Laura Goggin Photography

Hawks cooling off in the sprinkler in Tompkins Square

2026-07-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

As we all know, staying cool and hydrated in the summer heat is essential. This is also true for our local Red-Tailed Hawks. As the three fledglings increase their activity in Tompkins Square Park, they have taken advantage of the sprinkler on the main lawn.

This young hawk cools its feet in a puddle.

Diving in...

Seeing one of its siblings enjoying the pool, a second fledgling joins the fun.

Here is some video of the hawks drinking water from the puddle and getting their feathers wet.

The hawks are tolerant of the presence of people (they were born in the park and have grown up with all the noise and activity), but they are not tame and people should keep their distance. Overall, I've seen people being very respectful this season.

Here is another video of the same pair in the puddle.

I've noticed the hawks are getting more use out of the puddle rather than standing in the spray of the sprinkler.

The music in the background of these videos is from the Luddite Festival, which has hosted daily events and activities in the park. What could be more natural and unplugged than watching baby hawks grow up and play in the park?

This situation with the lawn being partially closed has just been a coincidence this year. The sprinkler and caution tape was set up because new sod was laid earlier in the summer. It wasn't provided specifically for the hawks, but it's worked out really well for them.

When the lawn puddle isn't available, the hawks will use other water sources like this puddle in the middle of a pathway.

In this video, it's revealed that this hawk was not alone, but watched over by one of its siblings who was nearby.

Hawks generally get all the water they need from their food, but when it's hot, they will drink and bathe where ever they can. Christo used to regularly use a birdbath behind the park offices. It has since been removed, so I'd really love to have another one installed. I've seen the current adult pair (Amelia and Charlie) bathing and drinking from the rain gutters on St Brigid's church on Avenue B.

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings are becoming the stars of the park

2026-07-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

The Tompkins Square Park men's room is one of the busiest rest areas in the city. So I was surprised to see one of the resident red-tailed hawk fledglings perch just outside the door while there were people inside.

The young hawks are very curious and like to investigate areas of activity.

I'm not sure if anyone inside the restroom saw the hawk outside the door, but it must have been an odd sight.

After a few minutes, the hawk took off to look for the next adventure.

Here, all three siblings gather on the grass.

I was thrilled to see all three together like this.

Here is some video of the encounter.

Two of them decided to explore the flower beds.

They spent a lot of time pouncing on things in the plantings. I'm not sure if there were critters running around in there, or of they were just playing.

After a good exercise session in the garden, the pair rest in the shade of a small tree.

Later in the day, I found one of the hawks playing on its own.

Keep an eye out in all the fenced-in areas for the hawks who may be playing and practicing their hunting skills. Tompkins Square is unique for its fences and gardens, which have proven to provide a wonderful habitat for bringing up Red-Tailed Hawks in the city.

Hawks play on the ground in Tompkins Square

2026-07-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Despite the heat, the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings have remained active throughout the daytime hours. I don't know how they do it as I've had a hard time coping with this oppressive and sultry weather. Their resilience shows they are in good health and I'm happy to see them full of energy.

The fledgling shave been thrilling people by flying around and perching on fences.

The fenced-in areas of the park provide the perfect habitat for them to safely play on the ground.

There are many playthings to be found in the gardens such as this long stick.

And chunks of wood.

The hawks use the sticks and wood to practice poncing on prey (to date, I've seen one of the hawks catch its own pigeon).

One of the hawks "catches" another piece of wood:

Blink and you may miss them. The hawk fledglings often blend in right in plain sight.

I wasn't in the park for the 4th of July fireworks, so I don't know how the young hawks reacted. We go through this every year, and they've all come through it.

Tompkins Square red-tail fledglings play in the park

2026-07-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

The heat doesn't seem to be keeping the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings from having fun. They've been very active this week, flying all over the park and investigating the flower gardens.

Two of the three fledglings meet up in a planted area:

They discover a tree branch with proves to be a fascinating toy.

I love how one watches the other try something out first.

Here are a couple of videos of these two in action:

The winner takes the stick.

Having had their fill of the Big Stick, the pair go looking for more entertainment.

