There are still kind people in the world. Tuesday's Truths WK 132

The other day (Sunday June 30) I had the beginnings of a summer cold with a severe headache accompanying it. Between that and the crowds being more than ever due to people who were in the city for the Pride Parade, I had planned to stay in and hunker down; but the beautiful weather lured me outside. I went for a walk in near by Central Park to pass by the newly renovated Belvedere Castle and to observe the turtles.

The two seen in the images directly above were ones I spotted when walking on alongside CP's lake.

Friday Follow-Up: "Saturday in the Parks"

Hello dear reader, and welcome to my third and final follow-up to my 10-19-2019 blog entry, Saturday in the PARKS. As some of you may recall, in the aforementioned entry, I discussed the fact that that I would be spending part of my morning in Brooklyn's Prospect Park and then part of the afternoon in Manhattan's Central Park; and I promised to follow-up on October 25th 2019, with the hope that a few of my observations are inspiring to you.

However, as I said in this past Wednesday's blog entry, I've decided to split that content into a few (three) entries, rather then make one lengthy posting. The aforementioned posting discusses an aspect (an encounter with a bird whose ID determination caused a "controversy") of my October 19th walk in Central Park.

Then in yesterday's entry, I discussed my walk in Prospect Park and included a promise that I would talk about other aspects of my 10-19-2019 Central Park walk on Friday, October 25th 2019... so here I am to do just that, beginning with my sighting of a fast moving red dragonfly (seen in the picture atop this entry).

Sunday's Sequel to Yesterday's Post

OTHER ROBINS ARE FEATURED IN VOLUME THREE

Yesterday here on Blogger, my post included a very young American robin who can be seen in the picture atop this entry which was included in that posting. This little creature was not the only young bird enjoying the first day of June in Central Park.

Significance of a Robin's Red Breast

DIFFERENT ROBINS ARE FEATURED IN VOLUME 3 

The robin-themed song, Rockin' Robin, is on my mind because I recently encountered a "rockin' robin" when I was in The Ramble portion of Central Park and came upon a lone American Robin who was not rockin' in the treetops but rather was rockin' on the ground as seen in the picture atop this entry....

Saturday's Story The Bird Feeding Area (Within Central Park & My Rooftop Garden)

There is a portion of The Ramble in Central Park called The Bird Feeder Area and the name does not refer to people who feed birds, rather it refers to an area which has numerous bird feeders hanging from trees. A partial view of it can be seen in the picture (which I took yesterday) atop entry.

During the time I was there numerous American Goldfinches were congregating (and noshing from) a feeder which can be seen is at the extreme right of this photograph. The following set of  images feature both male and female varieties engaging in activities at or near to the aforementioned feeder.

Another View From The Bridge (Oak Bridge): Tuesday's Truths Wk 91

Welcome to the ninety-first segment of my Tuesday's Truths series! As you can see, I'm featuring a picture of a raccoon atop this entry. I came across this creature when I was crossing Oak Bridge (a bridge that I've featured in a prior post here on Blogger), which is located in NYC's magnificent Central Park.  A web-page has this to say re Oak Bridge:

"Back in 1860 when Calvert Vaux and Frederic Law Olmstead gave the world Central Park, one key element at the northern end of the Lake was Oak Bridge, a span constructed of white oak and cast iron leading into the Ramble. That bridge has since been replaced twice, first with another fancy one in the 1870s (when it was renamed the Bank Rock Bridge), and then again in the lean years of the Great Depression by a utilitarian model in tubular steel with a wood plank floor. Now the original Vaux design, re-imagined by Jan Herd Pokorny Associates, is being reconstructed. Again we get carved white oak and cast iron, but now it all sits atop a very substantial base that should last for generations..."

I've also read (in a variety of of newspapers and on the web) that "if you're lucky you might catch a glimpse of the baby raccoons or the giant snapping turtle."

So, I guess you could say I was lucky in encountering this raccoon, who was one among many swimming amongst turtles (one can be seen in the image directly below where he/she is taking a swim near the lower right of a raccoon) in this body of water.

And although some might consider me lucky to come upon these raccoons, these creatures have not been so lucky in this summer of 2018.

Thursday's Tale: My Wednesday in the Park (with Lola, Parker, and Elliot)

Lola, the dog featured in the images atop this entry is someone you might recognize, dear reader, if you follow one of my PY Facebook Page. I featured pictures of her in an entry which I posted this past July.

I've seen her on a number of occasions since that time, and yesterday, I was honored to  be invited to spend part of my afternoon with her, as well as her good friend, Parker.

Ophelia's (and a Northern Cardinal's) Note: "To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day"

CARDINALS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

I observed a pair of Northern cardinals this past weekend when I was walking through The Ramble in Central Park. Now, as I look at one of the pictures of them, I let my mind wander as to what they might be telling each other. Perhaps because tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I thought of Ophelia's (from Shakespeare's Hamlet) quote upon studying the expression on the female's (bird at the top of this photo).

"To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day, 

All in the morning betime, 

And I maid at your window, 

To be your Valentine. 

Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes, 

And dupped the chamber-door; 

Let in a maid, that out a maid 

Never departed more."

I think you must admit, dear reader, that this female bird's non-verbal communication could be interpreted as a reminder/warning/hint for her mate to do something.

A Bird in my Hand...

TUFTED TITMOUSES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

TUFTED TITMOUSES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

TUFTED TITMOUSES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

TUFTED TITMOUSES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

The bird type featured in the photos atop this entry is a tufted titmouse who I came upon yesterday (he was one of many in within that variety that happened to be there) while walking in The Ramble section of Central Park. Temperatures were very bitter, especially with the windchill but I took off my gloves and put some black-oil sunflower seeds in my hand, as I know that, in cold conditions, tufted titmouses have been known to eat out of someone's bare hand.