Tuesday, November 30, 2021

2021 Fall bird migration - Part 2

We're wrapping up Fall Bird Migration with a few more favorites seen around the city over the last few weeks. You can check out Part 1 here.

Common Yellowthroat:

Tennessee Warbler:

Northern Parula:


Yellow Warbler:

Palm Warbler:

Cape May Warbler:

A female Black-Throated Blue Warbler snacking on an insect:

Ruby-Crowned Kinglets were the most cooperative for the camera this season:


Eastern Bluebird:


Dark-Eyed Junco:

Chipping Sparrow:

Savannah Sparrow:

Eastern Phoebe:


Eastern Wood Pewee:

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo:


Chowing down on a caterpillar.

Swainson's Thrush:

Northern Flicker:

A male American Goldfinch in his bright sunny plumage to remind us that spring is only 15 weeks away:

Monday, November 22, 2021

Fall foliage highlights

It's Thanksgiving week, which means we're officially past peak fall foliage here in NYC. As always, the trees surprise us with the intensity of their colorful displays.

On Governors Island, one side of the road has already transitioned to winter as the other side lets us enjoy the autumn colors just a little while longer.


Green-Wood Cemetery is always spectacular, especially in the late afternoon sun.





Tompkins Square Park always puts on a beautiful Fall show.


Woodlawn Cemetery was gorgeous this season, even on an overcast day.








The blazing oranges and reds of the Japanese Maples seemed unreal. The colors in these photos are not enhanced and they were even more dazzling in person.




This is the oldest tree in Woodlawn, a White Oak that predates the cemetery. On this day, its leaves were transitioning from green to yellow to orange to brown...to think this tree is (possibly) older than this country is pretty amazing.

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Christo, Amelia and a Cooper's hawk hanging out in Tompkins Square

It's that time of year when migrating raptors pass through the city, and many decide to spend some time in the territory of local Red-tailed hawks, Christo and Amelia. In the past, the red-tails have been mostly tolerant of Cooper's hawks, but this season, Christo and Amelia seem to be less patient with the visitors.

On a recent afternoon, we found this immature Cooper's hawk hanging out in a tree in Tompkins Square.

Apparently Amelia spotted it as well and she flew straight at it, chasing it from the tree. She then perched on the cross of St Brigid's church and looked back in the direction the other hawk had flown.

This is the Cooper's in flight.

Amelia didn't like the intruder violating her air space and quickly took off after it.

Cooper's hawks make a very different call than the infamous Red-tailed hawk scream. In this video from 2019, we caught a pair of Cooper's hawks calling to each other here in the neighborhood.

Back in the park, Christo stood watch from a high branch that gave him a view of the entire area.


After a few minutes, Amelia returned and perched atop her favorite corner of the roof of the Christodora building.

A closer look at Amelia - she really is a beauty.

Meanwhile, Christo came down to perch in the fall foliage.

This is the pair on the cross at St Brigid's.

As the sun went down, they stayed vigilant, ensuring no other hawks crept into the park to spend the night.