One finds another stick.

A squirrel sprints by, briefly drawing the hawks' attention.

After engaging with each other, the two eventually separate and each finds their own object of interest.

These guys look so cute as they waddle through the grass.

Not everyone finds the hawks so amusing. This Blue Jay followed one of the fledglings to the top of a tree where they had a staring match.

They Jay then buzzed the hawk, letting it know it is not welcome.

The hawks are often harassed by smaller birds like Blue Jays, Robins, and Mockingbirds, but they seem to take it all in stride and ignore the little bullies.

More to come after the holiday weekend.

Mid-week Tompkins hawk update

2026-07-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawks flying around the park a lot more recently. The three fledglings have been very active practicing their flying and playing, and at least one has caught its own rat.

In all the previous years, the fledglings have kind of kept a schedule throughout the day when they were active in the early morning and late afternoon, but this year, the hawks seem to be energized throughout the day. That may change as we enter another heat wave this week.

This is one of the fledglings hanging out in a tree in the park. All three have colorful plumage at this stage.

They really are gorgeous.

This one flies past the warm brick of the Christodora along Avenue B.

It landed at the tippy-top of a tree.

After looking around a few seconds, the hawk continued on its exploratory journey of the park.

Eventually, the hawk came down and perched very low in a tree where I was happy to get a good look at it.

The parents will supplement the meals as long as needed. Below, Dad brings in a baby starling.

He's quickly ambushed by one of the fledglings who flies in from behind and grabs the food.

Mom Amelia also actively feeds the fledglings. This is her with the remains of a pigeon.

After giving away the food, she remained in the immediate area and kept an eye on everyone.

I caught her visiting a rooftop which I think may be serving as a food drop. She looked around for a few minutes before taking off empty-taloned.

As the weather heats up, you may see the hawks panting, which is normal. They also come to the ground to play, practice catching prey, and take baths. This is also normal behavior. Give them plenty of space and keep those dogs on a leash!

More to come.

Tompkins Square hawk fledglings curious about their world

2026-06-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

Good morning!

All three Tompkins Square Red-Tailed Hawk fledglings continue to do well and have been demonstrating their flying skills by dramatically zipping around the park.

This one stretches its wings in preparation for take-off.

I caught up with two of the three siblings the other morning as they waited for Dad to deliver breakfast.

The one on the right couldn't stay still and took off to join its other sibling on the other side of the park.

The hawks are also learning to chase prey, like squirrels. So far, the squirrels have out-witted them.

This squirrel had no tolerance for a hawk at the foot of its tree.

After taunting the hawk a while, the squirrel retreated up the tree and the hawk moved on to other things.

This is the same fledgling taking a walk though a meadow, looking for things of interest.

Maybe there's something interesting in these bushes...

The hawks are just past two months old and are basically toddlers, curious about everything around them. They also need their rest, so this one took a break in the shade and let its wings flop out. They also do this to cool off in hot temps.

Just before sunset, one of the fledglings took an interest in people sitting along a fence. It perched behind them and none of them seemed to notice the giant bird.

One way to find the hawks in the park is to listen to other birds screaming at them. Robins and Blue Jays are the loudest and persistent. I found this fledgling in a tree thanks to the Blue Jay on the right who announced its presence to the world.

Seeing the hawks as they are now, it's hard to believe they were still fuzzy little things just a month ago. The photos below are all from May.

Two chicks peer from the nest:

Showing off those impressive wings:

The threesome having a discussion at the nest:

All three hanging out and stretching:

Getting some exercise:

This is one of the last photos I have of them as they are molting out of their fuzzy down and growing their wing and tail feathers.

More to come...

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings are now two months old

2026-06-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

The Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings are now two months old and are looking great.

They're learning quickly, improving their flying and navigation skills.

I love the patterns on their feathers. Note the toe and talon sticking out in the lower right.

I've been finding two of them close together a lot. Getting all three in one shot has been a challenge.

As always, I'm impressed by their flexibility, especially their necks. The hawk below on the right is getting a better look at its sibling by turning its head around and upside-down.

