From my Manhattan Window (13 Viewers)

[Pinewood]

As to the Mandarin, once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker

Sounds like it's been a pretty good bird sighting for you the past couple of weeks.

I've gotten some good Kestrel shots this past week which you can see in my Gallery if you care to.

Thanks,

Tthis one is just like what I observed on Sunday.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[Pinewood]

Hello,

Sunday, I had a two owl day: that barred owl and a northern saw whet owl.

I am not in New York, but I should return by the 29th, inst.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur:hi:

 

[ceasar]

Hello,

Sunday, I had a two owl day: that barred owl and a northern saw whet owl.

I am not in New York, but I should return by the 29th, inst.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur:hi:

You have left New York?:h?:

I hope you enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving Day!

Bob

 

[Pinewood]

Hello Bob,

I decided to burn 70,000 sky miles. Today, I am in Paris; tomorrow in Provence. I seem to have missed a frigid Thanksgiving.

A happy holiday weekend to all. Strangely, Paris was full of Black Friday sales.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

 

[KC Foggin]

Wow! Lucky you and enjoy yourself Arthur!

 

[Pinewood]

Hello all,

I returned in the wee hours of Thursday. I returned from Paris by way of Atlanta. Since it was a cheap ticket, my only alternative was to return by way of Seattle.

I was so exhausted and jet lagged that I did not visit Central Park, until this morning. On my short visit, I did see a red tailed hawk having breakfast, both white breasted and red breasted nuthatches, and the usual cardinals, blue jays, tufted titmice, black capped chickadees, northern shovellers, a downy woodpecker, even a double crested cormorant, and white throated sparrows. There was nothing unusual but all welcoming me home.

I enclose a selfie from my trip. You can puzzle out my location.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[KC Foggin]

Welcome back Arthur!

I won't even attempt to figure out where in Paris you are in your image but nice to see your face

Get some rest guy.

 

[delia todd]

I hope the weather was kinder to you in Paris than it was here Arthur.... so dark and wet these last few weeks.

It's great to see you're home safely and it's wonderful to be able to see your face too. Many thanks for showing us your picture my friend.

 

[Pinewood]

Hello KC and Delia,

Thank you for the kind thoughts. I had written that I was going to Provence, so that is where I took the selftie. The building in the background might be enough for someone to recognise the city.

Paris was dark and wet. I was a couple of kms from Saturday's demonstrations, near the Elysée Palace, but Metro stations were closed and 'bus routes were suspended, making Saturday night a bit inconvenient. I admire the French passion in exercising their right to expression but the demonstration got a bit out of hand.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :brains:

 

[delia todd]

Would it be at Arles Arthur?

 

[Pinewood]

Not far from Arles

Would it be at Arles Arthur?

Hello Delia,

No, but it is not far from Arles. I attach a better image of the background building. It is still being used for French, non-lethal, bull fighting and for the occasional mock gladiatorial combats.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[delia todd]

Is Nimes 'near' then LOL. If not I fear I'm stuck and will have to wait for someone else to try!!!

I don't really know that part of France too well I'm afraid.

 

[Pinewood]

Is Nimes 'near' then LOL. If not I fear I'm stuck and will have to wait for someone else to try!!!

I don't really know that part of France too well I'm afraid.

Hello Delia,

You know it well enough to locate the Arêna. I stayed on a street which was virtually the same as the ancient Roman road, the Via Domitia. At the start of the Rue National is the Port Augusta, one of two ancient gates to the city. In the photograph, one might be able to discern a bronze statue of Augustus.

Near the Arena, is a magnificent Hellenistic temple, which has managed to survive in good order: the Maison Carré. I would think that the statuary has been removed from the pediment as was the inscription below the pediment. Otherwise, it looks great for a 2,000 year-old structure.

Was it Julius Caesar who said, "All of Gaul, I have divided in three: the land of oil, the land of butter and the land of lard," referring to the the three main culinary modes of France? Perhaps it was Julia Childs, the American champion of French cuisine who said that. In any case, Nïmes is definitely in the land of oil, with very fine eating.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[delia todd]

Oh Thank you Arthur.

LOL I've not been there since I was in my mid-late teens with my parents. I can only remember odd highlights from that trip now..... some ancient ruins amongst them LOL.

 

[Pinewood]

off season surprises

Hello,

I missed the truly frigid weather of two weeks, ago, but we have had overnight frost and there was ice this morning in some parts of the Lake.

I have seen very little new. Although I did get another look at that barred owl, which may be one of two in Central Park. I am pretty sure that I saw a kinglet on Monday. On Monday, I actually saw a male red winged blackbird, which was surprising. Today, I saw a northern mockingbird, on the shore of Turtle Pond and a great blue heron, wading in the shallows of the same pond. I have been disappointed in not my seeing more than two different species of woodpeckers in a day, generally a red bellied and a downy.

All images by Louis Agassiz Fuertes.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[Jos Stratford]

LOL I've not been there since I was in my mid-late teens with my parents. I can only remember odd highlights from that trip now..... some ancient ruins amongst them LOL.

Were the ruins ancient even back then?

 

[delia todd]

Were the ruins ancient even back then?

Oooh!!! You cheeky b* Jos!!!

 

[KC Foggin]

Hello,

I missed the truly frigid weather of two weeks, ago, but we have had overnight frost and there was ice this morning in some parts of the Lake.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Thick frost down here in Myrtle Beach this a.m. Arthur and a slight chance of snow this weekend.

 

[Pinewood]

Snow in the wind

Thick frost down here in Myrtle Beach this a.m. Arthur and a slight chance of snow this weekend.

A chance of snow, tonight, in New York City.

Arthur :hi:

 

[Pinewood]

Hello,

I last saw a pine siskin on Sunday. I spotted another male red winged blackbird, today, as well as an American goldfinch. Central Park is now being visited by a couple of barred owls, as well as the northern saw whet owl.

Yesterday and today, I saw a great horned owl in oak trees: first at Azalea Pond and then at Abodia field. That owl was harassed by American crows, on both days, but today a Cooper Hawk may have scared off the crows. There are rather many red tailed hawks about as well. I still have managed only two woodpeckers in a day: downy and red bellied woodpeckers.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe: