Facts About Sparrows (Wednesday's Wisdom)

The other day when I was on Broadway I noticed some tulips swaying in the wind, but it was not until I put my camera’s memory card in the computer that I noticed a young female House sparrow had been catching some rays alongside those flowers.

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.

TEST YOUR POWERS OF OBSERVATION

Male House sparrow, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove & Male House finch

Male House sparrow, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove, Male House finch

Male House finch, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning doves

Male House finch, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning doves

Male House finches, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove

Male House finches, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove

Male House finches, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove

A few days ago before the days upon days filled with heavy rains were in full force, I took the bird-themed pictures that are included within this post.

There are seven photos within this posting and they all feature a few bird varieties who have been hanging out at one of my feeders, as well as alighting on the branches of my Contorted Hazelnut. It's as if they were having a last hurrah before the onset of relentless downpours occurred.

At first glance these images might look the same to you as their differences are very subtle, can you spot how they differ?

Other bird types are also visiting but they are not included in these pictures.

FYI, all of these bird types are featured (along with many other bird varieties) in my books.

You can find info re this matter within a post on this blog.

MEANWHILE, I'd like to give a shout out to PC who has been supplying my visiting birds with a variety of seeds. I'm not in the position to get this for them, but fortunately for the avian community, she has been able to this, for she loves observing them from the vantage point of her place and she also appreciates the songs they offer while spending time here.

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.

This Thursday's Tale is FROM the birds! (Sparrows Speak out about Spring Training)

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

While walking in Central Park, this past Tuesday, January the thirtieth, I came upon a lone blue jay who was leaning a sympathetic ear to a couple of house house sparrows (as evidenced in the photograph atop this entry).

The Inspiration of a Leucistic House Finch AND Vinicio Riva

Yesterday, a female house sparrow and a male house finch were having a conversation while perched on a railing that surrounds my rooftop garden (in NYC), as evidenced in the pictures atop this blog entry, where you can see them sharing the railing with my kiwi vines.

Normally the coloration of male house finches is red, and, knowing this, caused the little sparrow to be very concerned as to what caused this particular finch to have a white-colored face and a white head. The sparrow listened very carefully and with great empathy as the house finch confided in the sparrow saying that he had a case of leucism.

House Sparrows Eavesdrop! (Monday's Memo)

I am always humbled, honored, thrilled, entertained and educated when birds visit my garden (which is atop a roof extension in NYC). 

One dreary cold day (this past winter) I caught a glimpse of a lone Mourning dove having a conversation with a male House sparrow while they perched on the edge of a bird bath which was mostly filled water.

Another male House sparrow cocked his head to eavesdrop.

[Both of these bird types are included in all of my books which have Words In Our Beak in their  title and they are also featured in BIRD TALES. Info re all of these books can be found by clicking here.]

According to a page within Wikipedia, "The verb eavesdrop is a back-formation from the noun eavesdropper ("a person who eavesdrops"), which was formed from the related noun eavesdrop ("the dripping of water from the eaves of a house; the ground on which such water falls")."

This source goes on to say,  in bygone years, "an eavesdropper was someone who would hang from the eve of a building so as to hear what is said within. The PBS documentaries Inside the Court of Henry VIII (April 8, 2015) and Secrets of Henry VIII’s Palace (June 30, 2013) include segments that display and discuss "eavedrops," carved wooden figures Henry VIII had built into the eaves (overhanging edges of the beams in the ceiling) of Hampton Court to discourage unwanted gossip or dissension from the King's wishes and rule, to foment paranoia and fear, and demonstrate that everything said there was being overheard; literally, that the walls had ears."

Not to be outdone by the House sparow who was listening intently to the chirping of the Mourning dove and the other House Sparrow, I cocked my head to eavesdrop, for whenever I hear what birds have to say, I learn something!

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

THINKING OF STARR SAPHIR

CAM, A FEMALE CARDINAL

If you follow TLLG here on Blogger or Facebook, dear reader, then you know that recently much of my content has dealt with the escapades of Cam (the cardinal pictured in the image above), as well as the tales of her unnamed (as of this posting) beau, pictured in the image below...

MAC, A MALE CARDINAL

...and of their romantic interlude (indicated in the following image).

MAC AND CAM: A CARDINAL COUPLE

I'm thrilled with the aforementioned couple, and could continue to write about them for some time to come, but I am dedicating today's post (through the "escapades" of the array of all the birds which visit my garden) to Starr Saphir, a dearly departed birder, who you may read about by clicking here.