Note the difference in size of these two. They could be male (smaller) and female (larger), but I can't know for sure.

There's a lot of dropped food around the park, so be careful where you sit. This one scavenged a dead rat from beneath some flowers.

I love the color of the young hawks' eyes, which is a minty green. As they age, their eyes will turn brown.

And here is that scavenged rat from the flower bed...

All three are looking good and appear to be doing well.

Meanwhile, the hawks' parents are keeping close eyes on all the fledglings. This is Amelia the other day perched on the top floor of the Christodora, watching over one of her kids in the park below.

Amelia took off and was replaced by dad, Charlie, in the same spot. After he located all three fledglings, he delivered food to each one.

More to come...

Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings enjoying lazy summer afternoons

2026-06-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

Our fledgling red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park are getting the hang of flying and landing, balancing in trees, and figuring out how to be raptors.

This is one of them in flight along Avenue B.

Looking good!

The three young hawks are getting to know their neighbors, especially the squirrels.

Mom and Dad are still providing food to the fledglings so they can focus on their flying skills. As they are well-fed and content, there's time for relaxing in the warm afternoons. This young hawk is just chilling on a branch.

The young hawks need their nap time as well. Below, one fledgling rests in a bed it made of leaves while its sibling nibbles at it, encouraging it to get up.

Relenting, the sleepy hawk got up and joined its sibling on a nearby branch.

Here is one of the fledglings with mom, Amelia.

They are soon joined by another fledgling.

After a few minutes (with no food to be had), one of the fledglings takes off.

All three young hawks currently have peachy-yellow chests which can help identify them. The pattern of brown spots is unique to each individual.

Looking very serious...

The fledglings all have heavy dark splotching across their bellies, and brown spots on their legs. Their eyes are also a lighter color than the adults, who have brown eyes.

Keep an eye out in the park for people with binoculars who are likely looking at the hawks.

Tompkins Square hawk fledglings exploring trees and (not) sharing meals

2026-06-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

The Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk fledglings are quickly honing their flying skills and are becoming more familiar with their environment.

On a recent afternoon, I found one of them at the top of some trees.

The fledgling (below, left) had its eyes on mom, Amelia (below, right).

When it saw her, it tried to make its way up to where she was perched.

Hey, Mom!

The pair stayed up there for a while, watching the activity in the park.

Later, Amelia (below, right), delivered some pigeon dinner to a branch where one of the fledglings (below, left) came to take it from her.

All mine!

The commotion attracted the attention of another fledgling, who joined its sibling on the branch.

The first hawk, however, was not going to share and did its best to block its sibling from getting any of the food.

The hawklet on the right eventually dragged the pigeon to another branch where the other fledgling couldn't reach it.

There's a notable size difference between these two, with one being significantly larger than the other. Below, the hawk on the left appears much smaller than the one on the right. It's possibly they are male and female.

The fledgling on the right also has a lot more brown speckles on its chest, which is helpful when trying to identify them individually.

More to come...

Celebrating the NY Knicks

2026-06-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

Wooo!

I ventured out of the neighborhood on Thursday to go to the parade honoring the New York Knicks. I've been loving the positive energy they have spread around the city and beyond over the last few weeks. I've never felt anything like it before and hope we can keep it going...forever.

Below are a few photos and video from Lower Manhattan.

This drumming group was great and got people dancing.

Here they are in action:

Down at Foley Square, fans took up every available viewing spot.

FDNY was there.

As well as the Sanitation Department. I've never seen a street sweeper decked out like this.

Not every fan was human. This robot in a Knicks jersey attracted many curious onlookers.

You can see more photos of the parade and other Knicks-themed images on my Flickr page.

Tompkins Square fledglings exploring trees

2026-06-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

It's been less than a week since the first Tompkins Square red-tailed hawk chick fledged, but they are already getting the hang of flying and exploring trees. Their parents are staying close to look after them and Dad is being especially attentive.

This is Charlie (right) feeding one of the fledglings in a tree near the Temperance Fountain.

Charlie had caught a pigeon and took it up to the branch where the fledgling perched.

They appeared to have a little discussion about it.

