Egg watch is on

Word from Tompkins Square Park this past week: There's at least one egg in the nest for the resident red-tailed hawks Amelia and Christo. (And all photos here by Steven.)

Goggla is putting the first egg date at March 13. 

So...

The hawks usually lay three eggs, but we have no idea what's going on up in the nest, so we will just have to wait and see. Going by the first egg date, we can expect a hatch in about six weeks, so around the end of April or first week of May. When that happens, we won't be able to see anything, but Christo will start bringing food to the nest. In the meantime, there won't be much for us to watch except for Christo and Amelia taking turns brooding.

Below: Viewer discretion is advised

Leading up to this point, the two were spotted mating... a lot...

... even on top of St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church on 10th Street and Avenue A...

In this post, Goggla provides egg-laying dates from the last seven years, going back to Christo's first nest on the Christodora with (sob) Dora. (BTW Dora is fine, likely on permanent rehab on Long Island.) 

Mid-afternoon squab break

A moment with Christo, one of the resident red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park... photo today by Steven...

Construction watch: Amelia and Christo's first nest for 2021

In recent days, Amelia and Christo, the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park, have started building their first nest of the season in preparation of starting and raising the 2021 fam ... and it appears to be in the same locust tree as last year's edition (in the area called Sandra Turner Garden near Temperance Fountain) ... 

Steven took these photos of the construction process... (work permits have yet to be posted with the city...)

and a nest break later...

As Goggla reported, Hurricane Isaisa wiped out their nest last summer... and also as Goggla has noted, the hawks will usually build a few nests before deciding on one (sort of their version of "Love It or List It"). It likely that Amelia and Christo may not make this one permanent, as hawk watchers noticed a broken limb here.

Anyway, be sure to follow Goggla for more on the hawk activity this breeding season.

And here are a few more constrcution shots via Mark H. ...

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!

Friday's parting shot

Here are the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park, Amelia (top) and Christo, enjoying the pleasant weather today atop St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church on 10th Street and Avenue A... thanks to Steven for the photo...

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...

3's a crowd

Steven caught this glimpse of the three red-tailed hawklets today in Tompkins Square Park... Amelia and Christo's 2020 offspring are now about five weeks old, and are entering that awkward old-young Benjamin Button phase.

And from the looks of things, Amelia and Christo may need to consider building a nest extension here ...

Amelia and Christo's 2020 red-tailed offspring: Look at the babies!

They start eating rats and grow so fast!

Amelia and Christo have three bouncing hawklets in the nest this season in Tompkins Square Park. (They are roughly 1 month old now.)

As always, Goggla has been documenting the activities of our resident red-tailed hawks... she shared these photos of the chicks, now more visible above the lip of the nest ...



So far, all three chicks look good and are getting bigger, she reports.

Here are a few more photos of the nest via Steven ...







Meanwhile, Goggla spotted Christo in action... this is from Tuesday night, as he snatched four rats in a row, and brought them to the nest...





And a good question: "So, I guess four rats can feed a family of five?"

One more piece of trivia: When was the last time Tompkins Square Park saw three hawk chicks? 2016!