Sunday's Statements: The "odd warty growths" (One Side-Effect of Being a Muscovy Duck)

The bird seen in the photographs atop this entry is known as a Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata). I encountered the creature last Wednesday (9-20-2017), when I took a walk along a Hudson River pier located in NYC's UWS.

It's National Pink Day!

Here's a piece of trivia for this next to the last Saturday in June:

"National Pink Day is observed annually on June 23rd. This day is set aside for the color pink and all it represents."*

As for my rooftop garden, the pink trimmed leaves on my Smoke Bush represent protection for my Mouse Ears! AND The Mouse Ears (mini hostas) are in bloom again!

Reacquainting with Jewel, the Muscovy duck

JEWEL, THE MUSCOVY DUCK IS FEATURE IN V 3

Anyone who follows my cyber-venues (including Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter as well as my FB Pages (personal and business), in addition to here on Blogger) is likely to recognize Jewel, the Muscovy duck seen in the first picture, where she is standing on some mossy rocks that are in the Hudson River.

This photo was taken a couple of years ago during one of my first encounters with her when I was walking along the river. She is a year round "resident" in this area and I subsequently included her in volume three of my book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

In any event, I have not been to "her area" of the river since late 2019 because of my accident and then the shutdowns imposed during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in NYC.

I've been so curious about her well being, so finally after all these months, I took a walk (after my physical therapy session) in hopes of seeing that Jewel was still with us; and I'm thrilled to report that she was hanging out with other avian creatures including a Mallard duck....

JEWEL, THE MUSCOVY DUCK (LEFT) IS FEATURE IN V 3

.... and pigeons.

JEWEL, THE MUSCOVY DUCK (LEFT) IS FEATURE IN V 3

JEWEL, THE MUSCOVY DUCK (LEFT) IS FEATURE IN V 3

As you can see these avian creatures were adhering to signs on the pier re "social distancing," which have become household words ever since the relentless spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Maybe these birds can teach people a thing or two about social distancing.

Rare Disease Awareness Day 2019

It was brought to my attention (through a Facebook posting) yesterday by my acquaintance (Catherine C) that Rare Disease Day is being observed on February 28th this year.

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."

She advocates for this cause due to the fact daughter has a rare disease (Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome AKA Fibro-Adipose Vascular Anomaly OR Kawasaki Disease). As it happens, before I saw Catherine's posting, I had a very unpleasant experience re my rare disease (Neurofibromatosis).

My event at NYSEC is 3 Wks from today! (Monday's Memo)

THIS MUSCOVY DUCK IS FEATURED IN VOL 3

You've surely heard of humans "swimming with dolphins...," dear reader! But I'm wondering if have you heard that there is a Muscovy duck who swims with Khaki Campbells?

This is evidenced by the pictures within this blog post featuring Jewel, a Muscovy who is spending her time swimming with the Campbells in the NYC's Hudson River, which she has been doing for many years!

THIS MUSCOVY DUCK IS FEATURED IN VOL 3

THIS MUSCOVY DUCK IS FEATURED IN VOL 3

THIS MUSCOVY DUCK IS FEATURED IN VOL 3

This Muscovy has taught me a thing or two about myself which is part of what I will be discussing at my lecture for November 2018's Speaking of Science series at the New York Society for Ethical Culture (NYSEC) that is scheduled for three weeks from today (11-26-2018).

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.

Friday Follow-Up: Mysterious Muscovy has a name! (As well as a number of friends!)

This past Friday, September 22, 2017, I went down by the riverside (Hudson River) to see if the Muscovy duck who I first met on Wednesday, September the 20th, was there. I was so pleased to have a chance to see the lovely creature again, also to find him/her amongst other avian creatures, including house sparrows, pigeons, and molting Mallard ducks; all of whom can be seen in the photographs atop this entry. A woman was on the same pier where I stood. She told me that this Muscovy duck's name is Jewel. Then she informed me that Jewel has been coming here since 2015.

Tuesday's Truths WK 59: Molting & Mallards

It's the fifty-seventh week of my Tuesday's Truths series and I'd like to dedicate my entry to some facts re molting when it comes to Mallard ducks. I am prompted to point out a few truisms re this topic, because this past Wednesday, when I was at a pier on The Hudson River (in NYC) and met my first Muscovy duck; I also came upon a number of mallards going through their molting process; as evidenced in the photographs atop this entry.