After a few minutes, Charlie took the pigeon to another tree where I think it was easier for him to prepare the meal. He called to the fledgling to follow him, but the kid didn't seem inclined to move from its perch.

Instead, the fledgling took the opportunity to hop around the tree and practice climbing and balancing.

Meanwhile, Dad paid a visit to the other two fledglings who were perched together in another tree. After a few minutes, he took off again.

One of the kids remained behind.

This is Charlie back in the nest tree, maybe checking on larder supplies.

Amelia kept watch over all the activity from a tree near the center of the park.

This is Amelia on one of her favorite perches over the east side of the lawn.

I caught her studying a large flying insect...

This is her checking me out from a tree.

Finally, we have Amelia and Charlie on the roof of the Christodora, where they must have a spectacular view.

All three Tompkins Square hawk chicks have fledged

2026-06-15T10:21:51.443-04:00

All three Tompkins Square red-tail hawk chicks have officially fledged the nest. They each left the nest tree consecutively on June 11th, 12th, and 13th.

They've been returning to the nest for meals, and are practicing flying between trees.

All three are visible in this photo, although one of them has their head blocked by leaves.

This one looks intently at something on the ground.

So far, the young hawks are staying high in the trees, but they will eventually explore the park. For now, the easiest way to find them is to listen for their food calls.

More to come...

Brown Pelicans - Part 2

2026-06-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

As we suffer through this heatwave, let's cool off with some Brown Pelicans.

They skim the water with seemingly little effort, then slowly glide up, twist to the side, and suddenly make a corkscrew dive.

I could watch this all day - and I did! For several days in early spring, watching pelicans dive was my way to relax and focus on the present.

Cormorants dive after the pelicans, hoping to steal their catch.

Laughing Gulls also follow the pelicans as they go fishing.

This is an immature pelican casually skimming the water.

Just one slow wing beat is all it takes to keep up the momentum.

This is an adult in breeding plumage. Up close, they're really beautiful with dark burgundy feathers lining the backs of their necks.

Some Brown Pelicans have been spotted this week off the shore of Staten Island. Keep an eye out for giant gray birds with huge bills diving or flying in squadron formation.

First Tompkins Square hawk fledge

2026-06-11T13:23:38.485-04:00

This is just a quick note to say we've had our first hawk fledge of the season in Tompkins Square. The first of three Red-Tailed Hawk chicks has taken the leap, and the other two are expected to follow shortly.

Everybody take care in the heat today!

Brown Pelicans - Part 1

2026-06-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

Earlier this spring, I made several posts about American White Pelicans.

Now for some Brown Pelicans!

I photographed the White Pelicans at a lake in St Petersburg, Florida. From there, it was short walk to the shore of Tampa Bay where the Brown Pelicans put on a show each evening.

Whereas the White Pelicans hunt in coordinated groups and scoop fish out of the water with their giant bills, Brown Pelicans employ a completely different hunting strategy: Diving.

Watching them really soothed my soul and raised my spirits.

This one carries some nesting material.

I couldn't get enough of these guys and took a zillion photos, so there will be more to come. They're such amazing birds and fascinating to watch.

Preparing for hawk fledge time

2026-06-08T20:45:25.928-04:00

We're getting close to fledge time for the Tompkins Square hawk chicks. All three are looking great and I hope we get to see them around the park very soon. Until then, here are some photos from last week.

Mom Amelia perches in the nest next to one of her kids who is almost as tall as her.

The young ones have yellowish chests, which is one way to distinguish them from the adults.

Here are two little fuzzy heads hunkered down in the wind.

This may be the only photo I have of all three siblings lined up and facing the same direction.

Big yawn...

Two of the three siblings:

Mom Amelia on the left, a chick standing, and another lying down in front of them.

Practicing some wing flaps:

This photo shows two chicks and dad Charlie (back right), which surprised me at the time. Both last year and this last spring, I have rarely seen him spend time on the nest. He usually delivers food, then takes off. This time, he brought some dinner and stuck around.

Dad was replaced by mom Amelia (right).

