June 16. Today I revisited Inwood Hill Park

I spent a couple of hours working hard taking pictures of various birds, including a Great Egret and the most numerous residents, of course: Canada Geese. But none of the photos pleased me at the time. Then, as I was about to leave, I saw some bird tracks in the mud just as the tide was coming back in and I snapped two quick shots. I like one of those two the best. There is a lesson there.

Bird tracks and reflections

Great Egret (Ardea alba) diving for fish

Great Egret gets the fish

Since last October our old friend the Muscovy duck
seems to have gotten himself a new family.



Next generation: born, bred and grass fed in Manhattan.

Canada Geese caught in the wake of the Circle Line boat.


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Tampa (April 8-13)

I spent a few days in Tampa, while Jen met with her colleagues at the annual meeting of ancient historians. These are just a few impressions of one small section of the city, Ibor. Unfortunately I was not there at night when Ibor comes alive.

Entering the National Landmark Ibor Historic District

Ibor Secrets

A party at a beer garden on historic 7th Avenue



Don Quixote and Sancho Panza obstructed by a bolted bench
in front of the landmark Columbia restaurant.






Side trip to St. Petersburg

In St. Petersburg there was of interest: the Dali Museum, lots of birds and a few remaining old buildings. All else it seems was condos, blue sky, The Gulf and the ever present danger of burning up in the sun. It is "Sunshine City."

The Fine Art Museum was a disapointment except for the one work just below.

Dancing on the Street Pave In Gold

And the beach
Caladesi Island State Park

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Inwood

At the northern tip of Manhattan is Inwood, a residential neighborhood with a busy and colorful shopping district west of Broadway. Its park, Inwood Hill, is probably New York city's most scenic, with a wetland area which comes alive with feeding flocks of birds as the tides of the Hudson estuary recede.

Inwood Hill park, seen from Spuyten Duyvil station

Muscovy duck at dusk

Henry Hudson Bridge at low tide

Local residents awakened by an intruder

Geese are well organized

People wander into the park

Others leave interesting traces

... Some have a strange sense of entitlement