It's a GIRL! (Now named A.L.J.J.)

Facts have been confirmed! The American kestrel (or Common kestrel), pictured atop this entry as she clutches her prey (which happens to be an unlucky mouse), while she alights upon a railing that surrounds my rooftop garden (in NYC), is a female.

If you've been following my entries on Blogger, dear reader, than you might recall that I announced this bird's first time visit in an entry I published this past Thursday, where I include a photograph that is very similar to the one posted above.

In the aforementioned post I also included the fact of how, initially, when I first saw this bird, I had mistakenly ID-ed the fauna's type. I followed up on Thursday's entry in a post here on Blogger, which I published yesterday.

This follow up post includes a number of images as well as information on how I was able to confirm this bird's identification in terms of the classification. If you'd like to refer to Friday's follow-up post, please click here.

At the time of my composing yesterdaty's entry, I had reason to believe my avian visitor was a female, but on closer examination of the pictures I had taken of the bird, I was not sure if my conclusion was correct.

I had made this determination re the bird's gender because I had learned that the male American kestrel (or Common kestrel), have blue markings; and I wondered if the blue markings seen on my visiting kestrel's head (in the following image),

where the creature is alighting on the branches of my kiwi vines, meant that I was wrong in thinking the bird to be a female.

Therefore, before I posted any "It's a GIRL!," rhetoric regarding this bird, I reached out to folks via a comment on my Facebook Page for The Last Leaf Gardener stating: "Me again, I'm going through some more photos that I took of this awesome bird and at first I had thought the gender was female. Now I've noticed the bird blue on the head! Do you still think it's a female, Amanda Remsberg? What say you, Leslie Monday and Joan Morris?" 

"His eye is on the sparrow...."

 

During yet another snowstorm which occurred in my area this past Thursday, it was very discncerting for me to notice a pigeon's (seen in the three images atop this entry where he is in my garden) injury through the long lens of my camera.

Pablo, the jay, needs a prayer for healing!

THIS BIRD TYPE IS FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

Last night when I checked something on FB, I saw a notification that I had received a photo from someone (Gloria Criollo) who is a friend in "real life" and on FB.

Because it is unlike GC to message images I decided to phone her before I clicked on it to see if she had sent me anything as I know people who have had their account hacked these days.

Plus I had intended to phone her anyway due to the Father's Day holiday (today) and because her husband, Pablo, died from COVID-19 (coronavirus) this past April, which is something I mentioned within an entry here on Blogger on April 20, 2020, I wanted her to know she was in my thoughts, always, but especially at this holiday time.

As it turned out, GC had sent me a photo. It is of a bird that she saw crying in the street as the creature stood next to a dead bird who had probably been hit by a car while he/she was on the streets of NYC.

WW is from Amanda R & Dr. Robert D

COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

Consequences as a result of the disruption in my rooftop garden and the work space in my home that I mentioned in yesterday's post are something I will be contending with today. Therefore this entry for this week's WW (Wednesday's Wisdom) will be brief. The wise words offered here come from Amanda Remsberg and Robert Robert DeCandido PhD.

I contacted both of them yesterday to ask a question about a Common Grackle whom I encountered when I was in Central Park this past Sunday. He/she is featured in the image atop this entry. A few minutes after this lovely creature gave me the once over...

COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

... he/she began to exhibit behavior (seen in the next series of pictures) that I thought was one of those fake an-injured-wing thing which is common in the avian community.

COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

But I had never seen such a young one doing the fake-a-broken-wing thing and seeing this caused me to wonder if the creature was practicing this "technique" or learning it or imitating it. I did a fair amount of research in hopes of finding out if I could determine what might've been happening, but I could not find out ant information so I reached out to my cyber buddy Amanda Remsberg (bird rehabber extraordinaire) via Messenger stating:

I saw a Common Grackle in Central Park  on Sunday and he/she was "walking" around the lawn but when this bird seemed to realize I was there, he/she seemed to the fake-an-injured-wing thing. Do you think this young bird was practicing this skill? Do young birds learn to do this early on + practice it? I can't find any research on the topic!

