This is SO random and odd but I had to figure out what was going on…? I have a street entrance in the Meatpacking District (if you are stalking me) and today there was a BIG crowd outside my door. This usually means, SJP or Lucy Lui have just been sighted, but just now there were 50+ people with cameras on tripods with telephoto lenses pointing them into the trees in the park across the street and in general, celebs tend to stay of out those trees. After looking intently, I could see what they were looking at… a yellow breasted bird. At first I thought someone’s domesticated bird had flown the coop. But then I overheard the onlookers to say it was a “Couch’s Kingbird”. I went inside looked up the bird and it was trending, bird-watching-wise. The Couch’s kingbird (Tyrannus couchii) is usually found from southern Texas along the Gulf Coast to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, Belize and northern Guatemala and in lower stretches of the Rio Grande Valley. (That’s where I was born, coincidentally.) Birding News had multiple confirmations and found this posting below on The Bird Lists Digest;
“The COUCH’S KINGBIRD (heard giving diagnostic calls and very well photographed by many) was last being seen where reported as posted by Gabriel Willow, the building taking the full length of a short city block between Jane Street & Horatio Street, along the western side of Washington Street… The Kingbird was sought by a small number of us at various locations within a few short blocks very early this a.m., & thanks to Jacob Drucker & Lila Fried the kingbird was seen for a good 15 min’s. or more just north of Bleecker Street & Hudson St. but after a number of us fast-walked to Jacob & Lila’s “alternate” location around 8:15 a.mfor some great views for a short time… the kingbird flew around the corner, west, & as we soon saw, right to the (previously-noted building – first paragraph!), where more & more observers were arriving for great views, the bird perching on balconies, in trees immediately in front of the building, & quite actively appearing to feed on minute or at least small insect life, with temp. around 40+ F. in the bright sun.”
Yes, exciting stuff! Obviously written by an overjoyed “bird nerd” that could hardly contain himself. That explains all the telephoto lenses… (the passerby shots are mine but the bird in the branches was swiped from Google images.) Now the excitement seems to have died down and everyone can get back to returning their presents and shopping 75% off sales. Happy Boxing Day!