Ms. Saphir was known to many for the bird walks that she led in Central Park. Even though I live very near to this park, I've never been on one of her bird walks; or any other bird "event," for that matter, as my interest in birds as well as their antics, is fairly new: I have the feathered creatures to thank for it because they showed up in my garden without an invitation or lure of food other than the vegetation in my garden!

Wednesday's Wisdom: A Re-Visited Lesson! (From Thoreau, whose b'day is today)

SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

On this day in 1817, Henry David Thoreau was born in the town of Concord Massachusetts. I have written about him a number of times here on Blogger, and if you'd like to refer to those posts, please click here. I think of the wisdom shown in Thoreau's writings on many occasions, but even more so when I encounter a house sparrow, which happens on countless occasions, given the number of this bird type that are living in NYC.

The six photographs atop this entry feature sparrows alighting atop various flora as well as various places (during all season) in my rooftop garden.

A Lesson to Learn From Birds

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

I had two non-social distancing birds (a House sparrow and an American robin) stop by my garden the other day which surprised me as I have always heard these types of birds did not get along, so I did some research posing the question, "Do robins and sparrows get along?"

Here is what I found out: from a variety of sources. Despite their differences, sparrows and robins manage to get along pretty well. They can hang out in the same tree, they can even sit on the same branch, but the unwritten rule is to stay out of each others nest.

Not a bad thing for us humans to do during these tumultuous times of the cornavirus pandmeic and unrest due to issues associated with our 2020 preidential election in the United States.

On anothern note, dear reader, both of these bird types are featured in my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

Outdoor dining is for the birds IF they practice social distancing....

SOME BIRD TYPES FEATURED IN WIOB VIEW 1

SOME BIRD TYPES FEATURED IN WIOB VIEW 2

As you can see from the images atop this entry, a lone male House sparrow changed his mind on where to dine. Perhaps the Mourning doves were not practing social distancing (AKA wellness distsncing)... Whatever the case may have been in this situation, the bird types seen here dining in my garden, are featured in my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

Saturday's Sequel: I've met my 14th bird!

This past Saturday while walking in Central Park and being memorized by the antics of a cinnamon colored squirrel (which I wrote about in Monday's post here in Blogger) I also encountered a bird type unfamiliar to me, making this my fourteenth new acquaintance in this Year of the Bird. I have since learned the creature who I noticed is a Song Sparrow and the little one can be seen in the image atop this entry where he/she is ignoring the fact that a fence had a padlock (although there seemed to be no reason for the lock — it wasn't securing anything).

Birds of feather... (Monday's Memo)

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

This past Saturday while walking in Central Park, I came upon a fence where a house sparrow, a female Northern cardinal and a white-breasted sparrow were perching.

On a "neighboring" fence a lone tufted titmouse was hanging out with a couple of white-breasted sparrows. This is evidenced in the photos I took which are posted directly above this entry.

Seeing these different bird types spending time in each others company got me thinking about the origin of the idiom: Birds of a feather flock together.

NYC's Pedi Cab Drivers Spread Fake News! Saturday's Saga

OTHER SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

OTHER SPARROWS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

This past Thursday in my posting here on Blogger, I discussed the fact that a statue of Daniel Webster near the West Seventy Second entrance Central Park is a favorite spot for house sparrows to build their nests.

The Red-Winged Blackbird

Yesterday (here on Blogger) I mentioned that it was Look Up In The Sky Day (LUITSD) and discussed the importance of noticing nature's details which is part for the basis for LUITSD.

However, as you undoubtedly know, dear reader, one doesn't have to look up at the sky to observe aspects of nature. The other day when I was in Central Park, I saw a male Red-Winged Blackbird (in breeding plumage these birds are solid black, with red wing-patches). 

He was among leaves that were on the ground, munching on a peanut, and can be seen in the photograph atop this entry...

Session 21 & A message re hope...

Having an unnerving time these past few days. Being sheltered in place (due to a request from government officials during this coronavirus pandemic) is finally getting to me and yesterday, I accidentally banged my head on my door. I have a huge black and blue shiner and a massive headache so I'm in need of Advil Liquid Gel as it is the only pain reliever that works for me. The stress is compounded by the fact that I can’t seem to reach the super. Maybe he is in lock down or maybe I have the wrong number.

The light is off on the third landing and one of the tenants on that floor is not around. I think the woman across from her  is here but not full time because someone put a night light in the outlet on their floor. BUT the stairs that lead from their floor to the floor where the woman who lives below me is pitch black, for there is no skylight or any source of light on their floor.

When this all started the man that lives a cross from her continued to get tons of deliveries which is standard for him but I think he has now gone away. It is very scary going down those stairs.

Someone gave me a small flashlight which I was grateful to get because mine is broken but  unfortunately it is useless in that total darkness. I have a small battery operated lantern which I’ve been using.

