A father-fledgling moment in Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Steven

Here is Christo, one of the resident red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park, after a successful food run.

Christo is later seen feeding one of the 2021 fledglings that he is raising this summer with Amelia...

Then, well, the food transfer broke down, and the morsel of (pigeon? rat?) fell to the ground...

Beware of low-flying juvenile red-tailed hawks!

Amelia and Christo's 2021 offspring are in the flier education phase of their young life in Tompkins Square Park... so their flight patterns, for now, can be at the park-bench level...

Derek Berg took these photos this morning... the juvenile red-tailed hawks usually seem to be frolicking in the early morning hours...

Young red-tailed hawk branches out in Tompkins Square Park

One of the red-tailed hawk chicks got pretty far from the nest today ... exploring the branches and getting more comfortable with the whole idea-of-flying thing. 

Steven took these photos. This is roughly what 2 months old looks like. (The first hatch took place the third week of April.)

... and Mark H. shared this photo... the youngster is already making new — and, admittedly annoying — friends in the Park...

Amelia and Christo, the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park, had three chicks this spring. (Unfortunately, one didn't make it.)

Report: One of Amelia and Christo's 2021 offspring has died

Sad news out of Tompkins Square Park. It appears that one of Amelia and Christo's 2021 chicks has died. 

Local red-tailed hawk documentarian Goggla reported this yesterday:

Unfortunately, we have no idea what happened, when exactly the chick passed away, or where the body is now. It's likely still up in the tree, but there is no way to check up there and, without a body, no way to know what caused the chick's death. Any stories floating around the park are pure speculation. The last time we observed the chick, it appeared fine, but they were all still too small to be able to get a really good look at them. Of course, we're watching the remaining two chicks closely.

As she points out, this is not the first time that the resident red-tailed hawks have suffered the loss of their fledglings. In 2018 and 2019, at least one of the chicks died from rodenticide poisoning.

In more positive news, the other two chicks appear to be doing well ... and they are briefly in that awkward 7th-grade phase as they mature into lean, rat-hunting machines.

Thanks to Goggla for the photos!

Nest watch: The red-tailed chicks are growing up quickly in Tompkins Square Park

Just last week, we noted that Amelia and Christo, the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park, have three chicks in the nest this spring.

Since then, as Goggla notes, the hawklets have nearly doubled in size. (That's what a steady diet of rats and pigeons will do...)

So what's next?

Checking my notes from last year, the hawk chicks all fledged the nest the first week of June. The next two weeks should be interesting as the nestlings continue to develop their immature plumage and start exploring the branches around the nest.

Soon after, they'll start ignoring everything their parents say. 

Please visit Goggla's site for more photos of and observations about these red-tailed chicks.  

There are 3 (!!!) chicks for red-tailed hawks Amelia and Christo in Tompkins Square Park

We have confirmation that Amelia and Christo, the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park, have three chicks in the nest this spring... Goggla shared the news — and these photos — from yesterday.

You can see the three nestlings in the top photo with Amelia.

Per Goggla: "This marks the second year in a row that the pair have produced three offspring, and they are all looking lively, which is great news."

And some solo shots...

Goggla has more photos and videos at this link.

First sighting of Amelia and Christo's 2021 red-hawk offspring

Goggla shares the first photo of Amelia and Christo's chick ... roughly one week after the reported hatching. 

While we want to respect the family's privacy at this time, EV Arrow has other ideas...

Urban Hawks caught sight of a second chick (find those pics and videos here).

As Goggla noted, there were three hawklets last year, so there's hope for No. 3 in the nest. Head on over to her site for more photos and videos.

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. 

Juvenile attention

There have been reports of an immature (juvenile!) red-tailed hawk in the area... especially along Sixth Street, where Kevin R. Frech got a good upclose look. 

Steven shared this photo below ... taken at the Sixth Street and Avenue B Community Garden ... (click on the image for a better view) ...

I asked Goggla if this might be one of the 2020 offspring of Amelia and Christo, the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park ... not sure! 

As always, check out Goggla's site here for all your hawk needs and news!

Young and on the loose

As noted the other day, Amelia and Christo's 2020 offspring have mostly left the confines of Tompkins Square Park... and have ventured out... though the juvenile red-tailed hawks don't seem to be too far away .. there were several sightings this weekend... the top photo is from First Street at Second Avenue. Thanks to Zak Kerkoulas for the photo (and h/t Elayne Kling!).

... and EVG reader James Chambers shared this photo from 13th Street and Avenue B yesterday ...



Goggla, our go-to source for the red-tailed hawks, said that migration season is coming soon... so we may be seeing a few more hawks passing through the area. Amelia and Christo's juveniles will likely leave for destinations unknown as well. We hope that they stick together — they seemed to be such pals.

A return visit

It has been a few weeks since we've seen any of the juvenile red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park... until tonight, when Steven spotted one of Amelia and Christo's 2020 offspring making a return visit...



... doing a load of laundry and looking for the cans of beer stashed in the bushes...



Goggla recently noted that the juveniles are still in the area, but mostly spending time outside the Park.

"The young hawks have stuck around the park much longer this season than I expected, so seeing them throughout the summer has been a welcome gift."

Check out her site for more August photos of the juveniles.

The fast and the squirrious: Juvenile hawk gives chase in Tompkins Square Park

Amelia and Christo's 2020 offspring are all grown up now, and doing red-tailed-hawk things, like chasing squirrels in Tompkins Square Park.

Derek Berg got these shots the other day as one of the juveniles put the heat on a squirrel... who managed to get away...







As always, Goggla has been busy documenting the activities of the whole fam. Check out her site for updates here.

Low fly zone

Derek Berg had a close encounter this morning with one of Amelia and Christo's juvenile red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park...

Winging it with the young hawks in Tompkins Square Park

Amelia and Christo's red-tailed hawk fledglings remain quite active (and playful!) in Tompkins Square Park.

Steven took the photos last evening, as all three were spotted together on the lawn near the Park office...





... trying to figure out how everything works...













... and eventually two of them found a good fence to take in the Park activity...



Head over to Goggla's site here for more photos and narratives of the hawklets.

Waiting in the wings

All three of Amelia and Christo's chicks fledged this past week in Tompkins Square Park ... Steven shared these photos of the chicks as they continue to build strength and learn how to use those wings ...













As Goggla reports, "the whole hawk family has been doing great and is staying together in the park." Check out her site for more photos.

And from yesterday, Christo...



... and Amelia at play...