Slick

Today was the first time I felt intimidated by the park, not by muggers, but by icy surfaces. I got into the Rambles and found paths that were not clear, tamped down snow that had an ice layer. I love observing nature but not at the cost of a broken leg or arm, so slowly I headed to the East Drive, across via the Great Lawn and then back down the West Drive. The main walkways are clear. The off-shoot paths are trecherous. All the birds are looking for food. Not easy.

At the West 72nd Street exit a horse-and-buggy driver dropped some horse oats. Feast time. Actually, I think they're special horse pellets. The pile of feed was devoured in ten minutes.

Happy pictures will get posted tomorrow, but I won't roam again until the paths are clear. Too risky.

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Yummy,... but what???

I have seen hawks dining on pigeons lots of times, but this seemed like something larger than a pigeon. A pigeon on steroids???? Young hawk was way up on a branch. It was impossible to see if the meal's head or feet were up there. When a raptor dines the food goes first to the crop (below throat area), then gets digested.

Delicious.

When this hawk finished dining it didn't fly off as usual. It waddled down the branch and sat there. Too stuffed to fly. Dame Edna Hawk!

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Food search

Food is not available in the snow and the birds can't dig under the snow. On the way out of the park I saw movement overhead. The blue jay was examining the oriole nest for edible tidbits. I had missed that nest during the nesting season. Winter bares all.

Color coordinated food in Strawberry Field.

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Adapting to snow

The snow covers the ground leaves under which the small birds find their food, so it becomes a risky affair, little birds searching for food, raptor watching on high. But the little birds know what to do, scoot into the bushes and stay still and silent.

We watched for the cooper's hawk to leave and then started our catering service. Nuts. The chickadee came down to beg already decorated in food bits. We tamped the show down in patches and placed down food. The nuts and seeds would have sunk into fresh snow, impossible for the little birds.

It's the quality of light, the whiteness that makes this such fun photography.

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All the white stuff

Total abandon,....... it's new, clean, inviting.......... play in it. It doesn't even feel cold. Until later.

The shapes are eye-catching. There are plant shoots in the Azalea Pond. Now they're Schmoos.

The Parks Department has planted new pine trees. Mod-art.

Birds in the snow will appear in the next blog later today.

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Snow portrait

Having snow as a background changes the photo dynamic. There are lots of pictures to prepare. It was gorgeous in the park....... lots of human families, lots of tourists, lots of bird-lovers bringing food for the birds since the snow has covered their normal feeding spots. And lots of birds hugely enthusiastic for hand-outs. I would have stayed longer, but it was cold and my boots leaked. (They're 15 years old and I love them, but....... time for new boots, maybe).
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Hunting

This sweet immature red-tail was on the hunt yesterday morning. I was with another birder. We decided to follow it as it moved from tree, to limb, to log, to ground, back to branch. It's very good exercise. We didn't see the hawk catch anything, but it's hunting skills are getting refined. First, at Upper Lobe area.....

Area behind the Castle.......

Slightly north of the Azalea Pond....

More Easterly.......

Hawk glided. We trotted. All in all, a good workout prior to arrival of snow.

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