Critters, Streetside

Photo by myself at 42nd Street and Vanderbilt Ave. in Midtown.

A man unloaded his companions, in front of Grand Central Station at rush hour.

From left to right: a black cat, three guinea pigs, a dog and another dog. The first dog is a little difficult to see because of the loud (animal-themed) prints.

My fiancé Mark pointed out that not all the animals in the photo are real. There is a stuffed animal on the bottom bunk, below the guinea pigs. No doubt that the top bunk is the preferred spot.

I have mixed feelings when I come across people who have pets or children with them on the sidewalk, but I stopped to give the man a couple dollars.

I was surprised by the proximity of guinea pigs to cat. The guinea pigs were nearly motionless, whether because they were afraid or just hanging out (they looked very relaxed to me). A few seconds later, the man reached into a carrier and brought out several parakeets (!).

Related posts: Cat on a Leash, in Midtown, Odd and Colorful Birds, in Bryant Park, and The Hua Mei Bird Garden, in Chinatown.

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A Bit of Nature in New York

Photo by myself, somewhere in the East Village.

Here's a palate cleanser, a little nature in the city.

Our dog Rupert encountered a little stylish dog in the East Village a while ago.

You know the type - a chip on the shoulder, a certain bounce in his walk. He probably knows everything about celebrity gossip and has several tattoos. ;-)

The East Village is still a little rough around the edges. Their fashion sense follows suit.

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Meanwhile, Saturday morning, we were in Prospect Park. Dogs are allowed to run around off leash before 9 am.

Out of nowhere, a little bird flew up to another dog owner and perched on his shoulder. The little bird started hopping around on the man's arms. It was bizarre, and several people noticed.

The man took out a dog biscuit and started feeding the bird. I talked to him briefly and he was just as astounded but remained calm, so not to startle the bird.

I saw something about birds on tv a while ago, where a similar thing happened with a goose. Out of nowhere, the goose decided to attach himself to a man, and a relationship ensued.

Birds tend to make long attachments, so I have to wonder whether the little bird and man are still together?

Related posts: The Bird Man of Washington Square Park, On Swinging Jazz and Sniffing Dogs and Odd and Colorful Birds, in Bryant Park.

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Happy Easter from the Wild Parrots of Brooklyn

Photo by myself in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Happy Easter, everyone!

This was the most Spring-like photo I have, though believe it or not, these birds live in Brooklyn year-round. These birds were snacking outside a house in Park Slope, where we live.

Wild parrots thrive Brooklyn and...yes, they flock together. They are a nice relief to the pigeons and little birds.

I posted about the wild parrots a couple years ago. The website I mentioned at the time, Brooklyn Parrots, is still going strong. Steve Baldwin, the blog owner, posts news and wonderful photos of these birds in flight.

According to Steve, this species of bird was released in the US in the late 1960s, when there was a surplus in Argentina.

Steve conducts monthly parrot tours through Brooklyn. The next safari is on May 7th, and is free to the public. Just email Steve at his website to attend.

For the Brooklyn Parrots blog, click here.

Related posts: On Rupert and the Wild Parrots of Brooklyn, Odd and Colorful Birds, in Bryant Park and The Hua Mei Bird Garden, in Chinatown.

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Happy Thanksgiving Week

Photo by myself in Battery Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan.

It's Thanksgiving week in the States. A week of travel, gatherings and feasting.

Above, a large wild bird in Battery Park. I'm not sure whether this is a turkey, but he looks very close to one!

Nice to know that there are birds in New York beyond the humble pigeon. Red tailed hawks lurk in Central Park. Parrots flock together in Brooklyn. Years ago, I saw a gorgeous orange rooster in Riverside Park. And now, a large wild bird downtown!

Related posts: The Hua Mei Bird Garden, in Chinatown, The Bird Man of Washington Square Park and Odd and Colorful Birds, Bryant Park.

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The Bird Man of Washington Square Park

Photo by myself in Washington Square Park.

A man communed with his pigeon friends, Saturday afternoon.

What started out as a few visiting pigeons very quickly became an excited flurry of feathers. There must have been over fifty birds in the end, all over this guy and on the ground.

We New Yorkers can be a direct bunch. A woman walking by asked him, 'What's so special about you?'

Pigeon Guy replied, 'They trust me'.


