Harlem Hawk Walk 2010

We went on the 5th Annual Hawk Walk and it was great! We started out at the guide's apartment, looking from his roof, seeing hawks all over the place. Perched on building, just waiting for a camera with a good enough zoom. Flying by, far and occasionally near, scaring the pigeons. He decided to take us over to the river to look for eagles, a long shot, but you never know. On the way we saw this pretty house finch, then at the river saw this canvasback.




Also saw many more flying hawks. Although some of them might have been the same ones. It's quite difficult to tell even for experts. Anyway here's my best shot of a flying hawk. At Jackie Robinson park we saw two hawks who were swooshing from tree to tree, letting us get just a couple of shots each time. They were gorgeous! Jack got this hilarious picture of the hawk and squirrel. When we left the squirrel was still intact, I think the hawk got tired of the paparazzi. A great time, and many thanks to James for organizing and leading it! :-)

Central Park Red Tailed Hawk

Went walking around the park. At balcony bridge saw a bunch of birds - downy woodpecker, European starling, several robins and sparrows. No great pictures. Walked all around the ramble, no hawks, not much activity at the feeders, it was weird. Then I decided to walk home staying mostly in the west side of the park. I went off the path across the lawn near the sheep meadow and the baseball diamonds, mostly to get away from some people who were walking my direction and my pace and annoying me with their conversation. I paused on the grass to check the trees, and a hawk flew right by me and settled down on a low branch in a tree not too far off! So I went over to take a look and some shots, when I went to get a shot of the front of the hawk it flew off across the path to another little lawn with pine trees trying to get a squirrel! It did not get one, and it settled into a tree over there. When I was making my way over there it flew off and I lost it. I hope it got a squirrel on its next pass!

Croton Point Park: Bald Eagles!

Well after reading a couple of reports about wonderful bald eagle sightings at Croton Point Park, Jack and I rented a car and went up there. You know, just to check it out. And, let's get right to it - a beautiful adult bald eagle flew right above us! Later a juvenile did too, twice! It was really quite something. It was also freezing and super windy. But I digress. The first picture is the adult, the second the juvenile.

We also saw a downy wood-pecker, this red bellied wood-pecker, and then went to the feeders by the nature center. There we saw lots of sparrows (of course) along with mourning doves, dark eyed juncos and two European starlings. There was this little sparrow, either white-crowned or white-throated, in with all of the house sparrows. All in all, worth the trip!

Jack and I went to the park, seeing what we could see on this cold non-snowy day. At the reservoir, we did not see the wood duck. We did see this pair of hooded mergansers, and I saw a bufflehead, but it was diving too much and too far out to get a picture.

We walked all over the ramble and saw this juvenile Cooper's hawk hunting! We followed it as it made several (failed) passes at squirrels. It was awesome! Then someone tipped us off that there was another one a couple of paths over, so we went over there, and saw this gorgeous adult Cooper's hawk. We got distracted by the raccoon and didn't see the hawk leave. Then as we made our way out of the park, I spotted this red-tailed hawk! It was hopping between branches a lot and then flew off after a very short time, so this is our best picture. It was wonderful!

Central Park: Red Tailed Hawk

Went to the zoo with a good friend, then walked through the park afterwards. Not long after exiting the zoo, found a gorgeous Cooper's hawk! Sadly after I climbed a large hill, it flew off before I could get a single picture. How rude! I need to start taking a couple long-distance shots before going over to the hawks. Anyway, then found this gorgeous red-tailed hawk along that southern border of the lake, with all the benches. By balcony bridge, I paused for a moment to look for woodpeckers. Didn't see any, but this hooded merganser flew in just then. It then hid under the bridge so this was the only shot I got. :-)

Central Park: Cooper's hawk!

It was still cold today (not as bad, about 30) but nice and sunny so I suited up and went to the park to see what I could find.

I started by the reservoir where there were lots of gulls and Canada geese, and a few hooded mergansers. So pretty! Then as I was wandering down to the ramble I passed an area that apparently sometimes has owls, but I didn't know and didn't really look all that closely. Oh well, maybe next time, I would love to see an owl!

Anyway, on to the ramble where I found an alarmed squirrel calling away but could not find a hawk. Kept on going and ran into this gorgeous Cooper's Hawk! It was near the feeders. Didn't see much at the feeders, there was a lot of work going on in the park, and not a lot of bird activity that I could see. Headed over the the AMNH and on the way saw what I think of as the museum falcon, managed to at least get a silhouette picture. Still can't really identify it.

Central Park: My first Cooper's Hawk!

My sweet husband wanted to go to the park with me today, hoping to see a hawk. He had never seen one perched in a tree, only flying. My hawk sightings are far from reliable, and he didn't want to spend a lot of time in the park, so my hopes were not high. It was super cold so not a lot of activity in the park.

We saw this downy woodpecker near the start of our walk, and then moved through the ramble to the feeders.


We saw this pretty American Goldfinch there, along with several other birds that declined to pose for us. Then I heard a sound that I thought might be a squirrel alarm call, so we went towards it. It turned out to be mostly a blue jay and one lone squirrel sounding the alarm. We looked all around the squirrel and did not see a hawk, so we started watching some pretty cardinals. Then as we were turning to leave, I saw one up in a tree! There was no clear shot, this was the best picture we got. While we were maneuvering to get a better shot, a hawk flew out of the tree - apparently there had been two there, as the one we spotted was still there! I'm guessing a mated pair, to be so close together? Anyway, we were thrilled to have seen them. When the remaining hawk flew away, we turned to go home. We walked past the boathouse and looking down the path, I spotted another big bird in a tree. I could tell right away it wasn't a red tailed hawk, the tail was longer and thinner and decidedly not red. There's a picture of the bird from behind, and then the frontal view of the gorgeous Cooper's hawk. I'm thrilled that I have now seen a Cooper's Hawk, and thrilled that Jack had such sightings!