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Tuesday, June 28, 2016

It's Berry Time In The City



This past Thursday I went to the greenmarket at Tucker Square, and a representative for GrowNYC, the organization that oversees the greenmarkets throughout the city, took the second photograph atop today's blog entry. I was so caught up in complimenting him on his sign, that I forgot to ask his name so that I could give him a photo credit. Because I go to that market on a regular basis. 

I hope to see him again and then give him a nod (in cyber space) for taking this image for me. In any event, while I was there, I told him (as well as a grower that happened to be standing nearby), how much pleasure I got in providing berries for the American Robins who have been visiting my urban (rooftop) garden — which is something I wrote about this in a recent blog post, "Serving The Frugivores."   

The grower begged to differ about deriving pleasure in seeing birds eat blueberries. She explained that she goes to great lengths to prevent birds from having access to her blueberries.

A bit of serendipity for the NYC birds that visit my rooftop garden: The grower covers her blueberries with nets to keep the birds away, then she brings her blueberries to the city, where I buy them, and use them to feed the bird types that she tries to keep away!

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

“Hollywood Finches” Honoring Bragging Rights



Last year on June 22nd, Words In Our Beak Volume One, (the book I wrote with Cam, a female cardinal who visited my garden), was published in Apple's iBook's Store, where it subsequently received a number of five star reviews!

Words In Our Beak’s"goal is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in a rooftop urban garden in NYC, the story is told in the voice of Cam, a female cardinal, who visits it. 

"Words In Our Beak" is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective. The book includes hundreds of images of flora and fauna, links to movies, as well as to informative narratives that have been created by the author.

Following its publication with Apple, an ePub version of "Words In Our beak Volume One," has been published with KDP, and it is now on Amazon, where it has picked up five star reviews! This book has also received reviews on Goodreads (five stars).

Moreover, images of fauna and flora that are in included in "Words In Our Beak Volume One" are available in the storefront @ PatriciaYoungquist.com.

But it all started last year on this on this day, June 22nd. Hence, a couple of "Hollywood Finches," whose stories are included in Cam's book  are celebrating the birthday of Words In Our Beak Volume One, and invite you to check out the video I produced featuring them celebrating their having been include in a book that has received such great response. The "Hollywood Finches" and I ask you to share this post in honor of the birthday of Words In Our Beak Volume One!


FALL 2018 ADDENDUM: 

I no longer actively produce event program covers, invitations and the types of greeting cards described here or on my website but arrangements might be able to be made under certain circumstances. My focus is on the Words In Our Beak book series, pictured below...

WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES

...whose stories are told from the point of view of Cam, a female cardinal, whose photo is on the cover of each book. Words In Our Beak’s goal is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in my rooftop urban garden in New York City. Words In Our Beak is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective. The books include hundreds of images of flora and fauna, links to movies, as well as to informative narratives that have been created by the author.

Please click here to go to my blog post that provides details as to where you can get these books.

Additionally, I have rendered some images from these books into other formats and they are available via Fine Art America (FAA). Some of my other photographs (Black & White Collection, Kaleidoscopic Images and the famous Mandarin duck who visited NYC) can also be found on my FAA pages.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Father's Day is FOR THE BIRDS!


This past Monday, June 13th, six days before today's holiday of Father's Day, I heard a sound in my garden. I still don't have my replacement glasses (which I need as my accident last month resulted in them being ruined as you can see from the image above), so I relied on my Canon 70D's long lens to see what was causing the unusual noise. The conditions were not optimal for photographing. It was in the wee (and still dark) hours of the morning. Also I was inside my place looking out through a broken window. 

Still, I followed the noise from the vantage point of being behind a camera, then realized a baby bird or very young fledging, was alongside the American Robin who has been visiting my urban garden which is in close proximity to NYC's Central Park. I was thrilled for I've never seen such a young robin! However, both of these birds were hiding behind one of my clay pots, and with that, as well as the conditions I've just described, the images I did get are unclear, but I'm posting them anyway (below).

AMERICAN ROBINS
AMERICAN ROBINS

For as I mentioned in a recent post here on Blogger, when photo-ops do not turn out as I would like, I try to console myself with the wisdom that E.B. White spoke of in his essay, "Remembrance is Sufficient."

