Gone Birdin'

December 2, 2021

This post is dedicated to my father, whom my love for is as bright as hibiscus and as endless as the sky.

I step outside into the beautiful amalgam of order and chaos that is New York City wondering if there could be any other place like it in the world. Amongst all of the hustle-bustle lies Central Park, a haven for wildlife and humans alike. I visited the park at a time when the fall leaves hadn’t completely dropped yet, which made even the most common birds look exotic. As much as I adore the brilliant shades of yellow and red in these photographs, I don’t underestimate the beauty of Central Park covered in a blanket of crisp snow or filled with buds of spring growth either.  

I birded three main areas within the park, beginning at the south end and working my way north: The Pond, The Ramble, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.  

First stop: The Pond.  

It seems Canada Geese and Mallards are staples of every park in the US, Central Park being no exception. They gathered in a quaint pond framed by a Japanese bridge, a scene reminiscent of Claude Monet’s “Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies.” I heard rustling in a pile of leaves nearby and found a flock of White-throated Sparrows. They continuously jumped forward and quickly shuffled their feet backwards in hopes of uncovering goodies, a feeding behavior called “scratching.”

The bird in the second photo above appears to be a tan-striped White-throated Sparrow, designated by lower-contrasting crown stripes. Ornithologist Kenn Kaufman describes White-throated Sparrow sexual behavior in the article linked below, noting how females prefer males with tan stripes over their white-striped counterparts. Either way, I appreciate the life and personality radiating from both of these birds.  

https://www.audubon.org/news/the-fascinating-and-complicated-sex-lives-white-throated-sparrows

As I write this, I’m sure there are at least a dozen House Sparrows hopping around on the sidewalk outside. Even so, in my eyes, this male House Sparrow is just as stunning as the rarest bird.

I’d heard great things about the birding in an area called The Ramble in Central Park. Systems of winding paths cut through the wooded habitat like veins, branching off and reconnecting intermittently. I captured the photos below after wandering around the area aimlessly for a few hours which, I must say, is easy to do. Time flies when you’re birdin’ 😉…

This Golden-crowned Kinglet was a new bird for me and perhaps my favorite bird of the day. I tried my hardest to remain one step ahead of him as he flitted about in a relatively bare tree, praying at least one photo would turn out. He flew away after a few minutes, at which point I finally took a breath and hoped for the best.  

I love so many things about this bird. His black legs against yellow feet are subtle, while the gorgeous yellow stripe running down his crown is a more conspicuous field mark. The olive-green feathers on his back are just the cherry on top. Unreal.    

Along with the Golden-crowned Kinglet, the American Tree Sparrow above was another new bird and absolute highlight of my day. The excitement and intimacy of seeing a new bird never gets old, especially when it’s a bird I wasn’t expecting to see. I was photographing Song Sparrows foraging in the grass when a local birdwatcher and I connected. She asked if I was shooting the American Tree Sparrow and I quickly realized I had overlooked it among the flock of sparrows. It was special sharing that moment with her, as we were both delighted.  

A lone Fox Sparrow made an appearance, adding to the long list of sparrows inhabiting Central Park. It resembles a Song Sparrow in the distant shot above, but binoculars gave a better view of its exaggerated bold striping and rufous coloration.    

I only saw one, but word on the street is Central Park is a reliable place to find Red-tailed Hawks as well.  

Moving northward, I eventually ran into Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. The reservoir is a fairly large body of water which undoubtedly attracts gulls and waterfowl throughout the year. Along with Ruddy Ducks and American Coots, the reservoir contained a flock of Great Black-backed Gulls, Herring Gulls, and Ring-billed Gulls. 

I must have followed this pair of Hooded Mergansers around the reservoir for an hour in search of the perfect lighting. I’m fascinated by the sexual dimorphism between these two and how truly distinct the male is from the female. At the same time, their similar beak shapes and crests tie them together seamlessly.  

The male and female Buffleheads above were yet another pair of lovers in Central Park.  

Finding this female Downy Woodpecker near the water was a fun surprise. I heard a knocking noise while trying to photograph gulls and immediately went into woodpecker mode. I’ve found that woodpeckers are generally very cooperative birds to watch. Their knocking antics make them easy to locate and, once located, they’re typically zeroed in on a wood pecking project without another care in the world. If that’s not impressive focus and determination, I don’t know what is.  

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