I’ve been having a relaxed August. I’ve been out birding but doing very little photography. Fall migration has started and a trickle of interesting birds have been making their way through Central Park over the last few weeks.

The Red-tailed Hawk fledglings have become much harder to find. My last sighting was a week ago. One of the TCC fledglings was high above The Pool chasing Chimney Swifts, who were much more agile that the youngster. Silly Teenager!

The Cottontail Rabbits continue to multiply. Two of them have been easy to find at the south end of the Maintenance Meadow, in the late afternoons.

A White-footed Mouse spent at least an hour on the frozen ice of The Lake running around in circles on Wednesday, in Central Park. There are a few recordings of mice doing the same thing in other locations on YouTube. I wonder if in the below freezing temperatures on Wednesday had the mouse doing its best to raise its body temperature. Or it could just be pre-Winter Olympics hype sponsored by NBC/Comcast.

Update: Based on discussions on my Facebook page, it could be a neurological problem due to a raccoon roundworm infection. A primer on Baylisascaris procyonis has been written by the USGS: https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1412/cir1412.pdf

It looks like there might be three Eastern Cottontails east of the Maintenance Bathrooms in Central Park. All I can say is cute, cute, cute.

Two Eastern Cottontail rabbits are being seen regularly east of the Maintenance Field and Maintenance Bathrooms in Central Park. They often are seen on the sloping lawn east of the bathrooms or a bit farther SE, between the Maintenance Parking Area and the East Drive. Tonight, one was in each location. One is bigger than the other, so there is a possibility one is a youngster. I was able to photograph the smaller one tonight.

There are now two Eastern Cottontail Rabbits being seen in Shakespeare Garden and there might be more in The Ramble. The two were eating plants and out in the open on Thursday evening.

Tonight I finally was able to photograph the rabbit that has been in the park since at least March.  I first saw it at the Swedish Cottage, and it has made its way to the Tupelo Meadow over the last few months.  I saw it after sunset, and it was in among the Fireflies and American Robins.  Rabbits aren’t naturally in the park, and this one is most likely a released pet.  I’m glad it has survived over the last few months.