Common on Prospect Park Lake, but uncommon on Green-Wood’s ponds. These two were on the cemetery’s Sylvan Water for at least three days recently.

See more

L.C. Tiffany’s lamps are beyond famous, but did you know his firm also made headstones? There are some 60 in Green-Wood Cemetery, which also happens to be where Tiffany and family members are buried. I think people may be surprised about the Tiffany plot. There’s no mausoleum; no stained glass, just some rather simple, elegant…

See more

See more

Mallards are one of our biggest ducks. Occasionally, Sylvan Water gets some other waterfowl. Behold the many manifestations of a male Hooded Merganser:

See more

One bird you are guaranteed to run across, even this winter, is the Northern Mockingbird. They’ll be giving you the eye.

See more

A close view and a sunny day, that’s what makes for the best urban raptor-viewing.

See more

Please! As I noted yesterday, they have been scant this season. This Red-breasted Nuthatch, barely seen, was the first I’d heard in months. The N. Mockingbirds make sure you see them, at least.

See more

The birds in my patch are few and far between this winter. There are very small numbers even of Juncos and White-throated Sparrows, a typical winter’s mob. The strident calls of Blue Jays are rare. When I heard a nuthatch the other day, I realized it was the first in several months.

See more

The local Great Horned Owls weren’t in their usual perching tree. (One at least was in the nest tree.) So I walked under the perching tree, and saw plenty of evidence of fine owl dining.

See more