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More Kestrels! In Manhattan’s Chinatown, I recently joined Peregrine Paparazza Marion to check out the three American Kestrels nests she keeps an eye on. Above is the “Big Head” nest. Male looking in, presumably to check on nestlings June 17. At least two fledglings in this Canal Street nest, 6/17. Division Street: no activity seen…

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Rose Curlculio/Merhynchites bicolor on… rose. Relict Rhinoceros/Ligyrus relictus, dead on the sand. Sand Chafer/Strigoderma arbicola in Opuntia cactus flower. Also on Opuntia, a shining flower beetle of some kind. Red Milkweed Beetle/Tetraopes tetrophthalmus on Common Milkweed. Some kind of soft-winged flower beetle on New Jersey Tea. AsianOak Lef Beetle/Demontina modesta on oak. Maybe a mite-eating…

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Marine Park, the more distant nest from the Nature Center. Marine Park, the closer nest. Both these nests seen on the same day, 6/15. Grand Army Plaza, way up on the 14th floor, same day.

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The view from Bear Mountain towards the north, with the Hudson River on the right.

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Looking southish from Bear Mountain, with the Hudson on the left.

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Black-crowned Night Heron numbers in the New York City region are tanking. Pollutants–which will only increase under the fascist-corporate kleptocracy–and human disruption–ditto, for the fish rots from the head–are possible culprits. I saw two out at Marine Park recently. Drinking. Eating a marine worm.

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On iNaturalist, this small colorful beetle has only been observed three times in NYC. All the observations have been at Marine Park during the month of June. Two are from years past, this one my contribution this month. Turns out, there are some similar-looking beetles, but this one seems to be Ursine Spurleg/Brachiacantha ursina. Seemed…

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Nestlings at the second nest I’ve been monitoring this season, June 15th. June 17th. Also June 17th, nearly 4 hours later. June 18th. June 19th. Still somebody in there, glimpsed in lower opening….

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Hanging out with two fledgling American Kestrels.

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