What's New in New York City - the June 9, 2009 edition

Today the long awaited High Line in open for business or rather park-ness. It's a little sad that the weather was not more cooperative. Maybe all of those thunderclaps and lightning flashes were really just part of the celebration of the train line-turned-park, and greening of an eye-sore. While their are many places to access the park, an elevator is located at 16th & Washington St. for the handicapped and those of us with strollers.

Yesterday marks the start of an open air art installation in Central Park known as the Central Park Sound Tunnel. It's located in the tunnel by the Central Park Zoo's Tisch Children's Zoo and plays every half hour for 20 minutes from 8am until 8pm. As it plays so often (and for so long) and runs through September 10, 2009, it seems impossible not to hear it if you're anywhere in the area. That doesn't really stop me from wanting to run over there as soon as the weather clears. =)

Halloween in Central Park, a spooky good time

Central Park is offering fantastic Halloween events starting... well, yesterday.  Here's the line-up:

Halloween Crafts for Tots 

Thursday, October 23rd,  12-3pm at the Chess and Checkers House

Seasonal arts and crafts led by the Chess & Checkers House staff 

Pumpkin Festival

Saturday, October 25th, 3-8pm at Bethesda Fountain, the Bandshell, Cherry Hill AND the 72nd Street Travers (hay ride anyone?)

When Columbia and I went several years ago, sans children, it was definitely organized with kiddies in mind.  Now it has been revamped, and made later in the day, to include activities geared towards adults.  Events include a pumpkin patch (yep, with free pumpkins), haunted house and the popular Jack O'Lantern Tower.  If you still think you need to have kids to attend, why not volunteer instead?

Spooks at Belvedere

Saturday, October 25th, 4-8pm at Belvedere Castle

Belevedere Castle as a haunted house!?!  This we have to see!  Then we'll stay for the showing of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.  

Halloween Night Hike

Saturday, October 25th, 7pm starting at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center

The north woods at night?  Only with park Rangers leading the way and s'mores waiting for me at the end.  

Halloween Pumpkin Sail

Sunday, October 26th, 4-7pm at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center

Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away your pumpkin with me... and hundreds others.  There will also be storytelling, crafts, music and treats.  

All events are free!  Now if the Central Park Conservancy could just help me figure out Pumpkin's costume...

Kayak and See the Waterfalls... just not at the same time

This is the last weekend for 2 FREE water activities: kayaking on the Hudson River and the Waterfalls Exhibit.

NYC Waterfalls: The exhibit ends on Monday, October 13th. The hours have been greatly reduced due to the salt water spraying on the nearby trees (yes, I'm telling the truth). The falls are now only flowing from 12:30pm - 9pm (and maybe only 5:30pm-9pm on Monday). There are several prime viewing locations, including the free ferry to Governor's Island.

Kayaking on the Hudson - Columbia and I have longed to take advantage of this free opportunity... and have missed it again this year. This is the last weekend to take advantage: so if the weather is nice (you can call ahead at 646-613-0740), head to 72nd and Hudson River between 10am and 5pm for some kayaking fun. I'm sure you'll smell better than Kramer when it's through!

Warbler Photos

JC's first encounter with the Black-Throated Blue Warbler on Tuesday, shots taken via camera phone... unfortunately, there was no surprise in what you'd expect from a 2+ year old camera phone!


Yesterday morning, JC got another chance! She grabbed the camera and Pumpkin and darted outside to grab these shots. Success!




As I was coming home yesterday, JC told me to "see if our friend was still outside." I really expected to find a half-dressed homeless man. But instead I saw this gorgeous warbler! I grabbed the "big camera" out of hibernation and snapped off a few.

An Unusual Visitor

This is NOT outside our apt, you'll understand my difficulties with photography below...

Columbia and I used to be big time bird watchers. We even almost made it in with the Central Park Birders... almost. There was the day that Marie Winn remembered who we were, but that was also the day Columbia proposed. Thus ending our free time and bird watching. Mostly.

Yesterday, as Pumpkin and I were returning from running errands, a bird caught my attention. It wasn't 'just a sparrow' frolicking in the plants outside our building, but an unusual bird I hadn't seen before. It reminded me of a catbird, but was much too small. I tried to take a picture with my phone (note: people on one income do not have phones with cameras good enough to take a picture of a tiny bird hopping around a shady area) but realized I was going to have to rely on my eyes. Thin black beak, dark hood, white belly, white bar on it's wing. I thought it might be migrating and stopping over for a break near Central Park, as many birds do.

After Pumpkin was in bed for the night, I did a little research. I first looked at the Birds of New York Field Guide, as it's such an easy book to use. However, this doesn't account for many of the birds that migrate through. Next up Peterson's Guide. It's much more difficult to use but I began to narrow it down. Definitely a warbler... Hmmmm... Then I remembered the bird list. There's a list compiled every day of the birds seen in Central Park - people really do take birding seriously here. I located the list, looked at the warblers, cross references with Peterson, considered the possibility of color variation with the shaded plant area outside our apartment, and FOUND IT!

A black-throated blue warbler!

It occurred to me that this is what our cat was going bonkers for at the window earlier in the day. I'm glad it wasn't a 4 legged creature as it'd feared...


Posted picture used under creative commons license from Flickr user scubapup.

Fly like an Eagle... or watch eagles fly for free, anyway

This Sunday, October 5th, is the annual Falconry Extravaganza in Central Park's East Meadow. While we've never been, we hear it's an amazing exhibit of birds of prey. You can see them soar and swoop up close and personal. We'll just have to hope Pumpkin doesn't think it's the petting zoo...

You can find more information here. Oh, and it's free!

Red tailed hawk photo by Columbia.

Don't pitch that pine!

How would you like to help New York City grow? How about reducing space in your local landfill? What's that? You do? Well, you're in luck, for all you need this weekend is one pine tree, much like the one in your living room.

Bring your Christmas tree (sans ornaments and lights, pine needles optional) to a mulchfest site this coming weekend.

• Locations in all boroughs
• Jan 5th and 6th
• 10am - 2pm.

For more info and to find locations near you, check out NYC's mulchfest site.


Picture taken by me, 2007

Red-Tailed Hawks - Manhattan and Queens

Those of you that know DW and me, know that we've got a fondness for nature. We used to birdwatch regularly, but those days are few and far between right now. It's okay though, summer is coming and a little outdoors r&r is in store.

Our birdwatching adventures were kicked off by Pale Male, the red-tailed hawk who made his nest at 5th avenue. We starting watching around the time the nest was taken down (the second time), and became hooked after reading Red-Tails in Love by Marie Winn. The PBS documentary Nature - Pale Male is dreamlike; it puts visuals to the stories in Marie's book.

These past three years haven't been good to the 5th avenue pair, as none of their eggs have hatched. While it is sad, nature (and the internet) finds life in place of none.

The NYC Audubon Society has a webcam focused on a nest in Queens, with two eyasses. Check it out now though -- they're growing fast.

If you're in central park, go to the model boat pond and check out the daily air shows.

link: Queens webcam (image from Audubon site)
link: Pale Male's site
link: Marie Winn's Blog