A Hungry Red-Tailed Hawk
25 November 2019
I brought my camera to my office today, hoping to spot the peregrine falcons that live at Riverside Church. I didn't see them, so I wandered into Riverside Park. Heading south, I went on the Forever Wild trail, but only saw a few bluejays (and my pictures of them aren't very good). Heading back north on the path that's right next to the street, though, I flushed a red-tailed hawk from the strip of dirt and vegetation between the path and the retaining wall that abuts Riverside Drive. The hawk flew about a block north, and perched in a tree just south of W. 119th St., carrying a rat. I took some pictures as I approached it (the first photo), and though it looked around whenever it heard the camera—this camera has a very loud shutter—it kept on about its business. I was able to pass it without disturbing it, and circled back on the sidewalk where I had a great view and better light, and it either didn't notice or didn't care when I took many more photos (the last four pictures).
Red-tailed hawk
