Category: Other Birds

Other Birds, Other Red-tailed Hawks, Owls

Part II of A Train to Raptors: Northern Central Park

James, Ben and I took the bus down to Central Park from Harlem. I wanted to try and capture photographs of the Eastern Screech-Owl, I had seen earlier in the week.  As soon as we get off the bus at 110th Street, a Peregrine Falcon appears overhead.  This was a new bird for my Central Park list.

Cp_north_012906_03
Cp_north_012906_01

We then walked to the location of the Eastern Screech-Owl and I set up my camera.  On Wednesday night, it was so dark at the fly out I couldn’t focus my camera.  So, I set up well in advance this time.

While I was waiting both Ben and James went birding. While I sat looking at a tree hole, an immature Red-Tailed Hawk flew into a nearby tree.  An adult was also spotted flying by, so we had a 7+ Red-tailed Hawk day.

Cp_north_012906_06

After the distraction of the Red-tailed Hawk, I reset my camera equipment.  I was rewarded just after nightfall by the appearance of a beautiful Eastern Screech-Owl.

Cp_north_012906_07_2
Cp_north_012906_08_1
Cp_north_012906_09_1
Cp_north_012906_10_1
Cp_north_012906_11_1

Our list for an hour’s worth of birding in Central Park was:

DATE: Saturday, 28 January 2006
LOCATION: Central Park

  • Canada Goose
  • Mute Swan
  • Gadwall
  • Mallard
  • Bufflehead
  • Ruddy Duck
  • Peregrine Falcon – 1 hunting low over N. end of Central Park
  • American Coot – 1 on the Meer
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker
  • Eastern Towhee – 1 female Wildflower Meadow
  • White-throated Sparrow

(Since the Eastern Screech-Owl was reintroduced to the park, it doesn’t go on the official list.)

Other Animals, Other Birds

Monday Holiday – Birds and Racoons

I spent the afternoon in the park, starting at 105th and Fifth, first exploring the Conservatory Garden (which I discovered has two stray cats living in the snow), the Meer and the Loch.   I then went down to 79th and explored the Ramble.

I had planned my day to look for owls of any kind.  So, it was a hunt for tree cavities (Eastern Screech Owls) (where did the 5 Eastern Screech Owls we saw in the Spring go?), in bushes (Northern Saw-whet Owls), and Evergreens (Long-eared Owls).  I didn’t have any luck.  My only owl of the day was the Great Horned Owl, who had returned to the tree it had used earlier in the week.

As often happens with birding, I saw interesting things I wasn’t looking for…

Like this raccoon den in the Loch, which for the first time revealed to me that it is home to not one, but at least two, raccoons.
This Hermit Thrush eating berries on a tree branch rather than being on the ground.
This Fox Sparrow, a new bird for my Central Park list.
This Rusty Blackbird, another new bird for my Central Park list.