Ready for the Closeups

We had the great joy on March 1 of watching a first-year red-tailed hawk for a couple of hours fly around, perch on low branches, run around on the ground attacking bark and missing squirrels, then finally fly to a hole in a tree and grab a squirrel. The youngster then ate the squirrel on the ground, before flying out of the Ramble. I was able to get a lot of video and some really nice closeup photos.

First-winter red-tailed hawk, the Ramble, March 1, 2017

I call the video Squirrel Hunt. There is some graphic hawk-dining footage here, so be advised.

Lots and lots of photos. Enjoy!

This is a magnificent bird, and I kept telling anyone who would listen that day, "I live for this!" With all the news about assaults on the environment and elimination of protections for wildlife, I offer these photos and videos as a reminder of what can be lost if we aren't vigilant and willing to fight for these gifts to our lives.

Snow Hawks

The final chapter in the Hawky New Year! series ends with red-tailed and Cooper's hawks in a snowstorm. On blizzard days I head out with my walker (verticality assistance device) and feed the birds and look for hawks. Two red-tailed hawks were flying around the feeder area, and a Cooper's hawk was hanging out in the snow over the Oven. Part 10 shows hawks on Jan. 30, which was a very sunny day, and Jan 31, the day of the storm.

First-year red-tailed hawk, Jan. 30, 2017

First-year red-tailed hawk, Jan. 31, 2017

Part 10 of the Hawky New Year! video series is the final video in that series, although the Chasing the Hawks in Central Park series will continue, including the hawks I've seen so far in February. Right now the adult hawks are nest-building and mating and chasing out the little youngsters from their territories. Yesterday I saw one first-year hawk, but today I didn't see any (I did see a Cooper's hawk).

The Cooper's hawk was literally chilling on the snow day.

The photos below are of the young red-tailed hawks on Jan. 30 and 31.

The Kids Are All Right ... So Are Pale Male and Octavia

Part 9 of the Hawky New Year! series features the visiting first-year red-tailed hawks ... and Pale Male and Octavia hanging out together near the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It covers three days at the end of January: the 27th, 28th and 29th.

One of the first-year red-tailed hawks in Central Park, Jan. 29, 2017

Pale Male north of the Met Museum, Jan. 28, 2017

Part 9 has young hawks looking handsome, Pale Male and Octavia staring at each other across a crowded park, and a young hawk eating a squirrel (at the end, for those who'd rather not view that).

The photos for the three days vary in quality, but I chose ones I found interesting. There is a photo of a Cooper's hawk (Jan. 28), although there was no video, so this hawk is not included in the Hawky New Year! film.

Cooper's hawk, Jan. 28, 2017

These photos show three days of the first-year hawks.

Pale Male on Jan. 28. Although I did take some photos of Octavia across the road, they were not very good and so I'm not including them here.