The Great Horned Owl was spotted again in the North Woods of Central Park. It moved mid-day, and I caught up with it mid-afternoon. It had a decapitated Brown Rat with it. It held it primarily in its right talon, but when it got windy it would hold it in its mouth.
In this year of owls, Central Park had a Great Horned Owl on Friday.
Central Park’s Barred Owl continues to delight folks. It has stayed longer than any Barred Owl I can remember. As the days are getting longer (or maybe because of the trees leafing out), it is now flying out in much brighter light, stoping in a nearby tree for about 30 minutes. It has been seen having a greater range, and visiting The Lake and the Conservatory Water (aka Model Boat Pond).
The Central Park Barred Owl gave those watching her after fly out some great looks for about an hour on Monday night. She flew out while it was still fairly light out, stayed near the roost and then went to the Evodia Feeders. Then it was off to the lawn of the Tupelo Meadow and then a loop around the hill that goes up to the castle. We finally lost her as she flew east, south of the Tupelo Tree. Watching her on the lawn was a treat!
I went up to Inwood Hill Park to look for the Pileated Woodpecker on Saturday. I found it with the help of two local birders, and was also able to see one of the resident Eastern Screech-Owls and the Inwood Hill Park Red-tailed Hawk nest.
I also found a great way to get to Inwood Hill Park from the East Side of Manhattan! I had been taking the E train, then taking A train to the end of the line, but it’s a long trip. I discovered on Saturday, that one can the BxM1 Express Bus. It goes up Third Avenue and then stops in Inwood at 207th Street and Broadway before going on to the Bronx. The trip only took me 35 minutes each way!
I finally had a chance to catch up with the Barred Owl. It called once and did its normal stretches before fly out. It then spent some time looking at squirrels near the roost site before quickly going west. It ended up chasing a Red-tailed Hawk and we lost track of the owl.
