Wildlife Photography

After gracing our presence for more than a month, the Great Horned Owl that was discovered during the 2005 Central Park Christmas count took off for parts unknown. I took this photo on the last night he was seen, Friday, January 27th.

This photo was taken after the owl had hopped down to a lower branch and was stretching in anticipation of the evening's activities. This was my last photo of the day.

I walked over to a park bench about 20 yards from where a small crowd had gathered under the tree where the owl was perched. I was putting away the last of my gear when I heard someone yell "There he goes." When I looked over I saw the crowd had taken off in hot pursuit. I did not see the owl fly but based on the crowd's behavior I figured the bird had gone west.

I don't know what happened after that because I left the park but I hear this is pretty typical of what happens at a "fly out."

The Great Horned Owl was never seen in the park again.

There are more photos of him here: http://www.calvorn.com/gallery/photo.php?photo=6042

Posted by Cal Vornberger at 1/28/2006 03:53:00 PM | Permalink   

I was up at the Harlem Meer yesterday photographing Buffleheads and was just about to pack up and leave when I glanced up and saw this huge bird about 40-50 feet circling overhead. What a shock when I realized it was a mature Bald Eagle. I swung my camera around and was able to get a few shots off before he headed west. He didn't circle again and kept on flying.

I have never seen a Bald Eagle flying this low over the park before and there has never been a report of one landing in the park.

More photos here: http://www.calvorn.com/gallery/photo.php?photo=6026

Posted by Cal Vornberger at 1/18/2006 12:32:00 PM | Permalink   

This photograph of a male House Finch exhibiting symptoms of "House Finch Conjunctivitus" was taken at the feeders in the Ramble yesterday.

House Finch Conjunctivitis is actually Mycoplasma gallisepticum and was originally a disease found only in domestic poultry. Apparently it jumped the species barrier, most probably at a poultry farm in Maryland or Virginia because the disease began showing up down there in House finches in 1994-95. It has now spread throughout the country. Both eyes eventually crust over and the blinded bird either starves to death or is predated.

The disease has, thus far, been confined to House Finches but other songbirds are susceptible. The National Center for Infectious Diseases has been tracking the infection. More information is available on their Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol3no1/fischer2.htm

This is only the second instance of MG I have seen the park. The first was in the fall of 2004 at the birdbath in the Conservatory Garden. A larger photo can be seen here: http://www.calvorn.com/gallery/photo.php?photo=6031

Posted by Cal Vornberger at 1/17/2006 12:44:00 PM | Permalink   

I photographed this Tufted Titmouse recently at the Harlem Meer. He was quite interested in this fishing lure that had gotten stuck in the underbrush of the island. There are four lures stuck in the trees of the island at this writing.

Three years ago I photographed a Great Blue Heron with a lure stuck in his wing with the trailing monofilament wrapped around his legs. The monofilament was stopping circulation and the bird was in bad shape. After numerous appeals to the NYC Parks Dept., the creation of a special Web page that documented the bird's plight, and the enlistment of David Burg of WildMetro, the bird was finally captured and the lure and monofilament removed.

Info about the Great Blue Heron can be found on my old Web site at: http://www.calvorn.com/heron.htm

A larger photo of the Titmouse can be seen at: http://www.calvorn.com/gallery/photo.php?photo=6010

Posted by Cal Vornberger at 1/10/2006 01:19:00 PM | Permalink   

The Gray Morph Eastern Screech-owl that lived in the London Plane tree next to the Lake in Central Park has not been seen in his usual hole lately. Some people speculate that it may have fallen victim to the Great Horned Owl who roosts not more than 100 yards away.

According to Donald S. Heintzelman in his excellent book Hawks and Owls of Eastern North America, "Avian prey represents about 10 percent of a horned owl's diet. Species taken include...Red-tailed Hawks, Barn Owls, Eastern Screech-Owls, Barred Owls, Long-eared Owls, Short-eared Owls, and Northern Saw-whet Owls."

Boy, you better lock-up your owls when a Great Horned Owl is around!

More Gray morph Eastern Screech-owl photos here: http://www.calvorn.com/gallery/photo.php?photo=5913

We have some Red Morphs in the park too. They are still around. Photos of one of them can be seen here: http://www.calvorn.com/gallery/photo.php?photo=5927

This Tufted Titmouse is looking in the empty hole where the Gray morph used to sleep.

Posted by Cal Vornberger at 1/03/2006 04:22:00 PM | Permalink