Friday, June 17, 2016

Serving The Frugivores



According to Holiday Insights, the month of June is set aside for a few national observations: National Accordion Awareness Month, National Adopt a Cat Month, and National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month. In an effort to pay homage to the latter, I've been offering fresh blueberries to the birds that visit my urban garden in NYC.

And as you can see from the pictures posted above (which were taken in my garden), a lone American Robin and a Northern Mockingbird have been enjoying my hospitality.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Anniversaries


Yesterday marked the one month anniversary of the accident I had in mid May. I celebrated it by getting an Xray,  for I have reason to believe I injured my ribs when I fell. As you may know, dear reader, there is not much one can to about a rib injury, yet an Xray is usually recommended. Therefore, I agreed to have pictures of my ribs taken (with the device shown in the image above),  even though I much prefer to be behind any camera than in front of one — no matter what type of camera it is! Yesterday also marked the one month anniversary of the last time I saw Super, the Northern Flicker that I helped rescue.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Fun Flag Day Facts (In Honor of #FlagDay)


Yesterday, June 13th, some friends let me accompany them on their trip to a monastery in Ossining New York. This is where I took the picture of this American flag that I'm posting in honor of today's holiday: #FlagDay 2016. 

And in the very early morning of this Flag Day, I was honored by a visit from a creature who came to my urban (NYC) rooftop garden. This was somewhat appropriate for the holiday, for the visitor I'm referring to is an American Robin (pictured below).

ROBINS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

But he doesn't wait for Flag Day to be patriotic!

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Amenities In My Garden For Visiting Birds (Including A "Water Cooler")


Juan V was here today to work with me in my rooftop garden. The results of our labor can be seen in an aerial view of my urban garden atop this blog entry. The picture was taken by Juan. Fortunately we finished our work before the severe thunder storm hit NYC. The kiwi vines that wrap around the railing that surrounds my garden were beginning to grip both my Crabapple Tree as well as my Chelsea Larch, which could ultimately have uprooted those trees! I truly needed Juan's help doing this as I'm still recovering from the accident I had in mid May.

Saturday, June 4, 2016

THE SILENT TREATMENT: American Robins ARE Hoppin' & A Bobbin' BUT...

AMERICAN ROBIN
AMERICAN ROBIN
AMERICAN ROBIN
AMERICAN ROBIN
AMERICAN ROBIN
AMERICAN ROBIN

The photographs atop this blog entry are of an American Robin that I came upon when I was walking in Central Park. I've seen a number of members of this bird type during my walks in Central Park, which is a fact I mentioned here on Blogger. I've also seen them when I've cycled (on a tandem) to The Little Red Lighthouse, but on those occasions it is usually too dark to take a decent photograph of this (or any) bird type.

When I first started noticing the presence of robins in both Central Park and near The Little Red Lighthouse, I nearly had a long term case of ohrwurms caused by my recalling the song "Rocking Robin."


Ohrwurms, as you may know, is the term given to the "condition" of having a song stuck in your head and seeing robins on a daily basis as I walked through Central Park, certainly prompted me to sing,"He rocks in the tree tops all day long .... Hoppin' and a-boppin' and singing his song. All the little birdies on Jaybird street, love to hear the robin go tweet, tweet, tweet... Rockin' robin, rock, rock, Rockin' robin, rock rock...." 

But in reality the robins I saw in Central Park or near The Little Red Lighthouse were not "rockin' in the treetops," but they were "hoppin' and a-boppin" across the ground. And I never heard any of those robin go "tweet, tweet, tweet!" They have all been silent.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Super Bird's Ultimate Fate


Those of you who follow my cyber-venues may recall that on April 5th 2016, I participated in the rescue of an injured Northern Flicker whom I ultimately named Super. He had severe injuries that The Wild Bird Fund (AKA The WBF, which is the only bird rehabilitation facility in NYC, the city where I live) tried to address.

Fortunately I was able to visit Super on a weekly basis from the day I brought him to The WBF (4-5-16) until May 14, 2016. And within a number of posts, during that time period, I "reported" on his progress here on Blogger; as well as tumblrFacebook, and Twitter.

As I've just said, the last time I saw Super at The WBF was May 14th 2016. During that visit I was given the good news that Super was being transferred to The Raptor Trust, a remarkable rehabilitation center for birds. This was very exciting to hear and caused me to be very encouraged for "my" sweet avian "friend."