give the birds their space.

On this day, the people on the grass were respectful and didn't move when the fledgling explored the grass.

However, I have since seen unleashed dogs running on the lawn while the fledglings are playing, chasing after the birds and scaring them off. I've spoken to dog owners, asking them not to take their dogs on the lawn while the fledglings are there, but I've been met with belligerence and entitlement. I've been in contact with the Parks Department and 311, but no one is available to make sure unleashed dogs are not allowed on the lawn (dogs are not permitted there anyway, and there's a dog run just a few feet away), so it's up to those of us who love the birds to stay vigilant.

It's worth noting that all the trash left behind in the park comes in direct contact with wildlife. Note the White Claw cans left behind on the lawn below. I've seen fledgling hawks playing with garbage, broken rubber balloons and prescription bottles.

The fledglings can look like curious babies at one moment, then take on the expression of  a serious raptor.

At this stage, the fledglings are still reliant on their parents for food. Christo usually catches prey, then delivers it to Amelia to feed the kids. He also feeds them himself.  

Below, Amelia (on the right) holds a rat that was just dropped off by Christo while one of the fledglings creeps up on the left.

Amelia proceeds to prepare the rat for dinner.

Here is some video of Amelia and the fledgling sharing the meal. Beware - things get a little gory!

Here is video of one of the fledglings playing with a squashed paper cup in the skateboard area the other day. The loud city life in the background gives it some context.

This video shows Christo and both fledglings in the park the other night. I was hoping Amelia would enter the frame, but she was resting in a nearby tree at the time.

More to come!

Tompkins Square hawk chicks explore their nest tree

The two Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk chicks have been exploring their nest tree over the last few days.

Below, the older of the pair perches on a branch just outside the nest.

The older chick seems to be the more adventurous, but still looks a little unsure of itself as it creeps out along the branches.

One tuft of white down can still be seen at the top of the chick's beak. Other than that, the bird has all its flight feathers.

Flapping those huge wings and balancing on moving branches takes practice.

The chick ventures out as far as it can go on the limb and flaps its wings a few times.

Doing the twist...

Looking good!

Meanwhile, back at the nest, the younger chick looks on at its sibling's antics.

I tried to take video this evening of one of the chicks flapping, and ended up catching Christo flying in, followed by Amelia. The whole family then gathered in the nest for dinner.

Spring bird migration 2021

As summer ramps up, the spring bird migration comes to an end and we settle in with the species who will stay in our area to breed. Below are a few of our favorite sightings around the city this last spring.

Blackburnian Warbler:

Chestnut-sided Warbler:

Carolina Wren:

White-throated Sparrow:

Song Sparrow:

Cedar Waxwing:

Northern Parula:

Yellow-rumped Warbler:

Baltimore Oriole:

Black-and-white Warbler:

Pine Warbler:

Bobolink:

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher:

Blue-headed Vireo:

American Robin fledgling:

The award for this year's most unusual sighting has to go to this Clapper Rail who spent a day on the lawn in Bryant Park.

This bird is normally found in wetlands, so it was very special to see one in the city, and even more notable to see one in a busy midtown park. It was apparently the first sighting of a Clapper Rail ever recorded for this location.

Each year, NYC sees a handful of unique migratory birds. Back in 2015, a Painted Bunting made the New York Times when it paid a visit to Prospect Park, Brooklyn. In 2019, we posted about a Virginia Rail, Sora and Pin-tailed Whydah that were all spotted in Manhattan.

This week's Tompkins Square hawk update: jumping and flapping

This week last year saw all three Tompkins Square hawk chicks fledge the nest. The two chicks this season are almost ready. Their flight feathers have grown in and their tails look almost long enough to allow them to fly. That said, they still have baby faces. This is the older of the pair:

And the younger:

Both chicks appear to be doing okay following the loss of their sibling several days ago. We will likely never know what happened to the third chick, but we're happy to see the remaining two looking healthy and alert.

Doing a little preening:

Check out those wings!

We have lift-off!

The chicks have been practicing jumping and flapping, and have been getting some pretty good height over the nest.

Here is a brief video of one of the chicks getting some exercise:

Mom, Amelia, still checks in and feeds the nestlings.

When she's not on the nest, Amelia is usually perched on a branch in the same tree, ever vigilant.

Dad, Christo, delivers food throughout the day and patrols the sky. Once the chicks fledge, Christo will be responsible for teaching them how to get food on their own.

We could see the chicks fledge in the next few days - stay tuned!