Sparrows are the most ubiquitous of birds! (Tuesday's Truths Episode 222)

Yesterday my country celebrated National Peanut Day and my blog post re it featured a male House finch, taking the oportunity to enjoy peanuts that are in a feeder which is in my garden. That bird type is hardly the only avian creature who comes to nosh on the peanuts which I offer, House sparrows nibble on peanuts when they grow older as evidenced in the image of one of my comic strips.

Photo-comics, as I've mentioned here on Blogger, are a means of sequential storytelling that use photographs rather than illustrations. The inspiration comes from photo-novels, also known as fumetti. They are popular in Italy and Latin America.

This aforementioned strip is included in my recently released book titled BIRD TALES.

It features a number of birds participating in a variety of activities and is dedicated to all birds and everyone who loves them. An interactive book for people of all ages to enjoy together and is now available via Apple Books.

Since I've titled this 22nd episode of my Tuesday's Truths series, "Birds are ubiquitous," let me share with you the fact that they live all over the world, throughout Northern Africa, Europe, the Americas and much of Asia. There are many more sparrows than humans — wherever humans go, House sparrows live!

This is because they feed on scraps that people leave behind! You can find them on the 80th floor of the Empire State Building and have even 2,000 feet underground in a mine.

These birds are also included in my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak.

The goal of these books is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in a rooftop urban garden (mine) in New York City, my 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.

National Peanut Day 2021

According to many holiday-themed web-sites, today is National Peanut Day. Over the years I've published posts on this blog about this event, so if you'd like to learn about it, please refernce them by clicking here.

On this National Peanut Day, I'm pleased to announce that I've complied a number of my photographs that feature various bird types who are enjoying peanuts I offer in a wreath style  feeder (which is in my garden), and I've created photo-comic strips.

Photo-comics, they are a means of sequential storytelling that use photographs rather than illustrations. The inspiration comes from photo-novels, also known as fumetti. They are popular in Italy and Latin America.

An example of one of my strips can can be seen in the image atop this entry. The bird type "show cased" in this image is a male House finch.

He (along with over twenty types of avian creatures) is included within my three volume hard cover book series, Words In Our Beak.

The goal of these books is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in a rooftop urban garden (mine) in New York City, my 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.

This series has received rave reviews and prior to the cornavirus pandemic, I was able to make public presentations (based on my books's content) at prominent institutions.

Hopefully now that restrictions are being lifted, I will have the opportunity to do that again but during the imposed hiatus preventing that type of assignment, I created my photo-comics. They feature a number of birds participating in a variety of activities and they are now complied into a digital, interactive book titled BIRD TALES.

It is dedicated to all birds and everyone who loves them. An interactive book for people of all ages to enjoy together and is now available via Apple Books.

A Recent Visit By Cardinals

Last Monday, shortly after Juan V left from working with me in my garden, I had a visitor who happened to be a male Northern cardinal. He is featured in the image atop this entry which is very aimilar to the ones included in this past Tuesday's (5-4-2021) blog post.

As I stated in thse entry, "This incident was most welcome after having made my place more beautiful with yesterday's plantings. In any event the handsome creature is featured in the sequence of images atop this entry which serve as a play-by play to his discovering peanuts I had placed in a small petri-dish-style bird feeder, that hangs in close proximity to my lush pair of kiwi vines."

In any event this male cardinal's visit was followed by a visit from an array of other avian creatures including a very young female cardinal.

Bird Day 2021 (Tuesday's Truths WK 214)

Yesterday shortly after Juan V (JV) left from working with me in my garden, I had a visitor who happened to be a male Northern cardinal.

This incident was most welcome after having made my place more beautiful with yesterday's plantings. In any event the handsome creature is featured in the sequence of images atop this entry which serve as a play-by play to his discovering peanuts I had placed in a small petri-dish-style bird feeder, that hangs in close proximity to my lush pair of kiwi vines.

