Splish, Splash
Posted in Wildlife on June 6 2013, by Matt Newman
Sure, the first things you think of when hawks come to mind are probably hooked talons, beaks, and stealthy swoops on unsuspecting (and occasionally adorable) rodents. But beneath their noble profiles and well-earned heritage as the monarchs of the sky (sorry, butterflies), even our Red-tailed Hawks have moments of awkward indignation that border on the cute and fluffy. Bath time in particular—with all its flopping and splashing about—is usually cause for giggles. And lucky for us, this often takes place in the Fountain of Life just outside our offices in the Library Building.
Our resident hawk aficionado and Visitor Services Attendant, Pat Gonzalez, happened to be outside filming one of the local hawks as it fed, dodged resentful bluejays, and washed off the day’s exertions. I’ve bumped the video forward to the most comical bit, but you can catch the rest by dragging the cursor to the beginning.
The Red-tails get the lion’s share of the press around here, but our avian population at the NYBG is one of the most varied you’ll find in New York! From the tiniest chickadees to the majestic Great-horned Owls that call our Forest home, and all the wood ducks, warblers, and woodpeckers in between, our 250 acres make for a prime birdwatching destination. And each Saturday at 11 a.m., urban “birders” from around the region join expert Debbie Becker for a guided bird-spotting walk—we’ve even got a few pairs of binoculars to loan out from the Visitor’s Center. If that doesn’t offer an easy in to this heart-healthy habit, I don’t know what will.
Header image and video by Patricia Gonzalez.
Another beautiful short by the great Pat Gonzalez, I always enjoy immensely all of her work, you can see her love for what she’s doing, both her work and her subjects, worthy of all the praise. Keep up the good work! Give us more!