Thankfully I've just received a phone call from the neighbor on my floor that she will be ordering a light to place on that floor via Amazon and the landlord will reimburse her for it, BUT, Amazon will not be able to deliver it to her for several days due to their back log and restrictions.

Moreover, I will be out of toilet paper this afternoon and while it has been ordered for me it will also be several days so I will cut up one of my shirts. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE:

Yesterday, the owner of the building directly west of me created a play area out of colorful chalk for her toddler (it can be seen in the photo atop this entry). The bright colors of the chalk and the squeals of delight from her daughter are welcoming by yours truly.

Yesterday's "bomb cyclone."

MALE CARDINALS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

At one point it was so windy during yesterday's "bomb cyclone" (a winter storm that hit NYC with a vengeance), that the "mohawk" of a male cardinal who was visiting my rooftop garden was blowing back and forth. Not even the stiffest hairspray could've helped his situation, as evidenced by the image atop this entry, where he is alighting upon the branches of my kiwi vines, while a lone male house sparrow tries to hold his own in the background.

My Rear Window

In less than one month's time, on September 1st 2017, it will be the sixty-third anniversary of the movie, Rear Window, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film starred Jimmy Stewart. And the synopsis (stated on Wiki, where I got the image atop this entry), states the following:

"After breaking his leg photographing a racetrack accident, a professional photographer, the adventurous L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies (James Stewart), is confined to a wheelchair in his Greenwich Village apartment to recuperate. His rear window looks out onto a courtyard and several other apartments. During a powerful heat wave, he watches his neighbors, who keep their windows open to stay cool."

Like Jefferie, my NYC apartment (with a garden atop a rooftop terrace, something which Jefferies did not have), my rear window, looks into other apartments, as evidenced in the photo below.

The image was taken by Juan V this past Tuesday when he was here to plant some Toad Lilies, pot my Angusitifolum curry, and to help me keep a drainage problem from getting worse.

My Toad Lilies are indicated by the larger of the two arrows affixed to Juan's image. The vantage point of the image, because it was taken from overhead only gives one a sense of where these plants are located within my garden. However, I have published an entry here on Blogger that features these beautiful plants; and if you'd like to reference, dear reader, please click here.

The smaller arrow is referencing my Angusitifolum curry, which I will write about in the coming days. And the square is highlighting a new centerpiece that's been added to my place. It can be seen in close-up format below.

I am likely to include in a separate blog entry, but the center-piece's photo is here now for purposes of reader known as Sara, for she was instrumental in my having it, and I'd like her to see it, as she lives too far away to travel here.

And with that info, I've digressed enough, for I was speaking about my rear window view being much like Jefferies' except for the garden. The Rear Window character of Jefferie is on my mind today as I have been somewhat confined to my home with a foot injury. I'm not confined to a wheelchair as he was, but I am much more limited in going about my usual routine.

The reason for this being that I have to wear a boot cast which makes it difficult to go up and down the seventy stairs that lead to my place. Going up is actually much better than down in terms of my agility when wearing this cast.

Therefore, I've been attentive to what's going out from the vantage point of my rear window, and have been most fascinated by my view of the array of birds who visit here (as always), especially in relation to "their" wreath-shaped bird feeder that holds the unshelled peanuts that they enjoy eating.

In the following picture, the feeder I'm referring to is indicated with a circle.

In any event, A couple of weeks ago (July 25th), I wrote about a Northern cardinal availing himself of whole peanuts from this feeder. He can be seeing doing this in the next set of pictures.

If you'd like to read about this cardinal's antics and see different images, please click here.

The beaks of a cardinal are designed for un-shelling nuts and seeds which is one topic that is  discussed in the book, Words In Our Beak Volume One. The soft-cover version of this book is  available on MagCloud and it's written in the voice of the female cardinal whose picture is featured on the cover, as evidenced below.

But getting back to my wreath-style bird feeder and the birds who dine from it, sparrows are a bird variety that take pleasure there too, but the task of them eating an unshelled peanut is difficult as their beaks are not designed to open shells!

I suspect this bird type observes other birds eating from the wreath-style feeder and want to get in on the action, even though it is much easier for them to eat black-oil sunflower seeds from my house style feeder that contains their favorite seeds (as seen below).

But maybe house sparrows are like some people, I'm not naming names, in that they like to have what they see others having! For surely it is much easier for a sparrow to eat something other than a  peanut in the shell! However, it was a sparrow attempting to asses the possible ins and outs of getting some peanut crumbs that kept me watching from my rear window. Take a look (the photos have very subtle differences in order for you to see the time and attentiveness this sparrow put into procuring his food choice).