One of these vines is the narrator of my garden-themed movie, The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame...almost, which can be viewed on my You Tube channel and/or my Vimeo channel. 

In this mini movie, the vine talks about what it is like to live within my rooftop garden which is located on the Upper Westside of Manhattan.

A few years after this kiwi vine experienced nearly fifteen minutes of fame by talking about my place, a wildbird, known as a female cardinal named Cam, also expirenced fame by narrating a three volume book series about my place.

A Thing or Two re Male House Finches

Upon my seeing the sighting (featured in the image directly above) of a male House sparrow and a male House finch at a bird feeder, I am reminded of something that  I've just read:

 "Among the feeder birds of North America, few are as recognizable and widespread as the House finch and House sparrow. The House sparrow, originally from Europe, is one of the most well-established invasive species in the United States. The House finch, however, is invasive in its own right. Originally native to only the western United States and Mexico, it has spread rapidly through the east since a small number of caged birds were released in New York in 1940."

This reference doesn't give due diligence to the plight of  House finches who were once pegged was "Hollywood Finches" when sold illegally as pets. Plus House finches were nearly wiped off the Eastern seaboard due to a a type of conjunctivitis.

In terms of male House finches, while their coloring is bright red, the colors of the female are  muted giving them a protective camouflage. Deep red coloring in the males of this bird type indicates they are healthy and might make good partners and fathers to their children. Perhaps this is what is on the mind of the female house finch featured in my photograph (titled Dinner for Two) during her date. 

It has been rendered on to a note-card by Fine Art America (AKA FAA).

CHECK THIS OUT ON FINE ART AMERICA

By the way, FAA can also render the images on to an array of surfaces for wall art.

"...Bully bird species are naturally more aggressive and territorial about their feeding areas." (Tuesday's Truths WK 204)

Today I'm offering my 204th segement of my Tuesday's Truths series where I am pointing out this fact: No bird is intentionally cruel." 

But did you know, "bully bird species are naturally more aggressive and territorial about their feeding areas, protecting food sources exclusively for their own use." For instance, "House sparrows, often feed in flocks and can crowd out other birds so more species cannot access the seed. Some bully birds will even guard a feeder they perceive as theirs and will attack or chase away any other birds that try to feed." 

In the picture seen directly above (which was taken in my garden during the 2-1-2021 nor-easter), the sparrow at the left seems to be the one guarding the feeder. The quotes are from an article in The Spruce (which you can read by clickin here). As for sparrows, they are one of many bird types featured within my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak.

By the way, sparrows are featured in my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak.

Squirrel Appreciation Day 2021

Today, January 21st, is the annual day to celebrate Squirrel Apppreciation Day. I've written about this holiday within a number of venues including entires on this blog.

These animals can provide a lot of entertainment when you observe them as I've done in both Central Park and Riverside Park over the years when I've encountered various types including Cinnamon Variant squirrels, Black squirrels and Eastern gray squirrels.

On July 8th 2020, shortly after NYC started to begin easing up on lockdown restrictions (many of which were subsequently put back in place) which had been in effect since March due  to the devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, I had the chance to watch squirrels from my window for they began to visit the Ailanthus Trees in my buildings courtyard and as you might surmise from the photo-ops atop this entry, their antics gave me many reaons to smile during those isolating times.

N'tl Bird Day 2021 has come and gone! However, one can continue to celebrate! (Tuesday's Truths WK 201)

MALE HOUSE FINCHES ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

This two hundred and one segement of Tuesday's Truths is to alert you to the fact that National Bird Day has come and gone for the year 2021. It was celebrated three weeks ago on 1-5. Information re this holiday can be found in a number of places on the web including a page for National Day. 

In bygone years, I've published posts about this occasion as I certainly appreciate any occasion that aims to raise awareness about members of the animal kingdom and I don’t think it needs to be limited to one day.

