Wildlife in the Snow

New York was hit with yet another snow storm on Monday. I woke up to a blizzard caking my window with snow. I bravely hit the streets and caught some Winter Wildlife on camera (yeah!).

 

Don't you just love this Grey Squirrel? I particularly enjoyed his crossed  front paws as if to say "Seriously, snow again?" Spring is a hard time for Squirrels, their stashed nut have sprouted and trees aren't bearing any new ones. They survive by snaking on leaf buds. 

This sorry bunch of House Sparrows where hanging on for dear life huddled together for warmth on this low tree branch. I watched as people walked by oblivious to these birds close enough to touch. Although they are voracious seed eaters, they are also brilliantly opportunistic; it is reported that some have figured out the automatic sliding doors of supermarkets. These little buggers aren't shy either, I've seen them snatch fries from unsuspecting tourists many a time.

 

Surprise! Wildlife also includes plants. Wildlife is defined by Merriam Webster as "living things and especially mammals, birds, and fishes that are neither human nor domesticated". Without plants the world would be a very different place and life as we know it wouldn't exist. They are the base of all ecosystems, a very important position considering everything else is built upon it. 

These are oak leaves. Although no longer active, they linger or persist on the tree much longer than other deciduous species, species that loose their leaves seasonally. I love oak trees. They are a symbol of strength and endurance. They play an important role in mythology often associated with the God of Thunder and the doorway to the other world. They are also prized for their wood; oaks tend to have very straight trunks and large straight low bearing branches. 

The snow has already begun to melt on this sunny Tuesday afternoon. I'm really looking forward to spring and a change of coat. 

Take care!

I Saw a Hawk!

Happy Monday!

Wow, what I whirlwind I've been through the past couple weeks. It's calmed down now so I can finally get back to blogging. If you want to see what I've been up to, go check out Love Garden Design (my modest fashion blog), I've posted pictures of the Runway Show I helped out with. Very exciting stuff!

As for today, I just wanted to share some pictures of Pale Male's new Mate, Ginger. Don't know Pale Male? That's ok, he's New York City's resident celebrity Red-Tailed Hawk. Click here and here to catch up with the news.
Hubby and I spotted her (and stalked her for about 30 minutes) on a walk around the Reservoir a couple weeks ago, on the West Side no less (around 90th st). She was a wee whiles from home. Oh how wonderful it was, I only wish I had a better camera. She is beautiful.

 Our first view. 

I looked up because it was just too quiet. Many had walk by unknowingly, but not after we spotted her, oh no. We told everyone who walked by. Where you there?

She was pretty high up in the tree. I thought you might like a different perspective. She's a big bird.

Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) is one of the largest birds in North America and the female is about 25% bigger than the male. The average length for a female is between 19.7 and 26.7 inches (50-65 cm) with a wingspan between 44.9 and 52.4 inches (114-133cm). Considering I measure 65 inches, this bird is impressive.

 

She was ever so kind as to display her tell-tale tail. The reddish colouration visible when in flight is what gave this bird it's name. 

The Red-tailed Hawk is a common sight outside large cities, having a nest on 5th avenue is what makes this bird something to talk about. I wonder if it could become a threat to Chihuahuas, they certainly are the right size for a good meal.

She flew back and forth between two trees 3 times, trying to shake us. Eventually she got sick of our starring and picture taking so with one last cry, she took flight and headed North East. Who knows where she went next. 

Fun fact, Hollywood loves the cry of the Red-tail Hawk, I don't blame them it sounds exactly like what a aerial predator should sound like, however, they use it for all raptor species. The Red-tailed hawk is the most underpaid Voice Over Actor in North America. Intrigued? Click on over to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Take Care!

___________________________________________________
Sources:
Powell, Hugh. "Red-Tailed Hawk." All About Birds. . Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 20 Feb. 2011 <http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/id>.

Enjoyable Sights

Happy Martin Luther King Day!
I hope your week is looking up. Jets fans, I know for a fact, should be absolutely ecstatic to a fault all week until next Sunday.
To start the week off right, here are two things that brought me great joy last week.

The first being Central Park covered in a blanket of snow. Photographed from 59th street heading east. More about the snowy park to come this week.

The second is a children book about a Naked Mole Rat! I love seeing this obscure eusocial African animal popularized in such a way. I wish I had a kid I could justify this purchase for. Tune in to learn more about these critters later on this week as well.

On that note, have a great week!
Take care!

Pale Male - NYC's Red-Tailed Hawk

Pale Male soaring over 5th Ave via Palemale.com

I moved to New York City in August of 2010. As soon as I got here, I wanted to see Central Park and the Natural History Museum. Soon after, I learnt of the existence of Pale Male, the our resident Red-tailed Hawk, and fell in love.
In November, I wrote a review for probably one of the best books I have read in my life, Red-Tails in Love; A Wildlife Drama in Central Park by Marie Winn (find it here). A large part of the book is about Pale Male, his mates, his offspring and the incredible following this bird has. She also mentioned a documentary, no name, so release date, just that Pale Male was being filmed by an aspiring Wildlife Filmmaker. Well, I've found it.