Here's a copy of our exchange:

AR: And he wasn’t injured?  Lol. No never seen that behavior in grackles at all!  Possible he might have been anting?  They rub their wings on an ant pile to pick up the Formica acid that can repel mites.

ME: Hmmm. Maybe he was anting but he/she seemed to look at me (I included  a copy of the photo directly below) and then do the wing bit. Maybe this young bird saw an older bird do the wing bit  and is coping the behavior without knowing why? Then again maybe  anting was the activity. It was a very hot day and sparrows were dust bathing in another location.

COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

AR: Maybe he was flirting, such a cutie! Lol. Birds do a lot of odd things we are hard pressed to explain sometimes.

After AR's suggested that the bird I saw might've been anting, I did some more research and I reached out (via email( to Robert DeCandido PhD, a bird expert whom I've mentioned in prior posts here on Blogger.

Here's a copy of our exchange:

ME: I saw this Common Grackle (I included the third and fourth images seen in this posting) in on Sunday + at first I thought he/she was doing a pretend-to-have-broken-wing thing but it didn’t seem there was any danger around. Do  you think the bird could have been anting?

DR. R: Hi Patricia - we see this behavior all the time: a bird sitting motionless in the sun on the ground usually with feathers spread ; the bird looks dazed but if approached rights itself and flys off just fine 

The birds have parasites deep in their feathers. By spreading feathers in the sun they allow the heat to penetrate; the parasites do not like the heat and start to move around looking for a better spot; the bird preens them out...basically in an abbreviated explanation ...

That's it for today, dear reader, except to remind you that Common Grackles are  featured in volume three of my book series, Words In Our Beak, and to once again thank both Amanda and Robert for sharing their knowedge with me!

THE WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES

Monday's Memo: Birds (including cardinals) can molt their whole head off!

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIRANDA

So honored that James Miranda (from Illinois) reached out to me (via email) with a copy of the photo (that is atop this entry asking for ID help. On first glance I thought it was a male Northern cardinal in extreme molt mode but not being one to answer a teenager (or anyone for that matter) without being sure, I reached out to bird rehabber extraordinaire Amanda Remsberg​ via Facebook Messenger:

ME: Amanda, I received this email saying, "Hi Aunt Patricia! I saw this bird in our backyard and I am wondering if you can tell me what type it is? It is a red bird but it has a black head."   Do you have any ideas, Amanda? Could it be a cardinal molting?

AMANDA: Yep!  Some cardinals and blue jays do this in late summer, they molt their whole heads off.  It’s postulated that it could happen because of feather mites.

ME: Thank you for clarifying? How are you doing re COVID  [coronavirus] + the hurricane?

Amanda: We are fine!  It passed a couple hundred miles south of us, unfortunately in southern Texas they are suffering worse with Covid because of less resources.  They are rushing Red Cross, etc down there to help.  It’s a mess. But we are fine.

ME: I heard about the devastation in southern Texas. SO THANKFUL to hear you are fine.

And there you have it dear reader my quest to answer James’s question and the confirmation I was correct in determining the creature to be a male Northern cardinal, a bird type featured in all three volumes of my book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

Wednesday's Wisdom: Contact Amanda

OTHER COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

OTHER COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

OTHER COMMON GRACKLES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

The adorable creature featured in the pictures atop this entry is a young male Common Grackle whom I saw in Central Park this past Sunday. From his characteristics (eye color and beak shape), I had suspected the bird's ID was a young Common Grackle, but I've never seen one in this brownish coloring, so I began to doubt my judgement in determining the bird type.

I second guessed myself to the point where I wondered if this bird was a member of the avian community known as Rusty Blackbirds; although that would be highly doubtful at this time of year. Still, one never knows unless they reach out to an expert; which is what I did by contacting the amazing Amanda Remsberg.