Some Facts Re Male Wood Ducks (ETC) Tuesday's Truths WK 114

Hello and welcome to Segment 114 of my Tuesday's Truths series. In this post I'll be telling you (along with other points of interest) some cool facts re Wood ducks, the bird type featured in the image atop this entry, who seemed to be giving me the stare (or glare) when I saw him in Central Park this past Friday.

Galeux d’Eysines, Bumpy Gourds, & The Muscovy Duck, what's bumps got to do with it? (Tuesday's Truths WK 95)

In yesterday's blog post, I mentioned that while on my way to a greenmarket and the green-flea (on the UWS) this past Sunday, I noticed (as did many others, including the police) that a raccoon was looking down (from the tree tops near some scaffolding) on all who passed by. I also mentioned that I was at the market longer than I anticipated, so I never did find out what happened to the creature; for when I returned all evidence of the incident, including on-lookers and policemen were gone.

One of the reasons for my tarrying at the greenmarket was that I spotted a pair bumpy looking pumpkins (pictured above) at Gaia's Breath Farm's "vending" stand and took the time to ask about them. I learned from a kind woman working there that these are a variety known as a peanut pumpkins, a term which I immediately googled after putting the one I got atop the urban hedge in my rooftop garden.

According to a gardening-related web-page, "the peanut pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima ‘Galeux d’Eysine’) is an heirloom pumpkin varietal notable for its distinctive peanut-like growths peppering the exterior of its pink hued rind. Certainly unique looking, some might say unattractive, the 'peanuts' are actually a buildup of excess sugar in the flesh of the pumpkin."

I was not surprised to learn that some say the Galeux d’Eysine was "unattractive" because of having peanut-like growths. However, it is the peanut-like growths that drew my attention, because they reminded me of my own lumps and bumps (that I deplore so much that I rarely alllow my picture to be taken, but for purposes of this entry, one is included towards the end) which I have as a result of being born with the medical (neurological) condition, Neurofibromatosis Type-One.

A Fear of Ducks Phobia = Anatidaephobia (Tuesday's Truths WK 109)

I recently came across some information re Anatidaephobia that I found interesting so I'm drawing your attention to it in this 109th episode of my Tuesday's Truths series.

Evidently (according to many sources including the web-page quoted here), "a person suffering from this condition feels that somewhere in the world, a duck or a goose is watching him/her (not attacking or touching, simply watching the individual)."

This page explains with apparent empathy that "There are many kinds of seemingly irrational fears and phobias prevalent in the world. What might be laughing matter to people, is not so to a phobic."

As you can see, dear reader, the photograph atop this posting is of a female and male Mallard. I took it when I was in Central Park a few weeks ago. Anyone coming upon this pair of ducks would notice that the male is preening, but if the person who happened to come upon these ducks was suffering from Anatidaephobia, he/she might have cause for alarm; for it does seem as if the male is watching as he preens.

By the way, the aforementioned page explains that the word "Anatidaephobia is derived from a Greek word ‘Anatidae’ which means ducks, geese or other water fowls, and phobos is Greek for dread/fear."

Winter Solstice in Riverside Park 2017

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT IS FEATURED IN VOL ONE

At an entrance to Riverside Park located at 72nd Street and Riverside Drive in NYC, there is a statue of Eleanor Roosevelt, which I've featured in prior entries here on Blogger.* I passed it again today as I made my way down to the Hudson River to watch this evening's winter solstice sunset.

If one enters the park from the statue, a short walk down a sidewalk takes you to a dog run where I happened upon a lone ghost holding a Jack-O-Lantern (as seen in the image directly below).

I came to the conclusion that this ghost had not gotten the memo that Halloween was over, or, that he/she may be the ghost of Christmas past, awaiting the holiday, which is (as of this posting) now only four days away. But whatever this ghost's circumstances were, I may never know, for I did not stop to ask him/her.

"We are all just passin' through..." (Wednesday's Wisdom)

The image atop this entry is a screenshot of a tweet from Manhattan Bird Alert. Accompanying the image of this Mandarin duck, (who has been making headlines as I've discussed here on Blogger) their text states: Where is our MANDARIN DUCK? He was not reported yesterday, and we checked the likely spots late day. If you see him, let us know! He likely still is in Central Park, but he has been known to fly to the Hudson River 79th-Street Boat Basin.

Hope that Manhattan Bird Alert is correct! I not only hope the creature is doing well; I would more than welcome a chance to see this beauty again either in Central Park or at the 79th-Street Boat Basin on the Hudson River.

Like the author of the tweet, I've also heard (through very reliable sources who do not report fake news) that this Mandarin did spent time near the Boat Basin and I was also told he got along very well with Jewel, the Muscovy duck (seen in the picture below) who lives there year round.

