January 24; perhaps a half inch long, this rove beetle was scampering around the vertical face of a small bank at the edge of the upper beach. I wonder if it was disrupted from winter sequestration by the erosion. January 30: Seven-spotted Lady Beetle.

See more

An adult Bald Eagle has been hanging out at Prospect Park for a few weeks. It’s even made the gossip pages of New York Magazine. It’s thought this is one of the nesting pair on one of the little islands in Jamaica Bay. Yes, nesting Bald Eagles in Brooklyn! (Making for the second city nest:…

See more

The only warbler you expect this time of year is the Yellow-rumped (Myrtle), hanging out along the dunes of the city’s edges, where they scarf up bayberries. And they usually move in small flocks. Saw some last month on Staten Island. The loner above puzzled me. The yellow under-tail coverts along with the dark tail…

See more

This bend in the linden is a favored perch. But this was the only time I saw a Merlin up there in January. As I was returning some 30-45 minutes later to this spot I heard an unfamiliar sound. The Merlin powered overhead at impressive speed, veered sharply right towards the sun where there was…

See more

This was the same crow as yesterday. I thought the bird was working some raw or rare meat. Common Loon with a crab. Which it chomped down on sending pieces flying.

See more

What a nice surprise–my first Mourning Cloak of the year. And so early, too! This is the second observation in NY state on iNaturalist this month, the first in NYC. It was very sunny and in the low 50s F this morning near noon in the Dell in Green-Wood. Nymphalis antiopa, also known as the…

See more

Ring-billed eating seaweed. Another Ring-billed. Crow stripping the bark off this piece of wood. Presumably to get at something inside the wood.

See more

On the nest, 2-1-23.

See more

Small pellet, small prey. I wonder if this could be a Saw-whet’s pellet? Another, fresher. And another. Separated this one in the wind. Some incisors. Some molars.

See more

Too big for pinecones: a pair of Great Horned Owls. A Great Horned’s pellet. Something Rodenta was a meal, probably Brown Rat. Another pellet, under the same owl-less tree, found the same time as the larger pellet. Looked fresher, was smaller. More GHO, or something else?

See more