A Wilson's Snipe at Triplets Bridge

After the storm on Tuesday, Central Park became a temporary home for a number of birds stranded in the snow. Among the visitors (including numerous woodcocks) was a Wilson's snipe (Gallinago delicata), who appeared at Triplets Bridge on March 16 and stayed through March 17. I filmed the bird both days, and set both videos to music by Charles Gounod.

Wilson's snipe at Triplets Bridge, March 17, 2017

The two videos show the bird hunting for worms under the water, bobbing and bobbing.

This set of photos shows the bird on March 16.

These photos are from March 17.

This was not the first Wilson's snipe I've seen, but this bird was the first I was able to photograph close enough to get good shots. The last one I photographed was on April 10, 2014. Here's one of the grainy photos from that day.

Ready for the Closeups

We had the great joy on March 1 of watching a first-year red-tailed hawk for a couple of hours fly around, perch on low branches, run around on the ground attacking bark and missing squirrels, then finally fly to a hole in a tree and grab a squirrel. The youngster then ate the squirrel on the ground, before flying out of the Ramble. I was able to get a lot of video and some really nice closeup photos.

First-winter red-tailed hawk, the Ramble, March 1, 2017

I call the video Squirrel Hunt. There is some graphic hawk-dining footage here, so be advised.

Lots and lots of photos. Enjoy!

This is a magnificent bird, and I kept telling anyone who would listen that day, "I live for this!" With all the news about assaults on the environment and elimination of protections for wildlife, I offer these photos and videos as a reminder of what can be lost if we aren't vigilant and willing to fight for these gifts to our lives.

Snow Hawks

The final chapter in the Hawky New Year! series ends with red-tailed and Cooper's hawks in a snowstorm. On blizzard days I head out with my walker (verticality assistance device) and feed the birds and look for hawks. Two red-tailed hawks were flying around the feeder area, and a Cooper's hawk was hanging out in the snow over the Oven. Part 10 shows hawks on Jan. 30, which was a very sunny day, and Jan 31, the day of the storm.

First-year red-tailed hawk, Jan. 30, 2017

First-year red-tailed hawk, Jan. 31, 2017

Part 10 of the Hawky New Year! video series is the final video in that series, although the Chasing the Hawks in Central Park series will continue, including the hawks I've seen so far in February. Right now the adult hawks are nest-building and mating and chasing out the little youngsters from their territories. Yesterday I saw one first-year hawk, but today I didn't see any (I did see a Cooper's hawk).

The Cooper's hawk was literally chilling on the snow day.

The photos below are of the young red-tailed hawks on Jan. 30 and 31.