Month: April 2021

Central Park 2

Sherry Felix11 Comments

Birds from Tuesday. The Sapsucker is very unusual.

  • Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula), Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Hybrid Yellowbelllied with Wilaimson’s Sapsucker with black head, Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Hybrid Yellowbelllied with Wilaimson’s Sapsucker with black head, Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius), Central Park 4/20/2021

Central Park Plants 1

Sherry Felix16 Comments

Tuesday I went to the park on my own with my camera for a few hours. Part 1 of 2.

  • Magnolia, Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Redbud (Cercis canadensis), Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica), Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Plant, Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum), Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia), Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Confederate Violet (Viola sororia), Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Canadian White Violet (Viola canadensis), Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris), Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Large-flowered Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Redbud (Cercis canadensis), Central Park 4/20/2021.
  • Yellow Trillium (Trillium luteum), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Dame’s Violet or Rocket (Hesperis matronalis ), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Red Trillium (Trillium erectum), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Annual Honesty (Lunaria annua), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Chinese Quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Fritillaria, Lily family (Liliales Melanthiaceae), Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Plant, Central Park 4/20/2021
  • Tulip, Abingdon Square 4/24/2021
  • Central Park 4/20/2021

Hempstead Lake and LI Shore

Sherry Felix12 Comments

On Saturday April 17th we went on a birding trip with the Linnaean Society of NY to Hempstead Lake SP, Point Lookout and Nickerson Beach in Nassau County, Long Island. It was a lovely group of people and a lovely day. I enjoyed the new Spring growth. It wasn’t a good bird shooting day for me. A highlight was a black-capped Chickadee collecting nesting material a couple of feet away from me. Another was the Harlequins.

  • Maple, Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Sycamore Maple (Acer Pseudoplatanus), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Sycamore Maple (Acer Pseudoplatanus), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Sycamore Maple (Acer Pseudoplatanus), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Tree, Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • New Leaf, Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Painted Turtle (Emydidae Chrysemys picta), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Hempstead Lake SP, LI 4/17/2021
  • Common Eider (Somateria mollissima), Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyyemalis), Point Lookout, LI 4/17/2021
  • Brant (Branta bernicla), Point Lookout, LI 4/17/2021
  • American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Point Lookout, LI 4/17/2021
  • Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), Point Lookout, LI 4/17/2021
  • Point Lookout, LI, NY 4/17/2021
  • Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus), Point Lookout, LI 4/17/2021
  • Linnaean NY birders, Point Lookout, LI 4/17/2021
  • Nickerson Beach (location of the Piping Plover sighted), LI 4/17/2021

NYBG 2

Sherry Felix16 Comments

Second post of New York Botanical (map Interactive Map » New York Botanical Garden (nybg.org)) photographs. We joined NYBG that way we can get in for free and get half off on the parking. We ate lunch atone of the restaurants at Arthur Avenue. It was not good. The quality of the food at these restaurants has fallen since the pandemic. Such a shame. I really enjoyed eating there. I will have to prepare a picnic lunch and carry it around, which is not desirable along with all my cameras and binoculars, or find another place to eat nearby that still has decent food.

  • Bronx River, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Evergreens, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Squash sculpture, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Cherry, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Magnolia, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Heuchera Caramel, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Teestump, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Seed Pod, Moss and Lichen, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021

NYBG 1

Sherry Felix18 Comments

The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York has spring flowers. It took me a while to edit and enhance these. I will make two posts. I did not be take any pictures of the temporary (until October) “art” exhibit which is very ugly and detracts from the beauty of the garden.

  • Magnolia, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Witch Hazel, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Winter Hazel (Corylopsis spnensis), New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Hyacinth, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum), New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Pansy (Viola), New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Honeysuckle? New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Hellebore, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Magnolia, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Hellebore, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica), New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Daffodil, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Daffodil, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Flowering tree, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Magnolia, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021
  • Tree, New York Botanical Garden 4/4/2021

Central Park with LSNY

Sherry Felix28 Comments

We went on a Linnaean Society of NY birding walk yesterday and took a few photos along the way. The Chickadee was so close that one could have touched it. These birds are not behaving naturally. This means some people are not respecting the park rules to not hand feed wild animals.

The USDA says, “Feeding wildlife can lead to a number of serious problems: Human food is not healthy for wild animals, and they do not need food from humans to survive. Wild animals have specialized diets, and they can become malnourished or die if fed the wrong foods.”

Also it can impact some birds migration. “Some scientists believe accipiters like Cooper’s hawks and sharp-shinned hawks forego migration in some areas due to the abundance of prey at bird feeders, a behavior called short-stopping.”

The worst thing to do is feed bread to ducks, geese, swans, and other waterfowl bread. Any bread not consumed by ducks pollutes waterways, threatening the other creatures in the ecosystem like fish, turtles, and other wildlife. There are healthy alternatives but I would recommend against it in a public park.

  • Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), Central Park 4/6/2021
  • Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii), Central Park 4/6/2021
  • Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), Central Park 4/6/2021
  • Central Park 4/6/2021
  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), Central Park 4/6/2021
  • Cherry (Prunus), Central Park 4/6/2021
  • Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa), Central Park 4/6/2021
  • Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Central Park 4/6/2021
  • Cherry (Prunus), Central Park 4/6/2021

Spring in the Park

Sherry Felix21 Comments

It was a chilly day in Central Park on Wednesday the 31st of March. It was so lovely to see early signs of Spring.

  • Crocus (Crocus sativus), Central Park 3/31/2021
  • Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor), Central Park 3/31/2021
  • Crocus (Crocus sativus), Central Park 3/31/2021
  • Dwarf Iris (Iris reticulata), Central Park 3/31/2021
  • Daffodil (Narcissus), Central Park 3/31/2021
  • Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Central Park 3/31/2021
  • Central Park 3/31/2021

Black and White from the Past

Sherry Felix16 Comments

For most of the pandemic I have been taking courses at F64 Elite by Blake Rudis. April’s challenge is to submit 2 dramatic black and white images for a possible critique. I converted four in my archives, being sure to have some absolute black and white in each, and sent in the first two below. Blake also posts many free tutorials on YouTube. I am also enjoying PixImperfect tutorials by Unmesh Dinda on the YouTube.

  • Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn 4/29/2012
  • High Line 5/8/2016
  • Common Starling, Central Park 10/28/2016
  • Court Chairs in the Mist 1/1/2000