I'm fascinated by the fact that we have redtail hawks in NYC. We have Pale Male and his mate. Pale Male has been here nesting, on Fifth Avenue, since 1992, and has fathered about 25 babies, I think.
And now, there are at least 4 nesting pairs of redtails in Manhattan, and a bunch in the other boroughs.
I always look for the hawks when I'm running in Central Park. This morning, on my run, I was stopped dead in my tracks. I was on a path, coming down to the sailboat pond, which is right on the side of the park that's next to the building that holds Pale Male and Lola's nest. What stopped me dead in my tracks was Pale Male on a branch of a tree about 20-30 feet from me. Almost eye level....maybe a little above. He had a pigeon in his claws, but he was just looking around. I stared at him for about 5 minutes. Then he swooped up, keeping hold of the pigeon, angled around and flew right over me as he headed for another branch. It took my breath away!
Then, later, I'm back home, I'm on the phone with my mother, and I see another hawk soaring on the wind right outside of my apartment!!! (I live on the 23rd floor, in Hell's Kitchen, which is basically West Midtown.) There is a whole section, that goes for blocks, of low-lying buildings. This hawk was catching the wind, and really loving it. It came so close to my window!!! I couldn't believe it!
What a magnificent sight!
And now, there are at least 4 nesting pairs of redtails in Manhattan, and a bunch in the other boroughs.
I always look for the hawks when I'm running in Central Park. This morning, on my run, I was stopped dead in my tracks. I was on a path, coming down to the sailboat pond, which is right on the side of the park that's next to the building that holds Pale Male and Lola's nest. What stopped me dead in my tracks was Pale Male on a branch of a tree about 20-30 feet from me. Almost eye level....maybe a little above. He had a pigeon in his claws, but he was just looking around. I stared at him for about 5 minutes. Then he swooped up, keeping hold of the pigeon, angled around and flew right over me as he headed for another branch. It took my breath away!
Then, later, I'm back home, I'm on the phone with my mother, and I see another hawk soaring on the wind right outside of my apartment!!! (I live on the 23rd floor, in Hell's Kitchen, which is basically West Midtown.) There is a whole section, that goes for blocks, of low-lying buildings. This hawk was catching the wind, and really loving it. It came so close to my window!!! I couldn't believe it!
What a magnificent sight!