Another Saw-Whet
Another Northern Saw-whet Owl was found in Central Park and I enjoyed watching it on Sunday afternoon. It gave us great looks and coughed up a pellet about an hour before fly out.
Barred Owl Hoots Briefly
The Barred Owl continued to give great looks and put on a show at fly out. This evening it made a brief hoot and flew into an open tree giving us an unobstructed view. It really is a wonderful bird and everyone is thrilled that it’s stayed in the park so long.
Barred Owl After Dark
I got to the Ramble Barred Owl after fly out this evening. Luckily, that ended up to my benefit. It went after a squirrel and then flew to a tree near the summer house. It also gave a few hoots, which were fantastic even if I didn’t get a recording. This owl has previously been very quiet after fly out.
Mandarin Duck In The Snow
The Mandarin Duck took the snow in stride this afternoon on Central Park’s Pond. Although the weather had deteriorated when I arrived, it was nice not to have to deal with the duck’s crazy fans. They’ve trashed the landscaping on the east shore of The Pond. They’re also feeding the ducks (and rats) bread and pretzels which are unhealthy for the ducks and is prohibited by the Parks Department.
The area around where the Mandarin Duck is residing is filled with wonderful wildlife. Mallards, Wood Ducks, Canada Geese, American Coots, Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrels, and Raccoons are always there in the winter, with many more birds and animals in the summer. Nearby are a set of trees in Grand Army Plaza where hundreds of birds come to roost each evening. The Hallett Nature Sanctuary, which is now open year round, is a wonderful place to enjoy nature and is on the west shore of the Pond. The sanctuary has hosted at least two coyotes in years past.
There is so much more to see at The Pond than just one duck. It’s sad to see people come into the park, motivated by their FOMO (fear of missing out) who stay at a frenetic NYC pace, rather than slowing down and enjoy a park that was designed specifically to be a restorative place for city dwellers.
Barred Owl In The Snow
Yesterday, the Barred Owl remained hidden and no one saw it. Luckily, today the Blue Jays found it. It seemed to be taking the snowstorm in stride. I wonder if dry snow is easier to deal with than rain?
Barred Owl Continues
The Barred Owl continues to stick around the Ramble. It changes trees every few days, but is a creature of habit. It often returns to the same branch the next day. It seems only to interested in changing trees once they lose their leaves. Tonight, after looking a squirrel for about an hour, it flew out and after a brief stop went after it. The squirrel survived, but it was a close call.
