Memories of Christo, Dora and Nora/Not-Dora in Tompkins Square Park

Photo this month by Steven

The Guardian this past week had a piece about Gacek, a plump black-and-white cat who is said to be the top tourist attraction in Szczecin, Poland. 

Guardian columnist Arwa Mahdawi wrote that "there's no better way to experience a new city than seeking out its Gacek-equivalent: the weird landmark that embodies the soul of a place far better than the more traditional sights." 

She then highlights our resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park — at least the tawdry love triangle involving Christo, Dora and Nora/Not-Dora that made worldwide headlines in 2018. (You can read The Guardian article here.) 

Meanwhile, you may catch a glimpse of Christo and Amelia (on the scene since April 2018) in and around the Park... and it is officially mating season, as Goggla explains here.

Thanks to Derek Berg for sharing the Guardian article!

The EVG podcast: Red-tailed hawk talk with Laura Goggin

[Christo, left, and Amelia by Goggla]

As mentioned last week, I recently launched an EVG podcast, recording episodes in the East Village Radio studio on First Avenue.

This conversation with East Village-based photographer Laura Goggin (aka Goggla!) was the first one that I did. We recorded it several weeks ago, and many red-tailed hawk developments have occurred since then, such as the arrival of the two chicks... who are growing so quickly.

In any event, in the podcast, we talk about the history of Christo and Dora and their offspring as well as discuss the tabloid-worthy exploits of Christo (and Not Dora/Nora and Amelia) and the other red-tailed hawks in the city.



This link will take you to Goggla's site for more photos and red-tailed hawk narratives. And stay tuned for more EVG podcasts (kind of in the "soft open" phase, to use some restaurant lingo).

Previously on EV Grieve:
The EVG podcast: with Mike Katz and Crispin Kott, the authors of "Rock and Roll Explorer Guide to New York City."

A red-tailed hawk and egg situation

[Photo of Christo, left, and Amelia atop St. Brigid's by Steven]

Christo and his new lady hawk friend Amelia have at least one egg in their nest in Tompkins Square Park, Goggla reports.

Here's what she says to expect:

It takes around 28-35 days for eggs to hatch, so if we count April 20 as Day 1, that puts hatching at May 17-24. Since no one can see into the nest, we will not be able to see the eggs hatch, but we will know something is up when Christo starts delivering food to the nest.

The hawks will continue mating until all the eggs are laid, and then maybe for some time after that.

Amelia conveniently came out of nowhere on April 4, the very day that Christo's longtime partner Dora went off to wing rehab.

Christo and Dora have raised 10 hawklets these past few years. So expect at least one hawklet again this summer. (Like here in 2017.)