Sunday bird blogging

A few more shots of the Cooper's Hawk juvenile from a few weeks ago.

Animation

While I was under the weather, I tried my first animated gif. I've always considered gif's a gimmick, annoying little cutesy flourishes people add to their emails and web sites for no apparent purpose other than irritating innocent bystanders.

But as with everything else in the digital world, there are artists who are making gif's that are funny, thoughtful, stunningly beautiful. The animation is an enhancement, adding a dimension -- time? reality? -- that the still photograph lacks. (See If We Don't, Remember Me for iconic movie images and the amazing Head Like An Orange for nature animations.)

This is a nyala at the Bronx Zoo. I liked the expression on her face, as though someone had just told a very silly joke, and I tried to make her look as though she were laughing. I think she looks more like she's having a seizure, but I figure I can only get better at this.

It's been a long cold lonely winter

Spring arrives officially this week. Although I whine a great deal about winter, especially towards the end, I do appreciate that it has its own beauties. Here are two more shots of Central Park in the grays and browns of late winter (worth clicking to enlarge).

Saturday abstract

I love the word thicket, the way sound and meaning match so exactly. I think this is random underbrush, rather than a true thicket, but I'm calling it that anyway because I like the sound.

And I like the way winter reveals the chaos of all this growth, each branch elbowing the others aside as it reaches for the light.

I'm climbing out of what felt like thirty-six hours straight of deep, dreamless sleep, and the world is startlingly vivid this morning.

Urban poetry

The city, bubble wrapped -- winter skies reflected in blue.

Haiku for the working week

You can start to crave
Even bad break room coffee.
Eventually.

Sunday bird blogging

Here's yet another tufted titmouse, because the world can always use more adorableness.

Seriously. How cute is that?

Saturday reflections

The Post-Impressionistic reflection in a window on West 43rd Street. I think Cézanne's ghost is smiling in approval.

One more

I almost used this for urban poetry, but the playground shot seemed more appropriate.

But I'm throwing this one up anyway, because after a few crisp sunny days (I took this Sunday) we're facing yet another winter storm and mostly just because I like it.

Urban poetry

The local playground, empty in the early evening.

Sunday bird blogging

Central Park is famous for its red-tailed hawks, but here's another local raptor -- a juvenile Cooper's hawk.

He may be a youngster, only half the size of an adult red-tail, but he's definitely mastered the Hawk Death Glare.

FYI, Bob Woodward, if you're reading this, no threat is intended or implied. We won't let the mean birdie hurt you.

Geometries

Metal staircase against white brick: shapes and angles in shades of gray.