But this segement is also designed to let you know that if you missed this year’s National Bird Day, just make it a point to do something that will benefit our feathered friends, such as making sure any bird feeder you have is clean as well as replenished. 

They will truly appreciate your efforts as evidenced by this male house finch (in the photograph directly above) who is enjoying a snack from a feeder in my garden.

Another thing you can do is to make sure your bird bath is clean and if winter temperatures are prevailing, make sure the water isn't frozen.

Taking a Cue From Mourning Doves

MOURNING DOVES ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

The other evening after the sun went down, I noticed at least seven mourning doves sitting in my rooftop garden. Due to their coloring and the darkness of the sky, they nearly blended in with the blacktop surface; so it was hard to observe their behavior and impossible (given the constraints of my camera equipment) to photograph them.

"...When January brings new faces!"

"THE CHIKADEE" BY RALPH WALDO EMERSON

As promised in my last entry (published on 1-7-2021), I'm back in the blogging saddle for now. My absence wasn't so long when I consider it has been over eight years (November 18th 2012) since I heard the sound which poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson, calls the "gay and polite" "cheerful cry" of a Chickadee occcuring in my rooftop garden but I heard it this morning.

Snow Day with Sparrrows

SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

We had a wet snowfall in NYC yesterday (December 9th 2020) and I was able to enjoy it by observing the reactions of a number of House sparrows visiting my garden during the occurance.

Tuesday's Truths WK 196: Birds are Bird Watchers!

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

A few days ago in my post here on Blogger, I explained the term (people-ing") that is used when birds watch people, but just like humans, birds enjoy watching birds too, as evidenced in the image atop this entry. It features a House sparrow watching a Mourning dove or is the Mourning dove watching the House sparrow?

Whatever the case may be both bird types were at a feeder in my rooftop garden when I snapped this photograph. This garden is the setting for  my book series, Words In Our Beak...

MY BOOK SERIES

... and the two bird types seen here have stories included in the series which covers the antics of an array birds.

My eyes are on the House sparrows...

HOUSE SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

HOUSE SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

I came across the photos (which are posted directly above) just the other day when organizing my photo-library. They were taken on October 24th 2015, which happens to be the day my dear friend, Donna DeSolis (DD) might've been celebrating her birthday with me had she not died a few months prior (in June of 2015). As readers of this blog may recall, I created at the request of DD's son a video commemorating her life and it may be viewed on Vimeo and/or You Tube.

As for these two pictures I am which I am now referencing they feature House sparrows enjoying a meal from a bird feeder in my rooftop garden. The sparrow with dark features an a black "bib" is a male. In a recent entry here on Blogger, I discussed this characteristic (bib) which is a feature of male House sparrows in a recent entry here on Blogger. However, my seeing these photos at this time caused me to think of a poem by Mary Oliver, which is posted below.

In the song sparrow's nest the nestlings,

those who would sing eventually, must listen

carefully to the father bird as he sings

and make their own song in imitation of his.

I don't know if any other bird does this (in

nature's way has to do this). But I know a 

child doesn't have to. Doesn't have to.

Doesn't have to. And I didn't.

Ms. Oliver is referring to a song sparrow in this particular poem, "Blue Horses" (from "To Be Human is to Sing Your Own Song"). I have pictures of that bird type too within my photo collection, an example of one whom I saw in Central Park is featured in the next image.

SONG SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN OTHER BLOG POSTS

However, it the House sparrow whom I've included in my three volume hardcover book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

Attn! Peanuts may not be good for squirrels!?! Let them eat corn? (Wednesday's Wisdom)

THIS SQUIRREL IS FEATURED IN MANY BLOG POSTS

THIS SQUIRREL IS FEATURED IN MANY BLOG POSTS

THIS SQUIRREL IS FEATURED IN MANY BLOG POSTS

As those of you who follow this blog probably know, a alone squirrel, has been visiting my rooftop garden since July 8th 2020. He/she can be seen in the photo-ops atop this entry where he/she is spending his/her time at one of my bird feeders that I have to accommodate the needs of various birds who visit my place.

