Chasing hawks has many, many rewards. One of the most exciting experiences is to see young red-tailed hawks cooling off in the water. I've done a couple of videos already, and here's another. This is Part VIII of the July With the Tompkins Square Park Hawks series. I'm jumping from Part IV to Part VIII, because July 22 was such a great day for watching the babies and a parent. I'll give you Parts V, VI and VII soon.
July 22, in the sprayer area north of the bathrooms in Tompkins Square Park.
The afternoon started out with one baby hawk finding some leftover pigeon on a branch on the east side of the park. We watched the kid for a while, until the youngster flew north. We then found two youngsters (not sure if one was the same one we just had, or the two other kids) in the play area north of the bathrooms. At first they were in trees looking down on the spray, but the day was very, very hot, and the water way too enticing. Down they came! The people were really great, allowing the hawks their time in the water without disturbing them.
Lest you think the kids had no adult supervision, Christo was sitting in the bird bath nearby, keeping an eye on the children. (I think it was Christo. If Dora, let me know!) When the kids flew to a nearby fence, Christo flew to a tree over the water. One of the kids flew over and dislodged him, and he flew south (maybe to another water park?). The kids stayed for a while, drying off.
Children in the water need supervision, and Christo is keeping an eye on them.
I hope you enjoy the video of this wonderful time in Tompkins Square Park. It was such a thrill to be a part of their little hawky lives on one very hot afternoon.