A Red-Tailed Hawk in my Courtyard (Thursday's Testimony)

THIS RED-TAILED HAWK IS FEATURED IN VOL 3

A woman who lives in the building that is adjacent to the one in which I live, has called me on a few occasions to alert me to the fact that a hawk is alighting on the branches of a nearby Ailanthus Tree and is staring at my rooftop garden. Her assumption has always been that the hawk is doing this because he/she "knows I feed the birds who visit my place."

Yesterday was the first time that I happen to notice the awesome creature. He/she is featured in the photograph atop this entry where, indeed, he/she does appear to be staring down at my garden.

Is he/she or isn't he/she an American Crow? ("Controversy" over this one's ID!)

The photos posted atop this entry were taken in The Hallett Center. It is an area (within Central Park) that I visited this past Saturday afternoon when I was walking in the company of a couple who lives on the Eastside of NYC.

A Friday Follow-Up AND "This is not a joke..." Turns Out "My" Peregrine Falcon is an American (or Common) kestrel!

Yesterday, in one of my entries here on Blogger, I announced that a member of the fauna community whom I had never seen in my urban garden, paid me a visit. The bird I'm referring to can be seen in the image atop this entry where he/she is alighting on the branches of my kiwi vines, that wrap around the railing of my rooftop garden (in NYC).

In the aforementioned post, I wrote this about my newbie visitor : "I studied the newcomer through the camera's long lens and made the determination he/she was a Peregrine Falcon..." 

However, because I'm not that confident in my bird ID-ing skills, after I published my entry on Blogger, I went to my Facebook Page for The Last Leaf Gardener as well as my Facebook Page for Patricia Youngquist, and I reached out to those who read my page, asking if I was correct in my determination. As it turns out I was not! It turns out that "my" visitor was not a Peregrine Falcon, but she was an American (or Common) kestrel!

Wednesday's Words: A Resilient Pigeon's (now named TAM) Update

THE WILD BIRD FUND

I’m offering this blog post as a follow-up re the status of an injured pigeon whom I initially discovered in my garden this past Saturday (10-10-2020) and whom I spoke about in Monday's (10-12-2020) entry here on Blogger.

The collage directly above gives a pictotial overview of the pigeon's fate, and below is a copy of what I baiscally said (italicized text) about it on Facebook:

As of this posting, my injured pigeon, now named TAM,* after the people who weighted in on what I should/could do and someone who helped me capture him (for transporting to The Wild Bird Fund (WBF).

[*TAM: “T” for Tina Pina, pigeon advocate and artisan, “A” for Amanda Remsberg, bird re-habber, and “M” for Martha, AKA MB, the woman who helped with my rescue.]  

MB can be seen in the next photograph (which was taken in 2016) where she is standing in my garden. 

We were working in my garden during a time, the now often full-time wearing of face-masks could never have been imagined. However, re-purposing plastic bags into rain gear was quite the norm. 

In any event, the weather, was very similar to the conditions taking place in March of 2016 and when an attempt was made to sweep/clean behind the container housing my Smoke Bush (which is a large dark-green box seen to MB’s right in the image, or to the lower left in photo view), a dead pigeon was discovered.

AN UNFORTUNATE PIGEON

I began to weep, and MB, unaware of my recent experiences in discovering an injured pigeon, warned me to take it easy. As the work in the garden continued, a planter that is home to my fall blooming anemones which butts up against a large planter that is now housing my Sweet Autumn Clematis and toadlilies (seen in the following image)...

TOAD LILIES WITH OTHER FLORA

... was moved and in doing so, my injured visitor’s hiding place was discovered and she was able to pick him up and set him in my bathroom..

A SAFE PLACE FOR AN INJURED PIGEON

...until we could (within an hour’s time) take him to The WBF. 

Alas, I had no brown paper grocery bags on hand as I don’t buy many groceries and when I do, in the interest of recycling take a bag from any store as I carry a cloth bag. Therefore I lined a box with one of my bedsheets, placed the pigeon in it.

Then I put his box in a Christmas gift bag — the only bag I had on hand — for transporting.

