Hawk Rescue

While walking back to my home in Harlem from Columbia University in NYC yesterday, I came upon a small group of people who were staring at a bird in the middle of the sidewalk. Though they didn't know what it was, it was quickly apparent that it was a hawk, which I thought was probably a Cooper's Hawk. It was lying on the sidewalk and not looking too lively, but clearly also still breathing. They said it had just hit one of the large plate glass windows three stories up on an apartment building.

I told people that I would contact a rehab place in the city to see if they could come get the bird. Then I went home and contacted the Wild Bird Fund here in Manhattan. They told me that they are not able to come out and get birds, but they could care for it if I could bring it in. Now I was heading to a meeting in less than an hour, and the Wild Bird Fund is about 1.5 miles from where the hawk had been lying.

I decided to go back and see if the bird was still there, bringing a blanket with me in my backpack. When I arrived, the hawk had actually jumped up onto a bush and was looking more energetic, but still clearly had a broken wing.

Knowing that a New York bus driver probably would never let me onto a bus with a Hawk in a blanket (!), I considered making the 30 block walk. But first I had to actually pick up the hawk--something I've never done. While a Cooper's Hawk is not an eagle, it does have some pretty nice talons and a sharp beak. I took the blanket and tried to scoop him up in the blanket, however my first two attempts failed as he squeezed out.

Finally, a cop car was driving by and another guy helping me flagged them down. After some consideration the cops agreed to drive me to the Wild Bird Fund if I could pick up the bird. This time I placed the blanket over the bird's head, and it was much, much easier. I gathered the hawk in my arms like a little baby, climbed into the back of the police car, and we were off.

After a 10 minute drive, I walked in the Wild Bird Fund, and the awesome volunteers there quickly got the bird some fluids and vitamin K. Apparently, it is not that unsual for them to get hawks that have hit buildings....one week in January they had 5 Red-Tailed Hawks brought in over a period of 5 days!

Here are photos of the hawk's damaged talon (on left of photo) and giving him fluids:

I don't yet know the outcome of the story for this Cooper's Hawk....they said that it was bleeding from the mouth and must have had a serious impact, so I don't know whether it will make it or not. However, it felt good to be able to rescue it at least for the time being, and it definitely makes for a good story!

****Update***
Just got a call from the rehab place, and the hawk did make it through the night and is showing good signs (increasingly loud and fiesty I think :). It may not have broken its wing after all (they have yet to take x-rays), but it would have died from dehydration lying on the sidewalk she said. They will transport it to the Raptor Trust in NJ where it can recover in an large outdoor cage.

Two Rare Gulls

Typically, gulls don't get met to excited. I admit that gulls still exist in my mind as mostly confusing and less than fun to sort through. Warblers I love. Sparrows even are interesting. But gulls?

Today I got a text that a Black-Headed Gull was on the Central Park Reservoir. Since this would be a life bird I decided to hop on the subway and ride down the 15 minutes to see if I could find it.  When I approached the big body of water, I saw some birders setting up a scope, so I figured they might have it. I was happy that before they showed me where it was, I actually found the Black-Headed Gull, on the close side of what was probably 400 gulls! Actually, as gulls go, Black-Headed is really quite beautiful. Red legs and bill.

A bonus was a first year Iceland Gull--another unusual one! Only spent about 30 minutes there and got two great birds.
-Mike

Two Owls in NYC

The middle of Manhattan would not be the first place to come to mind when you think of great places to see owls. However, Central Park this year has turned into a fantastic place for owls. The truth is that although it is a large park, there are relatively few conifers in the park, and since owls typically roost in them during the day, there are less possible places for them to be, making them easier to find.

This morning I ventured out hoping to find an owl I've never seen before--the Northern Saw-whet Owl. One had been reported numerous times in the park this year and had been hanging out in one particular area.

I explored the area where I knew the owl had been hanging out, finding only a pile of whitewash (old I think) where it had previously roosted. Feeling slightly bummed I walked away from that area, somewhat aimlessly, when I witnessed a bunch of birds gathering in a nearby pine tree. They were clearly agitated and as I watched, the birds came flying in from all directions. Several Blue Jays, probably fiive Tufted Titmouse, an Eastern Towhee, a White-Throated Sparrow, and two Cardinals all took turns in the general area of the same small tree. Two Squirrels added to the uproar.

Watching this activity I was pretty sure that there must be something in the tree, and since it was a small tree, the Saw-Whet seemed likely. After a few minutes of mobbing, the birds dispersed and I was left in silence, wondering if I could find whatever they had been so upset about. The area where the uproar took place was was fenced in (off limits for people), so I walked in about a 270 degree circle behind the fence, looking at the tree from various angles with my binoculars. Shortly, Thom Schuchaskie, a nature photographer joined me in trying to discover the presumed owl. After about 10 minutes of searching and searching I thought I could make out the rough shape of something roughly owl shaped in the most dense and hidden crook of the tree. Finally it moved just slightly and I was pretty sure that I got a glimpse of a Saw-Whet face.

