I consider any chance to see Pale Male, the incredible red-tailed hawk who rules the east side of Central Park, a true gift. On Friday, August 28, I visited the park near the Obelisk and watched Pale Male for almost two hours.
This is the most zen hawk I have ever watched, and he didn't disappoint on Friday. He patiently sat on a somewhat low branch of a tree north of the Obelisk for an hour while I was there, then flew to another tree closer to the patio. He sat there until the area cleared of people and dogs, at which time he swooped down into the foliage and caught a rat.
After subduing the rat, he took it to a tree, ate it quickly, then sat for a bit longer. As the sun was disappearing, we left him to his nightly routine.