Earth Day 2021

Earl and Mooch (from Patrick McDonnell's Mutts comic strip) as well as the prolific Mehmet Murat İldan sre spot on, for indeed "Wherever there are birds, there is hope."

For as discouraged as I might feel from time to time, whenever I see birds (such as the ones featured in the next sequence of photographs) in nearby Central Park, I feel more hopeful about most circumstances.

I also feel more hopeful about most circumstances when avian creatures spend time in the courtyard trees.

A CHARACTERISTIC OF CORMORANT'S WINGS Tuesday's Truths WK 147

CORMORANTS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

If I didn't know better, I might've thought the lone cormorant (seen in the photograph directly above) was providing some shade for a sunbathing turtle when they were both atop a large rock within Turtle Pond, near The Delacorte Theatre in Central Park.

YET ANOTHER VISIT TO CP's CONSERVATORY GARDENS! (Sunday's Sequel)

Yesterday during my walk in Central Park, I paid a visit to The Conservatory Gardens, a place I have not been to since this past summer (July 20th). My first time visiting them was May 25th, 2019.

In my posting re my May visit to this place, I discussed the garden sculpture and fountain (seen in the image directly above) which honors the children’s book author Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett.

During that visit I encountered a Polygonia interrogationis (AKA Questionmark Butterfly), but I did not see any butterflies there yesterday, however, I did see what appeared to be tropical fish swimming in the base of the sculpture/fountain.

A Few Interesting Facts About Cormorants (Tuesday's Truths WK 146)

CORMORANTS ARE FEATURED IN VOLUME 3

Nine days ago on September 29th 2019, I published an entry about a lone cormorant who was spending time atop a that's rock within Turtle Pond. The other day when I was in Central Park, I stopped by that same area only to find area he/she was still atop the rock (at least I think the creature was the same one, and nearby birders seemed to think so too). The bird had company this time, as you can see from the image atop this entry, a lone turtle joined him/her on the rock. I found myself intrigued by the cormorant's beak that has a sharp hook at the end (check it out in the image above).

Sunday's Sentiment: Knowing When to Keep Your Eye On The Birdie and Off the Birdie!

CORMORANTS ARE FEATURED IN VOLUME 3

A lone Cormorant seemed to be posing from atop a rock in Turtle Pond as you might surmise from the photo atop this entry.

Sunday's Sentiments: Catching a Dragonfly (and other beings) On Camera

ANOTHER DRAGONFLY IS FEATURED IN VOL 1

ANOTHER DRAGONFLY IS FEATURED IN VOL 1

ANOTHER DRAGONFLY IS FEATURED IN VOL 1

ANOTHER DRAGONFLY IS FEATURED IN VOL 1

"Yesterday a child came out to wonder Caught a dragonfly inside a jar..." are a couple of lines from Circle Game, a song by Joni Mitchell. These words are on my mind as I write this, because Friday, when I went out to wonder, specifically in Central Park, where I had gone for a morning walk with a mission of observing dragonflies through the long lens of my camera, I caught a dragonfly.

Cormorants: Now you see them, now you don't. (Tuesday's Truths WK 128)

I confess that I could spend hours watching a cormorant who seems to be playing now you see me, now you don't (which is what is happening in the silent slide show posted above featuring a cormorant enjoying the waters  of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in Central Park).

This is a habit of cormorants (which you can read about via many web sources, including one of Cornell's web pages) and is my Tuesday's Truth for week 128. On another note, this bird variety is featured in volume three of my book series, Words In Our Beak.

THE WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES

The stories are set in my rooftop garden and told from the perspective of a female cardinal (Cam), who is featured on the covers of each book.

A Pair of Ruddys and A Lone Cormorant (Tuesday's Truths WK 121)

A male and female Ruddy duck who were swimming along in Central Park's lake this past Saturday, appear to have become camera shy by "hiding" under water; as evidenced by the series of pictures atop this entry. But the camera probably had little to do with this behavior, for this bird type forages by diving under water and straining mud through their bills to find food. In any event, it has been a long time since I've seen Rudy ducks (whom I initially spotted during the month of April 2018 ), so I felt blessed to witness their antics and I hope to see these creatures again.