Friday's Follow Up to my 7-24-2020's Post

MY GARDEN IS THE SETTING FOR MY BOOK SERIES

Last Friday, I published a post here on Blogger which discussed Henry David Thoreau's well known quote, "The squirrel that you kill in jest, dies in earnest." 

In this follow-up post, I'd like to share with you what Thoreau had to say about this animal type in his essay, Walden 175.

I am prompted to do this upon seeing the squirrel (who has been visiting my rooftop garden since early July) enjoying peanuts from one of my bird feeders. He/she can be seen munching away while atop my ring-style feeder.

The reason I thought of Thoreau upon seeing this is I recently learned he was evidently known for leaving out ears of unripened sweet corn for these creatures during the winter.

I've never left out unripened corn in the winter (or any time for that matter) but during winter months, I have made sure my feeders (including my ring-style peanut feeder) are replenished during that season in order to provide my visiting birds with physical nourishment.

My Jumping Squirrel (Tuesday's Truths WK 189)

THIS SHRUB IS FEATURED IN VOL 1

In recent blog posts (including one published on 7-8-2020) and one published on 7-19-2020), I've been discussing my observations of a lone squirrel who has been spending a lot of his/her time in my rooftop garden.

One thing I've noticed is his/her's incredible ability to jump. She/he often enters my place by jumping from the trees in an adjacent courtyard on to one of the pole that supports my string lights and from there she jumps on to a stake in the container of my Japanese Larch (Larix Kaempferi) as seen in the photo atop this entry.

#ClapBecauseWeCare Session 24 ETC

A #ClapBecauseWeCare Participant

The 24th Session of #ClapBecauseWeCare took place last night (Sunday, April 19th) and through my long camera lens I discovered that someone in a building northwest of me has put a banner (see photo at the top of this entry) on his balcony in support of the on going #ClapBecauseWeCare movement to pay homage to first responders, front liners and essential workers who are keeping everyone as safe as possible during the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rare Disease Awareness Day 2020

IMAGE CREDIT

Today is Rare Disease Awareness Day and as a way of paying homage to it, I've posted a "promo" image atop this entry.

This annual "holiday" was initially brought to my attention (through a 2018 Facebook posting by my acquaintance (Catherine C) and I blogged about it at time stating:

According to a number of sources, including NORD (The National Association for Rare Disorders), "In the U.S., any disease affecting fewer than 200,000 people is considered rare. This definition comes from the Orphan Drug Act of 1983 and is slightly different from the definition used in Europe. There are more than 7,000 rare diseases affecting 25-30 million Americans. In other words, one in ten Americans are suffering from rare diseases and more than half of them are children."

It's February!

As you may recall last year on February's first day, I mentioned (here on Blogger) that this month is known as National Bird Feeding Month. Holiday Insights (HI) points out the reason for this, "Mid winter is a tough time for backyard birds. Snow often covers their food source, while at the same time food supplies are dwindling. A reliable high energy supply of bird seed is essential, to provide the energy your backyard birds need to survive the long lasting extreme cold in February."

The photograph atop this entry where house sparrows are eating from a feeder in my garden was taken three years ago in February of 2017. As you can see HI is correct in pointing out that weather conditions in February (in certain parts of the world) can result in food sources being covered — even feeders!

It's Look Up In The Sky Day!

According to a number of sources, today is Look Up In The Sky Day. One web-page (and other references concur) suggests that "Maybe this unofficial holiday, with unknown origins, aims to encourage people to go outdoors and enjoy the various bounties of nature..."

Fortunately I don't need a holiday —  be it official or unofficial — to look up in the sky or enjoy nature. I feel very blessed that I am able to appreciate the little aspects of life, such as my sighting of a Black-crowned night heron, although he/she is hardly little; as evidenced in my photograph atop this entry.