It's called "The Legend of Pale Male", it was filmed by Frederic Lilien and it opened at the Angelika Film Center at the beginning of December. An article written by Leslie Stonebraker and published in Our Town on December 2nd, 2010. Somehow I managed to pick up this issue and not read it, which is why I'm posting about one month later.

Here's the scanned article if you wish to read it, I couldn't find the link to it online.

This is very exciting news. I can't wait to see the documentary. It's going to be so much fun to watch this incredible hunter navigate the skies of Manhattan. You can learn more about the documentary by visiting the website The Legend of Pale Male; A hawk, a city, a love story.

Be sure to watch the trailer, it's stunning. I can't wait to see it.


The Legend of Pale Male (Documentary) trailer HD
Uploaded by myfilm-gr. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.

Unfortunately we've missed the showings in NYC but being that he lives here (I believe) maybe, just maybe, if I can get enough people together, we can have another showing.

Would you be interested? Email me at emiliedwolf{at}gmail{dot}com.



However, if you live in Chicago, it's playing at the The Gene Siskel Film Center on January 9th and 12th. Lucky you.

If your in Central Park, walk down to the Model Boat Pond and look up towards the 5th avenue buildings. You're sure to spot the nest above the ornate window on the Central Building.

Take care!

Curious Happenings in Central Park

One of my favorite things to do in New York, is walk around Central Park. I try to go there as often as possible to get out of the fast pace life in the city and see what masterpieces Nature has produced. Whenever I go and regardless of with whom I walk, I unfailingly end up at the Model Boat Pond.

 

 I don't mind, it's a great place to be. Birdwatchers know that it's the best place to do some serious Hawk watching as Pale Male, the resident Red-Tailed hawk, has built a nest on one of the 5th avenue buildings. Interested? You should read Red-Tails in Love by Mary Winn, a great book I wrote a short review about earlier. You can read about it by clicking here. 

It's also a great place to get some people watching in. There are people sailing model boats or driving speed boats, lovers holding hands, artists, readers, ducks paddling and kids all around.

My first visit taught me that you can earn a living dressing as a fairy and dancing for money - to everyone's delight. This particular fairy lives in my neighborhood, my friends and I just happened to take the same train as her one morning. It created quite a stir in our little group of fairy fans. We lost track of her on 81st street, near the Natural History Museum - our destination.  We hadn't managed to snap a picture but the Model Boat Pond provided both a great view of the fairy and Pale Male (the reason for our visit). 

But that's not all, besides, the boats, the ducks and the fairies the pond has something else to offer : FISH. 

I first noticed the presence of fish when my husband and I wanted to see how deep the pond was. To my delight,as I carefully leaned over to edge, I could see hundreds of little fish, mostly brown with some bright orange ones thrown into the mix. How wonderful! I shared my excitement with the nearest kids and together we watched the wee fish swim around just out of reach under the surface. Once I had used up my hubby's patience, we moved on only to witness this feeding frenzy happening on the other side of the pond - this was in the beginning of November.  Someone had thrown bread crusts into the pond, probably for the ducks. The ducks didn't stand a chance! These fish were hungry. Piranha fans eat your hearts out!

Have you seen something quite like this? If so where, when, with who and why?
Have you seen the Central Park fish? Do you know what kind they are?

Take care!

{NYC Encounter} The White-Footed Mouse

Look what I nearly stepped on while walking down 56th street and Columbus Ave.  

 White-footed Mouse - Peromyscus leucopus

Incredible, right? I can hear many of you asking yourself what is so incredible about seeing a mouse in New York City. Apart from the fact that for once I managed to take a picture of a Nature Sighting without it being dead or sessile by design. You see, this mouse is special, this isn't your standard city mouse, this, I dare say, is a country mouse. 

"White-footed mice live in wooded, brushy areas or open areas next to woods, such as marshes. They are active year-round, but mostly come out at night.White-footed Mice are good swimmers and excellent climbers. They often climb shrubs and trees looking for food. Their tails give them good balance. Mice build nests in burrows, stumps, brush piles, buildings, hollow trees, old birds' nests, old squirrels' nests and under logs. Nests are made with grasses, leaves, hair, feathers, milkweed silk, shredded bark, moss, and cloth. " via

The habitat description does not fit the location I saw this mouse. So how do I know that I saw a White-footed Mouse instead of a House Mouse (Mus musculus)? What struck me first was it's long tail, long white hind feet, and white belly. Not your average House Mouse. Why would I even consider this a possibility? I just read a book call Red-Tails in Love by Marie Winn. In this book, which I will review by next week, Mrs Winn finds an owl pellet in central park and brings it to the Natural History Museum to have the bones identified. (An owl pellet is what an owl regurgitates after it has swallowed its meal whole and digested the good stuff. You can find bones, hairs, exoskeletons, feathers and/or beaks depending on what it has eaten.) This particular pellet contained the skeleton of a White-footed Mouse. So they are here, you just have to look carefully. Just as you can see many different sparrows amongst the hoards of House Sparrows, rats and mice also hold their fair share of wonder.

Take care!