THIS MUSCOVY DUCK IS FEATURED IN VOL 3

Jewel, as some of you may know, is featured in volume three of my book series, Words In Our Beak, and that I have announced that I will be discussing her impact on my life when I give my talk at NYSEC (New York Society for Ethical Culture) on November 26, 2018.

The 1st time I met a Cairina moschata... (Throwback Thursday)

THIS MUSCOVY DUCK IS FEATURED IN VOL 3

It's September 20th 2018 and last year on this day, I took a walk to the 79th Street Boat Basin and encountered a Muscovy duck (AKA Cairina moschata), a bird type whom I'd never seen before and whose picture can be seen atop this posting.

Monday's Musings

In yesterday's blog post, I discussed how a certain physical trait ("red facial skin with odd warty growths") of the Muscovy duck, reminded me of a trait I have as a result of my own medical condition, which is know as NF-1 (Neurofibromatosis Type One).

The bird type I'm referring to can be seen in the photograph posted above, where he/she seems to be having a good laugh over something the pigeons (also picture here) may have said.

It was moving to see these bird types interacting with each other while not making an issue of their differences in physical appearance. Perhaps humans could learn something from these birds re the matter of folks shunning someone because of a "deformity" that another individual may have.

Ducks in a row and not in a row...

The "Ducks in a row..." seen in the picture atop this entry, where they are swimming in the pond  in Central Park, include a Wood duck, a Mandarin duck, and a Mallard duck (respectively).

And the set of images directly below feature other duck types, a Khaki Campbell (swimming in the Hudson River), a Bufflehead, (swimming in the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir), and a Muscovy, who is also swimming in the Hudson (respectively).

THIS MUSVOVY DUCK IS FEATURED IN VOL 3

The latter of these, a Muscovy, is featured in volume three of my Words In Our Beak book series...

Honoring the (5) Great "new brand" Pumpkins (National Pumpkin Day 2019)

IMAGE CREDIT

Today is not part of my blog posting schedule for this week, but this entry is being published in honor of National Pumpkin Day!

One can hardly think of pumpkins without thinking of The Great Pumpkin made famous by Charles Schultz's Peanuts character, Linus, who can be seen with Sally (directly above) taking delight in a pumpkin patch, where they are awaiting the arrival of him/her.

This year I have five great "new brand variety" pumpkins and a few "standard" pumpkins, all of which I got from various farmers in the tri-state area who come to the Greenmarkets on the UWS.

Pink Coloration in Nature

Yesterday when I was at the Samuel Untermyer Fountain (which is located within The Conservatory Gardens) in Central Park, the pink flower seen in the picture atop this entry caught my attention. This isn't surprising because ever since this past National Pink Day, I've noticed how often the color pink can be found in many types of flora as well as fauna.

May 4th is STILL For The Birds!

VOLUMES ONE AND TWO

Today, May 4th, is Bird Day. It seems more special today in 2018's Year of the Bird, which, as you may know, was designated as such due to this year being the one hundredth anniversary of the passing of The Migratory Bird Act.

In any event, according to Holiday Insights, "Bird Day is the oldest of the days set aside to recognize birds. According to the U.S. Library of Congress, Bird Day was first observed  on May 4, 1894. It was started by Charles Almanzo Babcock, superintendent of schools in Oil City, Pennsylvania. By 1910, Bird Day was widely celebrated, often in conjunction with Arbor Day. Bird Day and Arbor Day events are focused upon conservation training and awareness."

If this breaking news sounds familiar to you dear reader, it may be because I discussed Bird Day in my May 4th posting for the year 2016, which was quite extensive, as it included many bird varieties.

You may reference it by clicking here. Since the publication of my Bird  Day post, I have published two hardcover versions within the Words In Our Beak book series and they can be seen in the image atop this entry.*

Today in honor of Bird Day, I am featuring images of all the bird types whom (in alphabetical order) I have met in Central Park or at the Hudson River, as well as in my courtyard, since that the last year's Bird Day.

Monday Musings: ON BEING AN ODD DUCK ETC

Yesterday morning I got the notification via a tweet from from Manhattan Bird Alert  which stated
"The MANDARIN DUCK and his reflection, continuing this Sunday at the Central Park Pond (60th and Fifth)" and upon reading it I made my way over to that area of CP.

However, when I arrived the Mandarin duck was no where to be seen, but The Pond, was being used by a number of other ducks, including male Wood ducks, such as the one seen in my photograph atop this entry.