On a rainy weekend, I was able to catch up with the young male turkey that has been in the Ramble this summer, and now fall.
It’s starting to grow back many of its molted feathers and is starting to look a lot more normal.
If you look closely, you can see how the feathers are growing in.
On Saturday afternoon, before I arrive Pale Male had caught and half eaten a squirrel. He was perched about 20 feet from the other half of the squirrel. Lola joined him, and instead of offering her the leftovers, he began to eat them. Lola made soft cries of protest, but he kept eating. After about ten minutes, she was feed up and flew over and took the rest of the squirrel from Pale Male.
She flew east, and Pale Male led us around the edge of the Great Lawn to his roost for the night. As I left the park, I found Lola on 1040 Fifth Avenue, where she roosted for the evening.
The young Wild Turkey that has been spending time this summer in the north part of the ramble is is now looking mighty scruffy. September is when a juvenile turkey would have a complete, post juvenile molt, so the scruffy appearance of the bird may not be cause for alarm. The bare patterns seems symmetrical and the bare patch on the neck may be a sign that we have a male bird.
I guess we’ll know for sure in a few more weeks.
On Tuesday, September 23rd from 6-9 p.m. New York City Audubon will be holding its annual Fall Roost Benefit at the Boathouse in Central Park. I’ve gone the last few years and have had a wonderful time and will be
attending again this year. If you live or work in New York City, you
should consider attending. Tickets start at $250, ($125 for persons under 35).
I’ve donated a framed print of six young ducklings chasing after their mother at Turtle Pond, to the silent auction.
The framed, signed print is number three of a twenty-five copy edition. The
print measures 10″ x 8 1/2″ and the frame is 15 1/2″ by 13″.
If you attend the auction, please consider bidding on the photograph. I’ve donated the item, so 100% of your winning bid will go directly to support NYC Audubon’s on-going conservation and education programs in the five boroughs.
For full details of about the event and how to purchase tickets, go to the New York City Audubon website.
Pale Male and Lola are doing just fine. They’ve been enjoying the
Beresford Apartments, the Great Lawn, the Locust Grove and building on
5th Avenue this September.
Here are some pictures of Pale Male from Saturday, and the pair on the Beresford on Sunday.
The “Upper Lobe” of The Lake in Central Park has been renovated over the last year, and most of the work has been completed except for a replacement bridge, which is experiencing an engineering delay.
When I first saw the new immature plantings, I missed the old over grown brush and trees. I was afraid birds would never return. My fears, however have been short lived, as many birds are greatly enjoying the new native plantings. Except for a shortage of march grasses which attracted Red-winged Blackbirds and the now empty Green Heron nest, the area is much improved. It also has much safer landscaping, discouraging the nude sunbathing and sexual activity that was once rampant in the area.
On Saturday, the area attracted a number of birds, including this Hummingbird.
