Ben sees Bald Eagle IN [not over] Central Park

Bald Eagle OVER Central Park on 12/27/06


Below, an amazing story of another BALD EAGLE, this one IN Central Park. Also a Red-tailed Hawk report of the same day. Be sure you go to Ben's website [click on link below] to see his recent eagle pictures, and to check out other interesting items about nature and astronomy.

DATE: Saturday, 24 February 2007 (7:50a-2:20p)
LOCATION: Central Park - reservoir to south end of park
OBSERVERS: Omar Morales, Ben Cacace
REPORTED BY: Ben Cacace

Even though the reservoir was almost completely frozen over we decided to take a trip around the running track. The only open water on the reservoir continues around the 'fountain' in the SW quadrant. In this opening were ~50 Canada Geese, 6 American Coots & several Ring-billed Gulls. It's unfortunate I didn't make an exact count of the gulls.

As we made our way along the east side of the reservoir heading north I noticed the gulls had just lifted off the reservoir. I always look for raptors in the sky when this happens since this is sometimes the reason for the scare. This time the reward was a juvenile Bald Eagle
carrying one of the Ring-billed Gulls. The eagle started climbing a bit but then started settling into descending loops and finally landed out in the middle of the reservoir on the ice.

There's a photo of the Bald Eagle on the reservoir at:

http://tinyurl.com/3xa6qr  or ...
http://novahunter.blogspot.com/2007/02/
bald-eagle-on-reservoir-24-feb-2007.html

It was almost immediately joined by 3 crows waiting on scraps.

We didn't spot the eagle arriving but saw it shortly after the gulls lifted. It already had the Ring-billed in its talons.

Also seen were 6 Red-tailed Hawks. Both sets of adults from the 5th Ave. nest and the Trump Parc nest. A Red-tailed was seen north of the reservoir. On my way to the south end there was a juvenile RT feasting on a pigeon just east of the Falconer's statue. A photo of the
juvenile Red-tailed Hawk is on the blog.

The male Northern Pintail continues on The Pond at the south end of
the park.