Showing posts with label baby hawks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby hawks. Show all posts

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Nest Ball: Amelia and Christo's 2023 chicks make first appearance

Photos by Steven

ICYMI: It appears that red-tailed hawks Amelia and Christo in Tompkins Square Park have several hatchlings in their nest. 

Difficult to say at the moment how many... but observers have seen at least two fuzzy little heads poking up from inside the nest...
As always, follow Goggla for the latest on the red-tailed hawks... in this post, she documents Amelia and Christo brooding their eggs in late April.

Friday, April 23, 2021

Happy Hatch Day for Amelia and Christo, the red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park

It appears that at least one egg belonging to Amelia and Christo, the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park, has hatched. (And thanks to Steven for these photos!)

Goggla has been keeping an eye on the nest and has noticed a change in behavior starting on Tuesday evening... as the two went into parenting mode. 

Per Goggla:
Christo perched on the edge of the nest while Amelia stayed inside. He appeared to be watching and/or waiting, something we've seen him do on hatch days in previous years. The hawks stayed in this position for over two hours, which is also notable. Finally, Amelia got up and the two of them fussed around with some food, Christo watching as Amelia tore it up, then went through the motions of feeding a chick deep in the nest.
What's going on up there?
We have no idea how many eggs or chicks there are in the nest, but can expect 1-3 nestlings. It may be another week or so before we catch a glimpse of any fuzzy white heads peeking over the edge of the nest, so we'll have to wait and be surprised.
Head over to Goggla's site for more details... plus check out her video of Christo riding out the hailstorm on Wednesday from atop St Nicholas of Myra on Avenue A and 10th Street. 

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Baby hawks in Tompkins Square Park starting to branch out this spring



Another day, another milestone for Amelia and Christo's three red-tailed hawklets in Tompkins Square Park.

As Goggla documented, one of the adventurous chicks — possibly the youngest of the three and with what looks like a little white mohawk on its head — started branching this week.

The other two will likely follow their sibling very soon... the first step before fledging the nest. The three are six-plus-weeks old now.

Steven captured this action shot ...



... as well as the parents taking a spin over the Park...

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Sunday breakfast



Steven captures a moment with family this morning in Tompkins Square Park as red-tailed hawk father Christo delivers fresh food to the nest ... where he and Amelia's three baby hawks have grown quite larger since our last look a few days ago ...

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Coming of red-tailed age



It's becoming more difficult to see the red-tailed hawk's nest in Tompkins Square Park... however, Goggla was able to manage a few photos of Amelia and Christo's three hawklets last evening... (unfortunately, they wouldn't cooperate and pose for a group shot) ...









As she notes: "They're growing fast and should be ready to fledge in the next couple of weeks." You can find more of her photos here.

Monday, April 27, 2020

Amelia and Christo's 2020 chicks make first appearance



As Goggla has been reporting, it appears that red-tailed hawks Amelia and Christo in Tompkins Square Park have several hatchlings in their nest.

On Saturday, Steven got a few photos showing one of the chicks...



... with the sighting of a second a little later...



...right there...



Perhaps there might even be a third chick?

We need some positive hawklet news this spring and summer. In the past two years, Amelia and Christo have lost three of their four offspring.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Report: First red-tailed hawk egg hatches this year in Tompkins Square Park


[Photo by Goggla]

It appears that at least one egg belonging to Amelia and Christo, the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park, has hatched.

Goggla reported this from Sunday:

Christo delivered food to the nest, and Amelia seemed to tear pieces off and feed at least one hatchling deep in the nest. We're not sure when exactly the hatch occurred, but today was the first day an obvious feeding took place.

Goggla has a video and more details here.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Report: Red-tailed chick in Tompkins Square Park died from rodenticide poisoning

Rodenticide poisoning was cited as the cause of death for Amelia and Christo's chick, the one who was found unresponsive in early June. The result came from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, as Goggla reported.

Here's Goggla with more:

Secondary rodenticide poisoning happens when the chicks are fed poisoned rats, mice or any other prey that has ingested rodenticide. The parents, Christo and Amelia, likely didn't eat the same food, or not as much of it, so didn't die. However, they are exposed to the same danger every time they eat.

The NYC Parks Department does not use rodenticide in Tompkins Square Park. However, it is used throughout the city and the hawks do not restrict their hunting to the park, so they can pick it up anywhere.

And...

The Parks Department has been using dry ice to control rats in Tompkins Square. I think it's very effective and is not toxic to other animals, plants or people. However, if you look around the park or the streets of the East Village on any given day, there is trash and food everywhere. Until we, as a community, stop feeding the rats, nothing will change.

Find more details about alternative pest control options at her site.

Both of Christo and Amelia's offspring died this year, the first at the end of May. (The body of the first chick was never found.) Both chicks presumably died from rodenticide poisoning.

In the past two years, Amelia and Christo have lost three of their four offspring. In 2018, the chick died from a combination of rodenticide and West Nile virus.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Amelia and Christo's 2nd 2019 chick dies


[Photo from May 31 by @couplewithoutborders]

Amelia and Christo's second chick, who had fallen ill in recent days, died on Sunday.

Early Saturday morning, the chick fell from the nest, landing in the under-renovation playground in the southeast portion of Tompkins Square Park.

A reader shared this photo as help was on its way.



As Goggla reported, Ranger Rob (aka Rob Mastrianni, a Manhattan Ranger supervisor who lives in the East Village), retrieved the stricken nestling and transported it to the Animal Medical Center.

On Saturday night, the chick was transferred to Wildlife In Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation (WINORR) on Long Island. Unfortunately, "its illness/injuries were just too advanced," Goggla reported.

In late May, this chick's sibling also died. In the past two years, Amelia and Christo have lost three of their four offspring.