After another 10 minutes of trying to find a good angle, walking away for a bit, and returning, I discovered the one angle where I had a view of the bird. Sure enough, it was a beautifuly little Saw-Whet Owl.
Here is a photo  of the bird in the pine tree. See if you can find him! He is really small!

 If you couldn't find him in the first photo, how about this zoomed in shot?

The owl continued to be occasionally visited by birds during the 90+ minutes I was there. But it moved very little, just opening and closing its eyes, and at times opening its beak wide and throwing its head back when it was mobbed by other birds.

Apparently, it is probably one of two Saw-whets in the area, since one rehabilitated bird had been released in the area the day before, and there previously was another one hanging out in the same area.

Thom came back to the area later and got this great photo of the bird, including a look at his yellow eyes (which I didn't get to see).

Before I left the park, Lisa and I also spotted a nice Barred Owl roosting in a conifer.  NYC is cool!

Barnacle Goose in the Bronx

Today I chased down a report of a life bird for me--Barnacle Goose. More and more often these Geese seem to be wandering over to the east coast, though they typically inhabit Greenland and parts of Europe I believe. Some seem to be escapes, but the increasing number definitely means that wild ones are here.

After taking the NYC subway for about 45 minutes or so, I arrived in the Bronx and a big park area call Van Cortlandt Park. The Barnacle Goose had been reported in a large flock of Canada Geese. It wasn't too hard to find the big flock of geese, but after several scans, I was getting worried that the Barnacle Goose had departed.

Finally, I found it out in the middle of the geese! Here are some (not too great) photos:

As you can see, the Barnacle is a pretty distinct bird. Still, finding any goose in the midst of hundreds of others can take time, since it may have its head down, be behind another goose, etc.

Yard Birds!!! Lotsssssss

The last 45 days in the yard have brought many birds, 76 species...The above Scarlet Tanager was a weekly visitor for about a month...always in the same spot in the cherry tree. 

This bird has also been a regular visitor....unfortunately this one wouldn't sit still and got 'on the wing' before I could snap it...though this flight photo serves as a good photo quiz! Guesses?

Kinglets have been plentiful in October...Golden Crowned dominating the numbers, though this Ruby Crowned spent alot of time picking bugs from around the garden, and specifically took a liking to this Sedum 'Autumn Fire'.

This particular photo shows the birds that have specifically destroyed my wallet in the last week :) Well not really...but feed is going at a pound a day :) 4 birds in this photo...all different species...all something in common...Quiz.....GO!

This beauty (Purple Finch) is one of 3 Purple Finches that have been visiting the feeders for nearly a month...I did have a total of 5 Purple Finches yesterday, my high for one day...

Nuthatches have been a plenty, both varieties...this RB had a particular fascination with my pond...frequenting this specific spot several times yesterday...

Quiz pic #3....a bird that spent about an hour bouncing through the garden feasting on bugs, maybe a few seeds as well...

Last but not least, the Yeichs are no longer the only family member to have a Selasphorus (Rufous/Allen's) Hummingbird in their yard :) This bird has been here for 5 days now....still a mystery on exact species but I am THRILLED! Most of our sightings have been in this spot, sitting on a bare branch of my Milkweed, regularly feeding on the annual Salvia and perennial Physostegia that surround it....I will keep all posted on this bird!

Other YARD BIRD highlights not pictured....several Tennessee Warblers, Cape May and Canada Warbler, a Blue Headed Vireo, up to 33 Pine Siskins at once, Red Shouldered Hawk, Broad Winged Hawk, Kestrels...

Please send your quiz answers to my e-mail :) 

Hope all your yards are filled with Siskins eating your thistle for 12 hours per day! 

Matt  

Sparkleberry Swamp Kayaking Trip

Lisa and I had the privilege of going for 7 hour kayak trip recently in the Sparkleberry Swamp in SC. Tom, who supplied our kayaks and was our unofficial guide, has a great write-up of our trip here:

http://www.randomconnections.com/birding-in-sparkleberry-swamp/

Mystery Bird

Yesterday, Mom and I were birding at Poinsett State Park. A couple friendly birders from Oregon told us about a bird they had seen hopping around in front of their car. They thought the bird might be injured. I went over to take a look and was surprised to find this small bird. It was hopping on the ground, eating insects along the way. It allowed me to approach it pretty closely, and presumably was unable to fly. I would like opinions on the species of this bird. I have my own idea, but I'd like to see what others say!