Something I discovered arguably too late in life was that New York City has a tremendous amount of biodiversity, specifically among the avians.
In winter of 2022, my dear friend Buster pulled me out of a funk by insisting that I bring my camera to help him find Flaco, the eurasian eagle owl that had recently escaped from the Central Park Zoo. With nothing better to do, I obliged.
The skies were white on a day that would be described as warm for February but cold for fall. A blue jay apparently flew over head. I missed it. There was a silhouetted woodpecker that I likely regarded as "neat." Everything was either over or underexposed, and to me, they all looked like birds.
And then a red tail hawk landed at eye level, about 6 feet in front of me. It sat there for about 10 seconds. I aimed my lens at it. It flew. My shutter clicked.
And this was the ensuing photo.
Since then, I have fallen in love with birds, and the hundreds of different species that flock in and out of New York every year.
Herons, Egrets, and more
Great Blue Heron #1
Great Blue Heron #2
Great Blue Heron #3
Great Blue Heron #4
Great Blue Heron #5
Great Egret#1
Great Egret #2
Great Egret #3
Birds of Prey
Cooper's Hawk
Red-Tail Hawk, Midmeal #1
Red-Tail Hawk, Midmeal #2
Red-Tail Hawks, The Mating Dance of Death
Red Tail Hawk Silhouette
Flaco, The Eurasian Eagle Owl
