Central Park Kestrel

I saw what I believe is a female American Kestrel in Central Park, by the Carousel, perched on the South side of the 65th St. transverse to the West of the Park Drive.  I saw the bird fly in about 2:10 PM and land on a very high branch.  It stayed there for at least 10 minutes, when I left it was still there.  I saw a lot of tail action, I don't know the right word, it looked like a scissoring action to me.

Here are my best pictures, they have been run through Photoshop Elements to crop and color/contrast balance.  I have similar pictures that are unedited if those are helpful to you.

It was not balmy today.

I guess 55 and partly cloudy only seems like it will be balmy after 40 and rainy.  When actually outside in it, with the crazy wind...... not balmy.  Oh well!  We went up to the reservoir to try to see some fancy ducks.  At first we saw a whole lotta windy nothing.

But at the SW corner a few ruddy ducks were hanging out.  Not a good picture, but I've seen so few ruddy ducks this year, I'm saving it anyway!  :-)

Further around to the east were a few buffleheads mostly tucked in, and some northern shovelers just shoveling away like mad.  Hilarious!  Quite a few of the shovelers were paired off, with the pairs keeping quite close together and the males chasing off any other males that got too close.  Jack said he saw some head-bobbing which didn't last, but I missed it.

Walking over to turtle pond we saw a hawk flying above us, circling, circling, circling ...... the moon!  It was really lovely to see.  The picture is not nearly crisp enough for me to tell, but I wonder if this is Pale Male's new girlfriend.  :-)

Heading down to the ramble we saw a birder guy who saw the owls with us last weekend, and he said they are there today!  Jack was then quite impatient to get there.  I insisted on a quick trip by the maintenance meadow (no thrush) and the oven (no hawk) before heading over.

He was right!  A gorgeous long-eared owl, resting peacefully in a green cavern.

A couple of guys were hanging out, one with his son (about 5), so we showed them the owls (they were definitely wondering what we were up to).  I hope they got a view as great as mine was!

There was a squirrel serenely enjoying the peace a couple of feet below the owls.

Here is the second one, tucked away.

I found a spot where I could get both of them in the frame, although it's not a particularly good picture.  Although, I mean, come on - any picture with ~2~ owls is pretty good regardless!

As we were deciding whether to hang out or go this woodpecker came by.  Downy or Hairy?  I really don't know.  When I look in the book, it could be either.  The beak looks like it is exactly midway between the downy beak and the hairy beak.  Oh well, someday I'll be able to tell them apart......  :-)

I can't get enough of these gorgeous owls!

Today I went to the dentist again, for a cleaning but ended up getting a tooth worked on.  Seriously, I thought I was done with that, but apparently not.  Anyway, I went to the park afterwards to console myself and wait for the Novocain to wear off.  All I had to do was not smile or talk, and I would be fine!

To the pond - it's finally thawed, and I enjoyed looking at the water.  The mostly empty water.  Specifically empty of wood ducks!  And the trees were empty of hawks!  Oh, pond, I guess I'll try you again another day.

To the carousel, where the non-red-headed red-headed woodpecker eluded me.  I started to suspect that this would be more a day of walking than of looking at my favorite birds, but pressed on.

To the owl tree, which was a complete success!

I mean, sure, I had to carefully ignore the couple that wanted to make out.  And step gingerly around the sleeping homeless guy.  But it was totally worth it, to see two gorgeous long-eared owls!

Yo, buddy - it was the jays that woke you up, why are you glaring at me???

Eventually I moved on, and went over to the gill, where it really sounded like spring.  I don't know bird songs so I can't say exactly what I heard, but it sounded like a symphony with many different voices.  At one point there was a teeny black-capped chickadee, a small downy, and this red-bellied woodpecker all in the same tree, just sort of lined up in size order.

At the oven someone pointed out this song sparrow to me.  No hawks, but the song sparrow was still a treat!  So energetic - I couldn't even zoom the camera in hardly, it wouldn't stay in the frame!

The turtles were out in force.  It was lovely to see them lined up sunning themselves, pretty much anywhere they could - the lake was just lined with them.

These chickadees chased each other around for a while.  So lovely!

As I was leaving the northern shovelers had woken up and were showing off their best features.  This is I think the most fierce I have ever seen a shoveler look!

It was a great day birding, even though I did end up smiling and talking - or trying to anyway - and my mouth was still a bit numb when I finally made it home.

Owls for Jack at last!

Today was cloudy but warm, and we headed out to see what was going on in the park. At the pond, no wood ducks, some courting behavior on the part of some mallards, but the females seemed generally uninterested.

We did see the red headed woodpecker briefly, but lost him pretty quickly.  Still no red on the head that I could see.  I was hoping to get good pictures from both sides and see if I could find any red, but, that will have to wait for another day.  :-)

On the way to the boathouse we saw the hooded merganser, off the tip of the point and heading towards the oven.