TRANSPORT FOR AN INJURED PIGEON VIEW 1

MB drove me to The WBF...

THE WILD BIRD FUND

... where the intake person mentioned how remarkable it was that this creature survived the heavy rains of the past few days.

Out of an abundance of caution, convo exchanges between rescuers and rehabbers is extremely minimal and I neglected to ask how I might follow-up on his condition (they do not take phone calls).

Moreover, I “coulda” offered to release him in my garden, but the thought did not occur to me as I was focusing on helping him get the care he needed at the time.

On another note, my first experience in rescuing a pigeon and having him transported to The WBF is included in volume one...

WORDS IN OUR BEAK VOLUME ONE

... of my three hardcover book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY THREE VOLUME SERIES

I hope Tam will recover as one of my other rescuees (named Thursday) did under the care of The WBF, and if I'm able to find out Tam's prognosis, I'll be sure to post it on Facebook and on this blog.

UPDATE ON PABLO, THE JAY

A very sad start to this week. I was all set to meet the injured baby Blue Jay (whom I wrote about in a recent post here on Blogger) and help with taking him to The WBF (Wild Bird Fund) this morning, when I received word that he had died during the night.

At least, the sweet creature was not left to die on an Upper Eastside Street as had been the case with his dead parent, whom he was found with by the dear Gloria Criollo.

Though he suffered greatly seeing his parent killed (presumedly by a car) and then left alone, he received physical warmth (heating pad) and nourishment (chopped up blueberries); both at the wonderful advice from bird-rehabber extraordinaire, Amanda Remsberg,  in our version of tele-med for an injured bird; he did die in dignity surrounded by love.

Wednesday's Wisdom: Have a Towel On Hand (in case you need to help a bird)!

MOURNING DOVES HAVE A STORY IN VOLUME ONE

MOURNING DOVES HAVE A STORY IN VOLUME ONE

Today a very young Mourning dove flew into my studio apartment via an open door which leads from my garden to my studio apartment. He/she made him/herself at home on a ledge under my kitchen window as seen in the images atop this entry.

Monday's Musings: Remembering 2018

IMAGE CREDIT

Earlier today I published an entry here on Blogger which discusses that it now The Seventh day of Christmas.

Since it is also the last day of 2018, here's an entry looking back over the year that is ending and looking forward to a new one beginning. As you can see from the cartoon (by Charles Schultz), atop this entry, Linus is doing the same thing.

Friday Follow-up to Yesterday's Blog Post

JEWEL, THE MUSCOVY DUCK IS FEATURE IN V 3

I'm following up on yesterday's blog post, where I discussed my reacquainting with Jewel, the Muscovy duck featured in volume three of my book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

Upon seeing the content of my Muscovy duck entry (which was posted on Facebook on 7-8-2020), bird rehabber, Amanda Remsberg, commented saying, "That’s amazing. Her kind originate from Central America, I’m not sure how she has adapted to the winters there. I’m glad she is thriving!"

As some of you might recall, I wrote about how "supposedly one of the workers at this [Boat Bain] office puts out a bowl of fresh water for Jewel on a regular basis" (in a 2017 entry here on Blogger) after I first encountered Jewel.

I'm not sure if the man seen in the picture atop this person is the one who does this (puts out fresh water) and I suspect others (including residents of the houseboats) do as it well, for Jewel was flapping her wing (while on a pier near to several house boats) as if she were trying to get someone's attention...

JEWEL, THE MUSCOVY DUCK IS FEATURE IN V 3

... when I saw her the other day.

An Injured But Resilient Pigeon

SAINT FRANCIS IS FEATURED IN MANY OF MY BLOG POSTS

I need Saint Francis's (whose image is imprinted on a copy of a prayer card which is posted atop this entry) intercession on a situation with a pigeon who visited my garden this past weekend. He is known to be the patron saint of animals (especially birds, which is something I referenced in a recent FB post).

