Category: travel

Short-Eared Owl on Christmas

I went down for a short time to see if I could catch any short-eared owls this afternoon. There were a lot more people there late afternoon on Christmas Day than I expected. It was a sunny day, which we do not get too many of. Luckily a red-tailed hawk decided to hang out in some prime places. That usually draws the owls closer to harass it.

While the owls flew around one tree the hawk was perched in, I was able to get off some fly by shots.

The owl made my day. I felt like the hawk gave all the visitors a present by perching where she did, and the owls gave us a present by doing close fly-bys. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas Lion

These are the lions outside the NY Public Library Main Branch on the corner of 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. It actually takes up a city block between 42nd Street and 41st Street.

Behind the library is Bryant Park. Grand Central Station is a short walk away.

Merry Christmas Lion

In Christianity the Lion is a symbol of the coming of Jesus and strength. In Revelation 5:5 it says “behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David, has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” So it is kind of fitting they incorporated a wreath onto a lion into their holiday decoration.

Merry Christmas Lion

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it. I understand this year the first night of Hanukkah starts on Christmas. Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate it! Happy Kwanza!

Barn Owl Perched

We do have Barn Owls in New York, but they are rare. Ebird will allow someone to post the county one was spotted in, but not the town it was seen in. I think these are much more common in England.

Barn Owl Perched

This was another owl I got to see that a group brought in to show. It would be quite rare to see in the wild in New York, but you never know. Have a Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanza!

Spectacled Owls

Spectacled owls range from Mexico down into South America. I doubt I will ever get to see one in those locations, but I was able to view this owl and others through a group that puts on educational shows.

Juvenile Spectacled Owl

Spectacled Owls – Juvenile

This is a juvenile spectacled owl. They have different colouring than adults. Their head is more white, while the adults’ head feathers are more a darker brown.

Spectacled Owls – Juvenile

Adult Spectacled Owl

Spectacled Owls – Adult

How did they get their name?

I do not have a head on shot of the adult. It has white markings around its eyes that make it look like it is wearing glasses. One of their calls is a tapping sound, and they are also known as a knocking owl. The knocking like sound has also resulted in it being named the coffin maker in some places as the sound is likened to someone pounding nails into a coffin.

This was a treat! I was able to see from a short distance owls, some of which are not in the area I live in. I saw a show by a different group 1-2 years ago where they were against photos being taken and were anti anyone with a nice camera. It was nice to see this group was not like that. No flashes were used. Have a great weekend.

Pedicab at Night

What three wheeled vehicle operates as a taxi in Manhattan? Pedicabs are seen in high tourist areas in the city.

Pedicab at Night

I usually see pedicabs with 2 adult passengers, but a website mentions they can carry up to three. The price seems to be by the ride, not by the number of people. Some advertise they charge 5-9 dollars a minute, meanwhile a website for one company states that they charge $40 dollars for a one hour tour of Central Park and they book through their website. They have to disclose the cost prior to the ride. Have you ever ridden in a pedicab?

Citybikes at Night

On one of my trips down to the city I saw these two looking down a street, appearing to contemplate their next turn. I am guessing these two men could be father and son.

They are riding citibikes. Citibikes are rentals that advertise $19 dollars a day with unlimited 30 minute rides. Would you rent a bike to ride on the streets of Manhattan?

Moorhen

I viewed both moorhens and coots in Royal Parks in London. The moorhen reminds me of another bird, the American Coot. Coots and moorhens are related. How are they alike and different?

Moorhen

To me the major similarity are the legs and feet. I describe them as lizard like. They both are omnivores and eat plants and small animals. In addition they both have a reddish tint to their eyes. Both Moorhens and Coots can be seen in England and parts of the U.S. I have yet to see a moorhen in the US. They are also both known to hang around near ducks.

Moorhen

They do differ in some ways. Coots are more black in plumage while Moorhens have black and brownish colouring. Moorhens have a red face shield and a yellow beak, while coots have a white face shield and beak.

Did you know these birds are also known as swamp chickens? It may be because the body looks like that of a chicken. In old English they were known as morhens. In old English mor means marsh. Do you know any other birds that have interesting nicknames?

Short-Eared Owl Hugging the Grass

I was not sure I was going to go to see the owls today, but I am glad I did. Usually there are too many people there on Sundays and too much noise. However, despite the large number of people everyone was quiet, and we got a treat.

Short-Eared Owl Hugging the Grass

At least 4-5 owls were up around 3:30 and the light started coming out from behind the clouds in spurts.

Short-Eared Owl Hugging the Grass

Many times the owls were flying just above the grass. We did see one successfully catch a vole. I have a few shots of it flying low with it, but I was facing the sun and the images were not that sharp. You can’t have everything, however it was a very satisfying viewing day. I hope you had a great weekend.

You’re In My Spot!

The short-eared owls have been back a few weeks. They are taking no prisoners. There are not letting the hawks hang out on the posts. This reminds me of Sheldon in Big Bang Theory. He did not like anyone sitting in his chair.

You’re In My Spot!

The short-eared owls would fly up and try to knock the hawks off the posts. They were also chasing them around the refuge.

You’re In My Spot!

The owls are not landing on any of the numerous posts put up for perching. Hopefully they will soon. Sometimes that is your best chance at a decent shot because you can lower the shutter speed.

You’re In My Spot!

Do you have a favourite spot? Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Around Bryant Park Thanksgiving Eve

I had to hit a store after work on the night before Thanksgiving. On the way back to the Grand Central I stopped by Brant Park. Manhattan was very crowded and Brant Park was no exception.

Around Bryant Park Thanksgiving Eve – different kind of holiday lights

Brant Park has an ice skating rink, which I could not get close to, and a nice little Christmas Market with many vendor booths set up in sheds. Here are some of the things that caught my eye that I could get a photo of.

Around Bryant Park Thanksgiving Eve – Lanterns with patterns from India
Around Bryant Park Thanksgiving Eve
Around Bryant Park Thanksgiving Eve – North Pole Express

The North Pole Express tour bus picks up on 42nd Street, the street bordering the north side of the park. I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving.