Climate: A blast of cold, with a maximum temperature of 20 years and gusts of up to 40 mph (at least it will be sunny). At the weekend, maximum of about 30; a snowstorm begins to arrive on Sunday.
Alternative side parking: Effective until February 11 (Lunar New Year’s Eve).
From “hot ducks” to snow owls, New York City has seen a flurry of avian celebrities in recent years.
These surprising species often invade the city and attract thousands of admirers on social media, lots of stories in the news and flocks of bird watchers in person.
The most recent was a white owl that landed on the football fields of Central Park on Wednesday.
[Snowy owl is spotted in Central Park, for first time in 130 years.]
Here is a summary of some of the city’s feathered luminaries.
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
The Snow Owl, a young female with thick black stripes on her white feathers, appeared early on Wednesday and spent most of the day examined by a crowd of bird watchers and tormented by crows and a hawk.
It seems that she quickly grew tired of the attention. On Thursday afternoon, no one was able to find her in the park.
Barred Owl (Strix varies)
Barry, a barred owl that was first spotted in Central Park in October, is more active during the day than most owls and “has become something of an artist,” as my colleague Lisa M. Collins wrote in November .
Another barred owl appeared at Riverside Park in late 2020, but soon changed. Barry, who seems to have gotten used to his audience, is still around.
Sharp owl (Aegolius acadicus)
A sharp owl, a thrush-sized bird of prey with piercing yellow eyes, appeared hungry and dehydrated on the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in November. The owl was rehabilitated and safely returned to nature.
Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)
Who can forget the “hot duck” that started the latest celebrity bird trend? The brilliantly feathered mandarin duck became internationally known after it appeared in Central Park in 2018, drawing crowds of hundreds and inspiring many people to practice bird watching for the first time.
Heron (Ardea herodias)
At about the same time that the mandarin duck was causing a commotion, some park goers started sharing photos of a blue heron. He was a regular inhabitant of the park with remarkable celestial plumage.
News coverage of the new hot bird soon followed.
From The Times
Deaths by viruses severely underestimated in NY in nursing homes, says the report
How the Mayor of Blasio plans to take the city out of the pandemic
A lecture on ‘Sneakers x Culture: Collaboration’
In Friday at 19h, learn about the history of tennis collaborations in a discussion with Elizabeth Semmelhack, author of the book “Sapatilhas x Cultura: Collab”.
Sign up for the free live stream on the event page.
Staten Island Ship Cemeteries
Explore the ship cemeteries of Staten Island in Friday at 19h In Part 1 of this webinar, participants take a virtual trip to the neighborhood’s South Shore with a local historian and educator, Jeffrey DG Cavorley.
Buy a ticket ($ 10) on the event page.
‘Sheldon Raymore: Considering Two-Spiritedness’
In Saturday at 3:30 pm, join interdisciplinary artist and activist Sheldon Raymore in a conversation about his work and video performance “Two-Spirit Tipi”.
RSVP for free on the event page.
It’s Friday – have fun.
Metropolitan Daily: Leaving
Dear Diary:
It was September 1969. I had just finished college and was in Manhattan for a few days before boarding a ship to do graduate school abroad.
My plans changed abruptly when I received a phone call informing me that the recruitment board had refused my request to leave the country. I was coming home to California.
“Don’t worry,” said the receptionist the next morning, when I explained why I was leaving early. “It will work.”
When I got home, I learned that a friend of my brothers who was a lawyer had given me a nine-month extension. I would get my scholarship and two semesters abroad, but I needed to get back to New York quickly.
My ship pier was no longer available, but I was told that one could open if someone canceled.
After an early flight from San Francisco, I returned to the same hotel. The next morning, I called the fellowship office. No vacancies had been opened.
“Just get down to the dock as fast as you can,” I was advised.
I took a taxi to the pier.
“It will work very well,” said the driver when I left.
At the boarding gate, I watched the passengers disappear on the board while waiting by the side.
“It will work,” said a shipping company official when I explained my situation.
The passenger aisle slid away. The ship’s steam whistle rattled the dock. The officer checked his clipboard and left. My heart sank.
I felt someone grab my elbow. It was the commissioner. He took me towards the crew’s bridge and we boarded just before the ship turned to the Hudson.
“But where am I going to sleep?” I asked.
“We have nothing at the moment,” said the commissioner as he sent me to explore, “but we will contact you.”
– Patrick W. O’Bryon
New York Today is published on weekdays around 6 am Sign here to get it by email. You can also find at nytoday.com.
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