Seeing Red

On my walk through Central Park on March 13, I spotted a lot of red! At the feeders, there were house finches sporting red feathers. Near Swampy Pin Oak, I was feeding about 15 cardinals. Then near Maintenance Meadow we spotted what we believe to be a juvenile red-shouldered hawk (it could also be a juvenile Cooper's hawk, but then my headline wouldn't work). Near Rustic Shelter, a red-bellied woodpecker was pecking away. Then we stopped by the Hawk Bench to watch Octavia, a red-tailed hawk and Pale Male's mate, standing on the nest.

You want a yellow cardinal! Check out my yellow! And my red! I ates me cranberries!

I still haven't done my northern cardinal Filming the Feathers video, but it will happen! I have so much video to process. Meanwhile, here are a couple of cardinals I saw on my Central Park jaunt.

The house finches at the feeders are really showing off their red feathers!

Red-bellied woodpecker near Rustic Shelter in Central Park

We think this youngster is a red-shouldered hawk. The bird has been hanging around the Ramble for at least a week, probably longer. The kid behaves more like a red-shouldered hawk than a Cooper's hawk, hunting squirrels and rats more than birds. But I've checked field guides and searched photos, and I can't swear to the ID here.

On my way to visit Woody (who has red eyes, but it was too dark to photograph my buddy), I stopped by to see Octavia, Pale Male's mate. The beautiful female red-tailed hawk we hope will have more babies to chase later this year.

Octavia on the nest

Winter Red-Tails

Chasing red-tailed hawks has been tremendous fun so far in 2018, since the trees are bare and the hawks are easier to spot. The newest video series featuring the hawks is called Winter Red-Tails, and so far four videos have been created to celebrate these raptors. (It was also fun chasing them in December, which you can see in Ho! Ho! Hawks!!!)

Juvenile red-tailed hawk, Central Park, January 17

The four videos cover January 18 through February 21, 2018, and were taken in Central Park, at Stateline Lookout, on Staten Island and near the Harlem Piers. Some contain graphic hawk dining, so be prepared.

These are some of the photos taken during the days spent chasing the hawks. For more, visit the Red-Tailed Hawks page, as well as the Red-Tailed Hawks: Fred and Ginger page.

Juvenile red-tailed hawk, Stateline Lookout, January 18

Juvenile red-tailed hawk, Cherry Hill, Central Park, January 20

Juvenile red-tailed hawk with pigeon, near Falconer statue, February 1

Fred (left) and Ginger (right), Central Park, February 21

Ginger, February 21

Fred, February 20

Juvenile red-tailed hawk in rain, Cherry Hill, February 16

Adult visiting red-tail near Reservoir, February 18

More Reasons to Care

Climate change, global warming, offshore drilling, plastics clogging our oceans, toxic dump sites, deadly fertilizers and pesticides and dangerous genetically modified seeds, fish dead zones from agricultural manure, mining in our parklands — there are so many threats to our environment and to the beautiful animals who share the Earth with us. I walk along the beaches and in the parks to photograph the birds and other critters. The threats to them are real, and the reason I get so angry at the idiots in our government who have taken over and are trying to destroy our planet. Much of this Web site is dedicated to videos and photos of feathered and furry friends. Here are some of the most recent reasons we should care.

All three of these animals were filmed on Staten Island. The residents I have met there are fighting fearlessly to protect the habitat of these magnificent creatures.

Harbor Seals

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) like to "haul out," or rest, on rocks offshore of Staten Island. I saw them hanging out near the beach at Mount Loretto Unique Area on November 8, 2017, and January 31, 2018.

Harbor seals on Staten Island, January 31, 2018

I set the video to music by Alexander Borodin and Johann Strauss II.

Below are some photos from November 8 and January 31. For many more, visit the harbor seals page.

Redheads

I am extremely fond of ducks, and, of course, my dear friend Woody Wood Duck, Prince of the Pond in Central Park, has the greatest part of my love. I had never seen a redhead (Aythya americana) until we visited Baisley Pond Park in Queens on January 18. Given the ginger tops, these ducks quickly won a big place in my heart.

Redhead, Baisley Pond Park, January 18

Is there a Filming the Feathers video? Of course there is!

The photos below are from January 18 at Baisley Pond. For more photos, see the redheads page.

Groundhog

To celebrate Groundhog Day, I posted a video and photos of a woodchuck we saw at Wolfe's Pond Park on Staten Island on September 18, 2017.

Groundhog, Wolfe's Pond, Staten Island, September 21, 2017

Groundhog Day? No, Groundhog Minute!