______________________________________________________

References:

1. Winn, Marie. Red-tails in Love: a Wildlife Drama in Central Park. New York: Random House, 1998 

What I Like About our Harlem Flat

A couple months ago, Wolfman and I, moved into our small flat in Harlem.
At first I wasn't too thrilled by it, mostly because I felt we were rushed into the decision. As time goes by, I feel it progressively growing on me.

Sure there is only one closet, there's no laundry room in the building and the closest one is, well, scary looking but our south facing windows let the sun shine in from morning until dusk.

The five flights of narrow winding stairs we must climb always smell something but they also bring us that much closer to the roof access which is positively magical at all times of day. Mornings are great for yoga and when the sun goes down, we have a beautiful view of the city lights all the way to the Empire State Building.

For all its flaws, it's by the foot of the basement staircase that we found our little Charlie, the Harlem Rabbit. She (although we frequently refer to her using masculine terms; old habits die hard) is such a joy to have. We have concluded that she thinks of herself as a dog and as she lounges around the house much like one. We're still working on "coming when called" and "playing fetch", but we'll get there.

In front of the flat, where we often find a parking space, grows a Sycamore; a species that range does not naturally extend to Montreal but I tree I love none the less. The smooth camouflage patterned bark, palmately lobed leaves, and round prickly fruit fill are wonderful enough on their own, but what really makes me smile are the leaf impressions scattered about the sidewalk; permanent proof of the Sycamore's presence. This tells me they most probably out down the cement in autumn. I wonder how many of my neighbors have noticed.

Those sun facing windows I mention, also look out at what Wolfman described as a NYC tree line; the rooftop of an abandoned building now colonised by Cottonwood and various hardy weeds. It's lots of fun to watch because it gets many visitors: European Starlings, Little Brown Jobs (unidentified birds) and most recently Blue Jays. As time passes this little green haven will develop as the species present are ecosystem engineers and soon I'll be spotting many more species from the comfort of my couch.

In the defense of my flat, against myself, I must also argue that when looking for a home, the most important consideration is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Our flat is near the A-B-C-D-2 and 3 trains, we have a great Keyfood store, Chinese food restaurant, great Delis, a New York Public Library, a park, Wolfman's school AND a hospital all in under 15min walking distance. Oh yeah, and it's very affordable.

Yeah, I know, what's not to love about this place? Nothing. it's terrific.

This is a public apology to my Wolfman, for giving him such a hard time about the size of the place. Sometimes you just need to look at something from another perspective to see the beauty in the rough.

What do you like best about your place?

What kind of wildlife do you get to see?

I'd love to know.

Take Care!

Post-Halloween Sugar Rush & Garter Snakes

Halloween was spent in New York this year; my Wolf, DMoon, Petester and myself got all dressed up 80s popstar style, trick-or-treated and sung by the roaring flames of a bonfire. It was magical, it was epic, it was cold.

As November rolled around, we groaned our way out of bed and into the forest for an adventure. Boys being boys, they brought along a pellet riffle. Why? To shoot at stuff. I don't think I'll ever completely understand boys, but I digress. We wandered through the forest, the boys targeting signs and painted trees, whilst I chose to silently pray we didn't come across a squirrel or anything else that could be considered a moving target.

We climbed up a pile of boulders and there, sunning itself on a sunlight rock, a common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis). Unfortunately, my trigger happy boys made it dissapear before I could catch or 

snap a picture of it. This snake is native to North America and is the most widely distributed snake we have. It can be found coast to coast from as south as Florida to the northern latitudes of the James Bay, Canada.
Garter snakes are known for the stripped pattern along their body, generally yellow and black but this is quite variable. The individual we caught a glimps of had orange strippes and was between 1-1.5ft long, it was a small garter snake since their average size is between 3-4ft.

How about some interesting facts. Garter snakes are not toxic to humans although they may release a foul-smelling liquid is you handle them too much. This species is ovoviviparous, a sweet word meaning that they give birth to live, wiggling, young - as opposed to laying eggs like most reptiles. Its diurnal, meaning it's out and about during the day. Last but not least, in addition to worms and amphibians (e.g. frogs and salamanders), they also like to munch on fish, rodents and small birds. How impressive would that be, to see a snake catch a bird.

I kept my eyes peeled for other garter snakes, but to no avail. I did however see skunk cabbages, a huge spider, jelly mold, a beech tree grove, a giant oak leaf and a mysterious red-berry plant. I'll tell you more about these sightings another time, along with some pictures and more fun facts.

Just as our forest ramble ended, so must this post for I must get on with the dishes. I end with our last encounter, another tribe of rambling humans. The alpha male of this tribe approached DMoon, who was carrying the riffle at the time, inquiring after the weapon. Musing over the possibility of shooting some squirrels, he asked if we had shot something to which I responded, "Not while I'm around". The alpha male, turned swiftly in my direction, gave me a once over and said, "You must be one of those Naturalists right?". Having never put much thought towards the question, this identification, although said in a condescending manor, turned out to be true. I am a Naturalist, a person that studied Natural History or a wildlife enthusiast. I guess this is what this blog is all about, the ramblings of a Naturalist. Thank you sir, who ever you are.

Take care!