Paying Homage to White, Oliver and Millay (Tuesday's Truths WK 119)

Welcome to the 119th "episode" of my Tuesday's Truths series. I am honoring it by sharing the mini essay posted atop this entry which was written by E.B.White and published ninety-two years ago today on March 26, 1927.

Mary Oliver died one month ago today...

MY PHOTOS OF THE MANDARIN ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE VIA FAA

MY PHOTOS OF THE MANDARIN ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE VIA FAA

.... and in honor of this extraordinary woman, who reminds us (in her poem "Flare")

"....When loneliness comes stalking, go into the fields, consider

the orderliness of the world. Notice

something you have never noticed before,..."

I'm dedicating this post to her. I will confess that it doesn't take "loneliness stalking" to make me "Notice something (I) have never noticed before;" because it is in my nature to notice so called little things, but sometimes it takes a pair of eyes other than mine due to my challenges (understatement) with eyesight.

For instance this past Friday when I was in Central Park, where many were gathered around The Pond to snap pictures of the now famous Mandarin duck (he can be seen in the pictures atop this entry), I was talking with a woman (who identified herself as Becky) about the Mandarin and how his presence has brought so many people — from all walks of life — together.

Interesting Historical Facts re Carousels (Tuesday's Truths WK 111)

CORMORANTS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

In my Wednesdays' Wisdom segment here on Blogger for 1/9/2019 (which was two weeks ago), I discussed some facts re the bird type known as Cormorants.

One of the members of this variety is featured in the photo atop this entry where he/she is swimming in the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir within Central Park.

Part of that post I includes interesting facts about these avian beauties and I mentioned that these birds are included in volume three of my Words In Our Beak book series.*

MY BOOK SERIES

One of the matters the story re Cormorants within that volume is an aside to facts re this avian creature. It explains this bird type type is part of a carousel in the Chelsea section of NYC.

The animals a person rides upon in that particular merry-go-round are made up of animals rendered in the likeness of creatures who frequent the Hudson Valley, which includes cormorants.

The following photographs show what the cormorant (the black bird to the right in the first one and at the far left in the second one) within that carousel looks like...

THIS CAROUSEL IS REFERENCED IN VOL 3

THIS CAROUSEL IS REFERENCED IN VOL 3

... and am using today's segment of my Tuesday's Truths series as an opportunity to tell you a little bit more about it as well as other carousels and to give you a few fun facts re merry-go-rounds (the common name for this fun ride).

Wednesday's Wisdom is from Cormorants

CORMORANTS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

The bird seen atop this image, as you may know dear reader is a Cormorant. In it he/she is swimming in either the lake or in the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in Central Park.

I confess that I'm not sure of the exact location that I encountered this bird as I took this photo of him/her in May of 2018.

Wednesday's Wisdom:Walk Just for Pleasure

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir is known by New Yorkers as the Central Park Reservoir.

It is a decommissioned reservoir in Central Park. This reservoir stretches from 86th to 96th street. A partial view of it can be seen in the image atop this entry.

A number of years have passed since the last time that I walked around the reservoir, but, yesterday, which was The Fourth of July, I walked around it with a friend whose husband passed away a short time ago. I rarely take a walk for the sake of walking because I walk almost everywhere I need to go in the city, but I wanted to give the time to my friend, as it was her first Fourth of July holiday without her husband.

In my doing this, I was reminded that walking merely for the sake of walking releases endorphins; is relaxing; and, it causes one to take note of their surroundings as opposed to walking when you have to be somewhere at a certain time.

Tuesday's Truths WK 47-A: Cormorant's Antics Attract Attention!

If you follow me on Blogger, then you know that for a number of weeks now, (ever since the date of June 19th 2016), I've published a series every Tuesday which is called Tuesday's Truths. This is week forty-six of my Tuesday's Truths postings.

In this entry, I'm sharing some interesting truths re the bird type known as a Double-crested Cormorant, the bird variety seen on the right side of both images atop this entry. I took the pictures this past Friday when I walked through Central Park with someone who was visiting NYC from the west coast.