The Riverside Park hawk nest definitely has hatchlings now — two or three to be exact, according to various reports. I’ve seen at least two with my own eyes, but it’s hard to be sure if there’s a third or not. I took pictures yesterday afternoon when, unfortunately, only the momma hawk could be seen clearly. Every once in a while a little head would pop up for a second, but I never managed to get it on camera. (If I’m going to be an urban wildlife photographer, I definitely need a stronger zoom lens.)
Biking through the park this evening, I wanted to kick myself for not bringing the camera again, because the hatchlings were much higher in the nest and easily visible. The mother hawk was feeding them, which I assume is why they were so active. Again, it was hard to tell if there were two or three, and other observers have been having the same problem. I guess we’ll know soon enough.
It’s really exciting to see these baby hawks in a nest that I watched the parents build directly over a ramp to the West Side Highway. Pale Male and Lola’s nest over on Fifth Avenue failed this year, to the dismay of many, so it’s nice to see another pair of urban hawks having success. The Riverside pair are starting to get as famous as their Central Park counterparts. Big crowds have gathered the past couple of days to see the little hatchling heads peeking over the twigs. I know that not everyone gets it (my wife, ahem), but there’s just something about seeing such a wild and natural scene in the middle of the big city that makes you feel good about life.
You’ll find better pictures elsewhere, but mine are on Flickr.
Updated 5/6/08: There’s been photographic confirmation. It’s three baby hawks.
Tags: nature, redtailhawks
