Other Birds

Slaty-backed Gull

Today was one of those magical birding day, where a rarity brings out the best NYC birders who then find everything around them that would normally be missed.

Two days ago, a Slaty-backed Gull was seen one the reservoir but misidentified as a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Once the error was realized, many birders came to Central Park to see a bird usually only found in Asia but occasionally in Alaska.

But as happens when a rare bird appears, having over a hundred birders including many experts looking for a rarity, less rare birds are also found.

Today, many of us had eight species of gull:

  • Black-headed Gull
  • Ring-billed Gull
  • Herring Gull
  • Iceland Gull
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • Slaty-backed Gull
  • Glaucous Gull
  • Great Black-backed Gull

Thank you to all of the experts today who helped those of us who are “gull challenged” to have a great experience. 2-2-22 will have a special meaning for many of us.

Here are pictures of the Slaty-backed Gull:


And photographs of the Iceland Gulls

Owls

Great Horned Owl

There has been a Great Horned Owl in Central Park for at least a week now. Tonight, I was able to follow it from its roost tree to the Compost Heap. It perched in a tree that the Snowy Owl often used last year. It then went down to the Conservatory Garden and returned to a tree a bit further northeast. I couldn’t be sure, but I think it had prey.

Central Park Coyotes, Central Park Snowy Owl 2021

Last Year’s Snowy Owl and Eastern Coyote

On February 26th last year, I had one of most incredible experiences of my life, seeing both a Snowy Owl and an Eastern Coyote on the North Meadow of Central Park. With the anniversary of the Snowy Owl’s arrival, I started to review old footage. Last year, I had presented the video as two different post. But we saw them at the same time.

As the Snowy Owl moved from a backstop on the eastern side of the North Meadow to one on the western side, she basically flew over the Eastern Coyote drawing our attention to the animal. It was an evening I will never forget, and something I never expect to see again. So, don’t let anyone tell you Central Park isn’t wild!

Central Park Snowy Owl 2021, Owls

Reflecting On The 2021 Visit Of The Snowy Owl

In the middle of the worst periods of COVID-19 pandemic, a Snowy Owl made an appearance in Central Park and stayed for over a month. Over that period of time, I got to watch the owl hunt, eat, play, and bathe. Like I have with Red-tailed Hawks, I observed as much as I could on those cold winter nights and came away with a new understanding of the species. I’ve edited down my daily videos to a 40 minute collection of the “best” examples of her behaviors. They show what we learned better than any description I could write.