Walking out onto the point we saw this lovely flicker!

And this lovely white breasted nuthatch.  There were also chickadees, titmice, and cardinals keeping these two company.

At the oven, we ran into a birder who gave us a very interesting tidbit - she had heard a rumor about where some long eared owls were!  Well, that made our decision easy - we would go on an owl quest!  She came with us, because she hadn't been able to find them earlier, but maybe with three of us we would have better luck.  Off we went, and when we found the area we split up and looked and looked.

She found them!  Or rather she found someone else looking at them - that always helps.  :-)  My first angle I could definitely see an owl, but not really a face.

This was the best angle, face-wise.

There was another one hidden back in there too!  It was so wonderful to see them again, and I'm thrilled that Jack got to see them this time!

Ducks do it, squirrels do it.......

Today was a strange day in the park.  At the pond, just one wood duck, who was a joy to see of course, but I miss the days when there are two!

I did not see the red-headed woodpecker today on my way up, and just continued on towards the boathouse.  On the way to the boathouse I saw the hooded merganser over by the point, he saw me taking pictures and hid in the fallen branches.  I decided if he's that skittish when I was across the way, it wasn't a good idea to go to that side to get a better look.  I'll just leave him in peace.

But while I was deciding this, I took a look at two mallards mid-lake...... Courting, and then mating!  Okay, either ducks do it ~all~ ~the~ ~time~ or I'm pretty lucky, because I've seen quite a bit of courting and mating this year.  Well, mallards, anyway.

On to the oven, where a Cooper's hawk was hanging out.  Juvenile.  A birder there said it looked like the hawk had just eaten, because its crop looked full.  It also had a smear of blood by the base of its beak, and several white feathers in its talons.  It just sort of sat there for a while, then it got more relaxed with me there and got into the water, trying to get the feathers out of its talons.  Hey, everyone has to wash up after eating!

This hawk is hiding.

The turtles were out again, not in force, but I was happy to see them!

Also at the oven were some squirrels scampering about even though the hawk was right there.  After a while of chasing each other, they started mating too!  Ah, spring.....

After I left the oven I headed over to azalea pond, where this juvenile cooper's hawk had been hanging out for about an hour.  Hahahahaha, two of them, so close together!  It was awesome.

That was about it - no woodpeckers, very few other birds at all.  A strange day!

More hawks!

I spotted this guy pretty quickly at the pond, hanging out in Hallett.  I'm not going to be able to see him at all once the leaves come in!

The ducks were really quite fiesty, someone was feeding them and they were all over the place.  Here the wood duck is getting out of her way as she comes in for a landing.  He does ~not~ look happy about it!

The read-headed woodpecker hung out for a while and was happy to pose.  Thanks buddy!  He was just filling up this cavity and one other nearby with tasty morsels for later.

At the feeders, the goldfinches are looking more golden all the time!

This juvenile Cooper's hawk spent quite some time hanging out and bathing at the oven.  He was hilarious!  They do ~not~ look dignified when they bathe.  

Here he is looking somewhat bedraggled, drying off.

Nearby was a raccoon sleeping the afternoon away.

And this - I think hairy - woodpecker came by to say hello.

There were some shovelers at the open area on the lake, looking great!

And almost at my exit was this gorgeous fellow, showing off.

Hawks around the pond!

Today Jack and I took a brief walk around the pond before he had to get to an appointment.  We entered at 6th Ave, and as we were walking towards the bridge, I spotted a hawk across the way in Hallett.

I wonder if it's the same guy I've been seeing here, I hope so, it would be great to have on established so closeby.

As we were turning to go, another hawk came over, and some chasing ensued!  I think this one is what we were calling the invader, it looks like they were both juvenile red-tailed hawks.

It was pretty exciting, they chased each other around quite a bit!  Then one of them left, heading up the east side of the park.  One of them looks like it has an issue with some tail feather!

The one who remained shortly left its perch in Hallett and flew right over our heads, trying for a squirrel by a tree near us.  It landed with a thunk, and the squirrel emerged, chattering and shaking.  Eventually the hawk came out of the brush and sat in this bush for a few minutes.

Then it was time to start again!

It landed in a tree right over the path, probably looking for another squirrel.

We started up to see if we could see the wood ducks.  Jack had to go, so I went to see the wood duck on my own.  First I saw this pair of American black ducks.

Then the wood duck, on the north of the bridge, hanging out with a mallard female.  Maybe he'll try again, and maybe this time we'll have some hybrid chicks!

On my way out, I saw this Cooper's hawk in Hallett.  Hahahaha, so there have been two red-tailed hawks and a Cooper's hawk in this little area in these few minutes!  It was a great walk.