In any event, this past Saturday (10-10-2020) in the early evening, I noticed a pigeon in my outdoor space who did not seem to be doing very well. I had hoped to "capture" him in order to transport the creature to The Wild Bird Fund  (WBF) but since they were closed for the evening, my next best option was to "capture" him and make him comfortable for the night so I could take him to The WBF the next morning (which would be Sunday, 10-11-2020).

Years ago I learned about transporting injured or sick birds to The WBF so I knew this could be done but I was a little unsure of how I might keep this unfortunate pigeon comfortable over night so I phoned the Brooklyn based pigeon advocate (and artist extraordinaire), Tina Pina AKA Mother Pigeon (who graciously called me back with helpful tips) to seek her advice as I could not reach bird rehabber Amanda Remsberg  (AR) whom I usually contact when I have questions re birds in need.

But it turned dark outside very quickly and so it was impossible to see anything but I prepared my rescue and transport supplies to ensure I'd be ready for Sunday's mission.

I did not see my visitor in the morning but he was there in the afternoon and I was able to determine he could fly but was injured. Plus I could hear a thumping sound when he limped across my terrace.

However, in spite of my past successes with swooping up a bird in order to take him/her to The WBF, I could not grab this guy, but I could take pictures of him (seen in the next sequence of photos)...

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

... and contact AR about this for a form of "tele-med" (via Facebook Messenger). The following is a copy of our correspondence that was based on the images posted above.

ME: Here is what my limping visitor looks like. I thought from the face he/she is a youngster BUT from what you said about the feet, I may be way off. I'm not confident I'll be able to "grab" te bird in order to transport him/her /to the WBF, but I can hear "thumping" (from a limp) when the bird moves  about. Thanks again for your time.

AR: Yea, he does look young with that knobby pale beak.  Such pretty colors.  I hope he will be ok.  The placement of his feet doesn’t look like a broken leg, maybe just soft tissue damage.  Tis a hard life for a pigeon in the city. 💕

ME: He's out there right now and I guess I should just let him alone because I can't capture him and he may be safer here?

AR: Hopefully.

ME: Hopefully indeed. It's hard to her him thumping about and not be able to provide relief.

UPSHOT: It is now Monday(10-12-2020) and a cold rain is falling heavily but I am keeping my eye out for the pigeon and ready to continue to take action in order to transport him to The WBF. I truly care about this pigeon's well being. 

As some of you may know, pigeons are featured within my three volume hardcover book series, Words In Our Beak which are available wherever book are sold get your copies now and please stay tuned for updates on the pigeon featured in today's post.

MY BOOK SERIES

366 New Opportunities Begin Tomorrow (Tuesday's Truths WK 157)

IMAGE CREDIT

In honor of the upcoming new year, which starts tomorrow, I am sharing this sweet illustration (above) which I saw on the FB Page of bird rehabber extraordinaire, Amanda Remsberg.

I appreciate the illustration as well as the sentiment, but someone should inform the feline featured here that the number of new opportunities this time around will be 366!

Monday's Musings: Scoping out the options? (following up on 3-26-2021's entry)

In this past Friday's blog post, I mentioned that a female cardinal was once again spending time in my garden. She is the subject in the photo atop this entry. 

Bird re-habber and TLLG blog reader, Amanda Remsberg (AR) upon seeing the aforementioned posting asked, "Have they ever nested in your garden? She looks to be sizing up the options."

I hope AR is right but I'm not sure if enough of my garden is offering enough foliage or blooms at this early date which would make for better nesting, so this cardinal may pass on my location.

Friday Follow-Up

The three photographs atop this entry feature an encounter between a female Red-Bellied Woodpecker and a house sparrow that I witnessed when I was walking in Central Park yesterday. I had come to the park with my DSLR to try and find the Great Blue Heron bird type that I had stumbled upon yesterday when I was in the park, with only a pocket camera.

But alas, I did not see any Great Blue Herons, but, I did come upon this female Red-Bellied Woodpecker, a bird type that I'd never seen before. I confirmed the bird's ID with Amanda Remsberg, a bird rehabber.