Shakespeare, the Bar(re)d of Central Park

The first owl I saw in Central Park was a saw-whet, in April 2013. The next time I heard about an owl in the park was July 2013, when one was spotted high in a pine in the Pinetum. When I was told the owl's name, in my head I spelled it "B-A-R-D," and wondered why I couldn't find a reference to a "bard owl." I finally figured out it was a barred owl, which made more sense. But I still think of this owl as the "poet" of the owls. 

Shakespeare, a barred owl in the Ramble, April 26, 2017

On April 26, a barred owl took up temporary residence in the Ramble and provided a joyful day for all who saw him (I'm going with him, even though no one knew for sure whether he was a he or a she). The owl was fairly low, and preened and stretched and kept an eye on all the photographers and binocular-raising birders who came to witness his majesty. I named the owl Shakespeare (I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who called him that, but after all, he was a "bard owl" and the Delacorte Theater wasn't that far away!). And of course, I made a Filming the Feathers video.

So here's to Shakespeare, the Bard of Central Park! And here are photos and some of Shakespeare's poetry.

“The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots and wonders / At out quaint spirits.” — A Midsummer Night's Dream

"The night to th’ owl and morn to th’ lark less welcome." — Cymbeline

"With a good leg and a good foot, uncle, and money enough in his purse, such a man would win any woman in the world, if a' could get her good-will." — Much Ado About Nothing

"They say the owl was a baker’s daughter." — Hamlet

Cinnamon Feathers in Manhattan

Though not rare, wood thrushes (Hylocichla mustelina) are special visitors in Manhattan. I have had three sightings: May 11, 2013, Nov. 14, 2014, and April 23, 2017. In 2013, there were two wood thrushes singing, a glorious sound to hear in the Ramble in Central Park. In 2014, the wood thrush was hanging out in small planted areas surrounding a corporate building at 49th Street and Sixth Avenue. The 2017 visitor was foraging in the leaves between Humming Tombstone and Tupelo in the Ramble.

Wood thrush, the Ramble, April 23, 2017

The Filming the Feathers video is set to a flute sonata by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Although I have heard wood thrushes sing their gorgeous song, I haven't been able to record it. You can listen to the thrush by clicking on the Cornell link above or the Audubon field guide link.

The bird I saw on Sunday was digging around for insects and flipping up leaves in the Ramble, doing what wood thrushes like to do, but unfortunately not in good light or in an open area! The little cinnamon-headed guy was opening and shutting his beak, but the song was not the loud song I got to hear in 2013, but much softer. I could barely hear it, and attempts to record the call failed against the sound of a helicopter and parkgoers talking away.

The wood thrush we saw in 2014 was hanging out near the Chase building in Midtown Manhattan, along with a hermit thrush and a brown thrasher, an ovenbird and a yellow-breasted sapsucker and a common yellowthroat. What a great holiday gift these birds were for us that year.

I didn't take video in 2013, but did take photos. Although a bit grainy, I offer them here anyway.

Hawk Family Values

I've spent some time this spring with two pairs of hawks that have been sitting on eggs — Pale Male and Octavia in Central Park, whose nest is on Fifth Avenue, and Christo and Dora, the Tompkins Square Park pair who have nested this year above the park bathrooms.

Pale Male, the Ramble, March 19

I put together Chasing the Hawks: Uptown Nest, Downtown Nest to celebrate these two sets of raptor parents from March 10 through April 18. It appears that both nests have now had hatchings. Pale Male has been handing out cigars for the past week.

On March 19, a first-year red-tailed hawk was hanging out near the Boathouse in Central Park, within view of the Fifth Avenue nest. Pale Male didn't seem all that perturbed until the youngster flew closer to him, at which point Pale Male let the kid know who ruled that neighborhood.

First-year red-tailed hawk, the Ramble, March 19

Pale Male, the Ramble, March 19

Pale Male, March 19

Pale Male, March 19

I visited the Tompkins Square hawks the afternoon of April 10. We saw both Dora and Christo on the nest, and the switchout when Dora returned to take over from Christo on the eggs. When we left the park as it was getting dark, Christo was perched on a tree eating a bird he had stored there at some earlier point.

Dora taking over at the Tompkins Square Park nest, April 10

Christo near the nest, Tompkins Square Park, April 10

Pale Male was high on a treetop on Cedar Hill on April 14. He was standing regally on a pigeon for a while, ate part of it, then took the remainder to the nest. Octavia flew out with the remaining dinner to Cedar Hill, where she ate it on top of another tree.

Pale Male on Cedar Hill, April 14

Pale on Cedar Hill, eating pigeon, April 14

Pale Male on Cedar Hill, April 14

Octavia on Cedar Hill, April 14

Two little white heads have been seen the Fifth Avenue nest, and it will be so exciting to watch the newest of Pale Male and Octavia's kids grow and fledge and learn to hunt this summer.