Just before the storm of pigeons descended. The bird man's friend knew what was to come.

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Mark, Rupert and I visited Washington Square Park, Saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful Fall day and the park was filled with people.

Two groups of musicians were playing. Joe Mangrum, the sand artist, was finishing up yet another beautiful creation, an acrobatic group had drawn a huge crowd, people milled about the fountain and chatted. And all of this was happening at once.

The space was humming with excitement. I have to wonder whether New York has ever had this vibe before, where it's been so festive on a daily basis. Walking through the public spaces, you feel like you're in a small, friendly, artistic town. More photos to come.

Related posts: Asleep on the D Train, Napping Together, Underground and On the Ride Home.

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The Hua Mei Bird Garden, Chinatown

Photo by myself at the Hua Mei Bird Garden in Sara Delano Roosevelt Park, at Chrystie and Delancey Streets.

If you're ever in New York during the warmer months, stop by the Hua Mei Bird Garden on your way to Chinatown, Soho or the Lower East Side for a little taste of nature.

A small enclave of cages are suspended around eye level, each containing a tiny song bird. They jumped about very quickly while emitting bright peeps. Other cages were placed on the ground for larger songbirds, which sang more complicated songs. The result is a small cacophony.

The birds, an assortment of white-eyed finches, blue jays, starlings and sparrows, are owned by a group of 20-some Chinese men, who bring their pets during the week and on weekends. While I was there, one gentleman lovingly fed his bird live worms.

The birds were first displayed in the park in the mid-1990's. Since the tradition began, there is a designated area called the Hua Mei Bird Garden.


For an article about the park in the Times, click here.
NPR did a short broadcast about Hua Mei, which includes some of the birdsong:


Related posts: Odd and Colorful Birds, in Bryant Park, On Rupert and the Wild Parrots of Brooklyn and Getting the Goods on Canal Street.

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Odd and Colorful Birds, Bryant Park

Photo by myself in Bryant Park.

Several exotic birds were on display in Bryant Park last week. It was an official Park installation, where you could see the birds up close.

There were several birds, large and tiny. I was drawn to the tiny one. Their caretaker was generous enough to perch him on my finger.

Here he is, above, looking very sleepy. As soon as he got to my finger, he started blinking out of sheer exhaustion, the poor thing.

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Apparently the exotic birds are part of display called 'Meet the Birds', held at the park each Tuesday, near the Carousel.

The birds are brought in from the Arcadia Bird Sanctuary of New Jersey, a non-profit organization that saves these animals from abuse, injury or homelessness. Often the birds, which have lifespans of up to 80 years, will outlive their owners. Thus the homelessness.


Bigger parrot friends, sharing a perch.


Another view of this lovely creature, this time on his caretaker's hand.

If you want to see these gorgeous animals in person, act soon. The display has taken place throughout the summer and there are only two Tuesdays left. The birds are there til September 29!

For more photos of the birds, visit the Bryant Park Blog.

Visit the Arcadia Bird Sanctuary in Freehold, New Jersey, to see how they've rescued hundreds of birds.

Related posts: On Rupert and the Wild Parrots of Brooklyn, On Dogs and Dogs and Cats on Leashes.

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On Rupert and The Wild Parrots of Brooklyn

Photo by myself of our puppy Rupert, in bed.

Our dog enjoys sleeping in, often crawling under the covers.

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Apologies for all the animal photos recently - I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Hopefully the coming weekend will provide some nice recuperation.

Meanwhile, here's another story about animals in New York:

Believe it or not, Brooklyn is known for flocks of wild parrots. Mark and I see them at feeders in our neighborhood. Yes, parrots, those sociable green birds you imagine hanging out in tropical forests. How they manage to survive our winters is a mystery, but the parrots are here, and they are flourishing.

Brooklyn Parrots is a website dedicated to the wild parrots in Brooklyn. The site presents dramatic photos of the birds in flight, as well as loads of historical information.

In fact, you can attend safaris with blog's author Steve Baldwin. Steve conducts tours around Brooklyn, tracking the parrots in their favorite haunts. The next safari is on March 14th and will tour through Brooklyn College and the Greenwood Cemetery.

Do check out this lovely site if you can, here.

Related posts: On Dogs in the City, Man and Companion on the Sidewalk and Unleashed in Long Island.

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