This is Amelia and Charlie perched together on the roof of the Christodora on a cloudy evening. They seem relaxed and to have everything under control.

Looking forward to more exciting updates coming soon.

Quality time with Pileated Woodpeckers

2026-06-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

Earlier in the season, I encountered a couple of female Pileated Woodpeckers feasting on insects in a tree.

Their hammering could be heard across the whole forest.

These birds are so striking and charismatic.

These two danced around each other on a branch. I'm not really sure what was going on - they seemed more friendly than aggressive.

This is a third woodpecker seen zipping through the air.

The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America, being almost the size of a crow. They're usually the highlight of my birding trips.

NYC Wildlife

2026-05-27T18:59:58.932-04:00

Taking a break from birds for a minute to highlight some of our urban critters. NYC is a tough place for any animal to live, so these guys deserve some recognition for finding their own way in this challenging environment.

This is a little Opossum in Tompkins Square Park. I have no idea where it came from or where it went after it left this tree.

Look at those toes!

And the teeth!

I think it was just yawning. After a few minutes, the Opossum made a face-first vertical descent.

These guys are good to have around as they eat all the nasty things like rotting food, carrion and insects.

Oh, hello!

Another animal who has a varied diet is the Striped Skunk. I saw my first one ever in Queens, and this pair below in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Green-Wood is also home to this guy, the Groundhog.

Unlike the Opossum and Skunk, Groundhogs are strictly herbivores.

We're all familiar with this little character, the Gray Squirrel. They come in a variety of coat colors and can be found in almost every NYC park. I think the ones in Tompkins Square are the most amusing.

I mean, what other critter chillaxes like this?

Chick pics to take you into the weekend

2026-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

Here are some Red-Tailed Hawk chick pics to take you into the holiday weekend. These guys are about five weeks old and are starting to transform from fuzzy little white bobble heads into "tweens" with dark wings and tails.

They're still very fuzzy and cute, though.

This is Mom Amelia keeping close watch over her little guys a few days ago.

Mom feeding her chicks:

Finally, all three chicks visible:

All of the above photos were taken with a telephoto lens from very far away, and have been heavily cropped. The whole hawk family appears to be doing well and things are progressing as expected.

More to come.

3 chicks for Tompkins Square red-tailed hawks

2026-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

As previously noted, the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawks hatched three chicks in April. The whole family appears to be doing well, and there are a lot of people keeping an eye on them to look after their well-being. The chicks are about a month old now and are just starting to grow feathers on their wings and tails.

Below are some photos from the last couple of weeks. All of these were taken with a telephoto lens from a long distance, and have been heavily cropped.

This is Mom Amelia with one of the chicks as the other two sleep.

Dad arrives on the branch at the upper left.

Dad on the left, Mom on the right.

After Dad departs, two of the chicks stand up.

A little wing flapping:

Mom with one of the chicks:

A week earlier:

All three chicks are visible with two sitting up and one laying down on the left.

Amelia feeding the wee ones:

2026 NYC Dance Parade

2026-05-19T10:16:10.290-04:00

I had the pleasure of attending the 20th Annual Dance Parade in the East Village this last Saturday. It's always been one of my favorite events because it brings together people showing off their incredible creative and athletic skills. It's a joyful event, welcome to all.

Here are a few highlights seen along St Mark's Place near 1st Avenue.

You can see more photos from this year's event on my Flickr page.

Previously:

2025

2024

2022

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

I wasn't able to see the entire parade, so I may have missed it (please correct me if I'm wrong), but I did not see any of the South American groups that normally participate. They are usually a huge draw for the event and always put on a great show. My heart aches that they were not able to be here.

A few Spring bird sightings

2026-05-12T00:00:00.001-04:00

The last several days have been great for birdwatching around the city as spring bird migration is at its peak. As of today, Central Park has recorded 143 species for the month of May.

I have a ton of photos yet to process, but here are a just a few springtime observations.

