Oh, Rapture! Seven Raptors!

Between Nov. 10 and Nov. 14, I was able to photograph seven different raptors in Central Park. I was able to see at least three more, flying above, that I wasn't able to photograph. On Nov. 10, I saw two Cooper's hawks, two first-year red-tailed hawks, and one adult red-tailed hawk flying (probably one of the Sheep Meadow hawks). Nov. 11, I filmed a first-year red-tailed hawk perched over Literary Walk, and Nov. 12 and 13 I filmed a young adult red-tailed hawk near Bethesda Fountain and the Bandshell (on Nov. 13, I also saw Octavia, Pale Male's mate, on a building on Fifth Avenue, but wasn't able to get a good photo or video; I also saw two adult hawks flying over the Mall, probably the Sheep Meadow couple). Nov. 14, I was fortunate enough to watch Pale Male eat a rat behind the Met Museum. 

First-year red-tailed hawk over the Mall, Nov. 10, 2016

Cooper's hawk over Strawberry Fields, Nov. 10, 2016

Cooper's hawk near the Boathouse, Nov. 10, 2016

First-year red-tailed hawk near the Boathouse, Nov. 10, 2016

Artful Dining

I have posted several photos of Pale Male having dinner. On Nov. 14, I filmed him once again, dining on a rat behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Pale Male, over East Drive across from the obelisk, Nov. 14, 2016

Hawk! Hawk! Hawk! Hawk! Hawk! Hawk!

Nov. 10 was a great day for hawks, with five sightings. Nov. 11, 12 and 13 gave me more sightings, of one of the first-year red-tailed hawks and a young adult red-tailed hawk. Also seen were Octavia on a building across from the Met Museum, and adult hawks flying over the Mall.

On Nov. 13, the young adult red-tailed hawk was eating a pigeon across from the Bandshell. Feathers were flying and the dining was pretty graphic. At one point, two older adult red-tailed hawks were seen flying over the Mall, and the young adult grabbed the pigeon dinner, flew with it near the flagpole, stashed the meal in a tree and flew off, kiering, after the flying adults.

Four Sagas Are Now in the Archives!

There was a time when I believed in love, hope and Christmas. I wrote stories about dreams and dreams coming true. I created a character called Purple Monster, and she became the North Pole Ambassador. I also created a character called the Chronicler, who had issues, but faithfully recorded the exploits of our magical heroine and her friends and family in Christmas Monsterland and at the North Pole. Thus came about the PM Sagas, and thus came about this Web site and blog.

A number of the PM Sagas have been placed online for your reading pleasure. I have just added four more:

Crisis at the North Pole, or Yet Another Christmas Story

In this third Saga, SEGWAC malevolently disorients the North Pole crew with a hallucinogenic drug.

A Christmas Love Story, or the PM Saga, Book IV

PM becomes North Pole Ambassador, is kidnapped, and meets Alabaster Eggshell, the Christmas Monster of her dreams.

A Very Moral Christmas Story, The PM Saga, Book 5: The Fantasy Strikes Back

Santa is called before the Un-Christmas Activities Committee by the Purity Plurality.

A Christmas Visitor, or, The PM Saga, Book 6

Ho! Ho! Ho! A UFO!: The North Pole is bonked by an alien spacecraft carrying Relicta, the ET IT; and PM and Alabaster get married.

Ducks Make Me Happy!

In the midst of despair, I have turned to ducks to counter my depression. There is Woody, of course, and yesterday he offered great solace. Today, I offer you the American wigeon, the newest entry in the Filming the Feathers series.

American wigeon, Prospect Park, November 6, 2016

I first saw a wigeon in March 2014 on the Reservoir in Central Park. Then on Sunday, after a nature walk in Prospect Park, we came upon a pair of wigeons gorging on duckweed north of the Lake. What joy to watch them. Little did we know of the coming apocalypse!

So enjoy these dabblers. We were amazed at the high-pitched whistle they squeaked when chasing off some American black ducks. The mallards could be tolerated, apparently, but not the black duckies!

This first grouping is of the ice skater in March 2014.

And these are the dabblers from November 2016:

So let's celebrate the duckies before the climate change deniers and the hunters take over the Department of the Interior and these guys become even harder to find!