It's not known at this time what killed the chicks this year. Per Goggla: "The remains will be sent to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for testing to determine the cause of illness and death."

Last year, the chick died from a combination of rodenticide and West Nile virus.

In more positive hawklet news, the three chicks in Washington Square Park have fledged. Roger Paw has you covered with their activities at this link.

Saturday, June 1, 2019

Report: One of the red-tailed hawk chicks dies


[Photo from May 20 by Steven]

Sad news from Tompkins Square Park. Goggla is reporting that one of Christo and Amelia's two chicks has died.

A cause of death is not known at this time.

This marks the third consecutive year that a red-tailed hawk offspring has been lost.

Per Goggla:

We lost a fledgling last year to a combination of rodenticide and West Nile virus. The year before that, another fledgling died and tested positive for West Nile. It's not possible at this time to say what killed this chick, but the same dangers still exist in our environment. The Parks Department does not use rodenticide in Tompkins Square, but it is used all over the neighborhood on private property and in some community gardens. West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes, so any standing water is a breeding ground for them.

This year's chicks hatched around April 20.

Previously on EV Grieve:
1 of the 2 red-tailed hawk fledglings in Tompkins Square Park dies from secondary poisoning

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Young hawk flies the nest



One of Amelia and Christo’s two red-tailed hawk chicks in Tompkins Square Park fledged the nest yesterday afternoon (2:02 p.m., per a hawk watcher on the scene)... Steven caught up with the fledgling at St Brigid's on Eighth Street and Avenue B late in the afternoon...







The fledging ended up flying across Eighth Street and perching on a fire escape... where Steven spotted her/him this morning.

Head over to Goggla's site for a complete narrative and many more photos.

Monday, September 4, 2017

Manhattan makes a return visit to Tompkins Square Park



Manhattan, a nickname (along with 10 or Ten) for Christo and Dora's 2017 hawklet, hasn't been seen in recent weeks... and the red-tailed hawk watchers in Tompkins Square Park figured she had left for good (as the young hawks have done in previous years).

However, last evening around 6, she made a return engagement (top photo).

And today she was back for more...



Steven, who shared these photos, said she was crying out for food.



After she realized she wasn't going to be fed, she struck out on her own... pouncing on a dead pigeon.



However, she didn't eat the decomposing pigeon, because it was, well, disgusting.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

On the fence about this rat capture



In today's red-tailed hawk action... Christo and Dora's 2017 offspring, nicknamed Manhattan (or 10, for being their 10th hawklet), captured a rat. (Not sure is this is her first solo grab.)

As Steven, who shared these photos noted, she then crashed into a Park fence ...



Momentarily stunned, Manhattan stayed in this position for several minutes, then flew off again with the rat.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Fledgling No. 1



Here's a quick update via Goggla on Christo and Dora's lone offspring (the couple's 10th overall) this year in Tompkins Square Park. (Hawk watchers apparently have multiple nicknames for the juvenile hawk, including Fledgling #1, Ten, Manhattan, BioTen.)

For starters, you can see how large she has gotten in just the past two weeks since fledging.

In the top photo from this past weekend, a blue jay is dive bombing No. 1. Per Goggla: "Although she hasn't done anything to deserve their bullying yet, they have been giving her a hard time."

And in this photo, she is eating on a fence in the Park. "This was a monumental moment as it was the first time she retrieved dropped food from the ground rather than begging Christo to go get it for her," Goggla said...



Find more red-tailed hawk updates from Goggla here.

Meanwhile, Bobby Williams took these photos of Fledgling No. 1 in the Park yesterday...







Saturday, June 24, 2017

Juvenile hawks in Tompkins Square Park learning to fend for themselves

As you probably know, there are two juvenile red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park now. One is the lone offspring (this year!) for resident hawks Christo and Dora... the other is Flatbush, the juvenile rescued after a spill in Brooklyn.

Anyway, the juveniles are getting quite large already. Here's Flatbush, who learned how to use Seamless...


[Photo yesterday by Derek Berg]

Meanwhile, there's Christo and Dora's kid. (Some hawk watchers are calling her Manhattan or 10, for being Christo and Dora's 10th hawklet.)

Earlier this week, she was learning how to remove bottle caps, as these photos by Steven show...


[Click on image for more detail]



... and getting some pointers on flying...



If this helps...



Visit Goggla's site here for a much more comprehensive hawklet update.

P.S.

A bonus photo of Manhattan/10 learning to ignore the squirrels back on Sunday...


[Photo by EVG reader Cheyenne]

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Ready to leave the nest?



Christo and Dora's lone red-tailed hawk offspring this year is looking pretty badass is growing so quickly ... We'll have to check in with Goggla to see when the hawklet might be ready to fledge/fly. Soon, likely, by the look of those wings...

Thanks to Bobby Williams for the photo...

Monday, August 8, 2016

A muni-meter moment on Avenue A



EVG reader Melanie shared these photos from yesterday... the story begins when one of the juvenile red-tailed hawks, venturing further away from the confines of Tompkins Square Park, flew into the windows of New York Sports Club on Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street.

It then flew on top of a car and eventually landed on a muni-meter. Onlookers couldn't tell if the hawk was injured or just momentarily stunned... the hawk eventually flew off 10 minutes later...



Several residents also reported being stunned in 2014 the first time they saw the newly unveiled New York Sports Club building.

Sunday, July 31, 2016

First strike



Here's a scene from Tompkins Square Park this afternoon... as one of the red-tailed hawk youngsters apparently made its first solo pigeon strike... EVG reader Peter Shapiro shared these photos... as he noted, "freshly picked pigeon feathers were gently falling toward the crowd of onlookers."






... and a few hawk shots from earlier today via Bobby Williams...