An American Robin collecting nesting material:

Male Red-Winged Blackbird scoping out some cherry blossoms:

Nashville Warbler diving after insects:

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher also taking a dive:

Purple Martins claiming their nesting gourds for the season:

Yellow-Throated Warbler hunting for insects:

A Prothonotary Warbler bringing the sunshine on a dreary day in Prospect Park:

Eastern Phoebe on the lookout for insects:

Male Belted Kingfisher watching over Newtown Creek:

And, an old pile of dead leaves...

Oh, wait, it's a Chuck-Will's Widow on her nest demonstrating some incredible camouflage.

American White Pelicans on parade

2026-05-07T00:00:00.001-04:00

A quick Tompkins Square hawk update: We have 3 chicks! I'll have more details next week.

Until then, it's only early May, but I'm declaring my Bird of the Year to be the American White Pelican. I've had a lot of quality time with them this year and have loved every minute of it. The result is a gazillion photos, so here are a few until the next installment.

I previously posted about what a pelican can do with its giant bill here, here, and here.

See how long their primary feathers are.

This gaggle of pelicans fixate on a Double-Crested Cormorant who scopes the area for fish. Both species take advantage of each other while fishing. I observed cormorants scavenging after the pelicans, as well as the pelicans following the cormorants to try and steal their catch.

I saw similar behavior with this Great Egret who took advantage of the pelicans as they corralled fish into a corner of this lake. The egret would quickly nab any fish that got pushed into its path.

Once the pelicans scooped up all the fish from the back end of the lake, they'd retreat and stage the whole maneuver all over again.

The thing that fascinates me about these guys is how they move so synchronously, and silently.

There were 100+ pelicans present on this day, but you wouldn't know it if you kept your eyes closed. For such huge birds, the only noise they made was splashing when they landed in the water or tussled over food.

These photos don't convey the sheer size of these birds. Their wingspan is almost twice as wide as I am tall, and they have the second-largest average wingspan of any North American bird, after the California Condor.

There's something so serene about watching these pelicans float around in the water. I found watching them to be a great way to de-stress.

They always seem to be facing the same direction.

Being so big, taking off from the water is a big production. The pelicans need a long runway and a lot of strength to achieve liftoff.

As I said, I have a gazillion White Pelican photos, so there will be more posts. And I haven't even finished processing photos of Brown Pelicans, so I look forward to sharing those as well.

Enchanted by Wood Storks

2026-05-05T00:00:00.001-04:00

When the opportunity to hang out with Wood Storks comes along, I take it. Look at this beauty!

I hear people say they're ugly, but I think Wood Storks are beautiful. And they're really cool to watch. This group spent an afternoon by the side of a lake preening and enjoying the sun.

This one kept a close eye on me.

These birds are nearly as tall as me, so I can't help but be impressed with their presence.

I caught this stork flying with a fish (carp?) in its bill.

This is a different individual without a fish.

In flight, these birds are stunning with their long bill and legs, and huge black and white wings.

At sunset, I watched several storks drop in to spend the night. It's nice to know they're out there, silently watching over the wetlands.

Hatch time for Tompkins Square hawks

2026-04-29T00:00:00.001-04:00

Some good news: the Tompkins Square red-tailed hawks had a hatch last week and there are at least two chicks. It's still too early to get a good look, but I managed to get a glimpse of little white fuzzy heads earlier this week.

The photos below were taken from a very long distance with a telephoto, and have been severely cropped.

If you get out your magnifying glass, you can see two white fuzzy heads peeking above the edge of the nest directly under mom Amelia's face.

They are slightly more clear in this image.

A day later, one of the heads is more visible as Amelia feeds the chicks.

Photo quality is not good because I was so far away and the sky was dark, but I'll take what I can get.

Over the next couple of weeks, we should be able to confirm how many hatchlings there are.

Meanwhile, here are some recent photos of hawk parents Amelia and Charlie as they awaited the arrival of their hatchlings.

Amelia:

Amelia on the roof of the Christodora:

Amelia on the church cross at Avenue A & 10th Street:

Amelia flying back into the park:

Charlie in the park:

Swooping towards me like Christo used to do:

Charlie on a sunny afternoon:

Carrying some leftover rat dinner through the park:

Charlie landing on the church cross on Avenue A & 10th Street:

Relaxing...

More to come...