THE BIRDS OF JAPAN--MT. TAKAO AREA OF TOKIO AND OTHER PLACES

At the moment I, as all of you, have been very saddened by the sufferings of our brothers and sisters in the Northern Provinces of Japan, so devastated by the earthquake and tsumani, and of course ALL of the Japanese people. The picture below is of a beautiful place in the metropolitan area northwest of Tokio called Mt. Takao.  It is a beautiful wooded natural beauty of Japan, a site of temples and a truly holy and sacred place.  I have no exact information on what effect the natural disasters have wrecked on Mt. Takao.  But I am sure that it is accessible these days many Japanese people go there to pray, to mourn, to be healed by the untouched and undevasted beauties of nature.  Below I have a video done just this last January on the BIRDS OF JAPAN.  It begins on Mt. Takao and goes to different spots in Japan. Beginning with Mt. Takao, which is Northwest of Tokio the other places where Mr. Geraphty shot his video are all in the extreme south of Japan: Kyoto, Himeji, Hiroshima, OHARA, Uemo Koen, Nijo-jo and Jigokudami.

And I think that it is good at this moment to see a place where, at least a month ago in Mt. Takao, many Japanese children were laughing, enjoying the antics of many species of birds in this video done by  Rob Geraphty just last month . ENJOY AND PRAY TOO!!



RUBY CROWNED KINGLET

One of the first songbirds that I saw and learned to identify back in 1997 when I got into hawk watching and birding in Central Park was the Ruby Crowned Kinglet.  At the time I thought that it was a warbler.  But, of course, it is not.  The kinglet is "close" to the Neo Tropical warbler family or the, so called, "Old World Warblers".  Here in Esopus, where I have not had the abundance of time to search, watch and wait, I have never seen a Kinglet, nor this one nor the Golden Crowned Kinglet.  But there is always a first time.  In this video one can actually see the red crown.  But, with a fast moving kinglet, unless they are threatened or angry it is not easy to see. ENJOY!

HUDSON RIVER BIRDER...RED CROSS HELP FOR JAPAN

I just want to share this short video on the Red Cross's efforts to help the country of Japan after their earthquakes and tsumani....

EASTERN BLUEBIRDS AT "THE MOUNT"

One of my most consoling experiences, even during the toughest moments of this severe winter, are the gentle chirpings of the Eastern Bluebird.  Here on the grounds of Mt. St. Alphonsus, due to about 300 birdhouses placed by Cornell and some by our deceased Bro Charlie Summers, we have many, many Eastern Bluebirds. It is the "State Bird" of New York.  They are always here, even in winter. But as spring approaches they are "abundantly here".

Eastern Bluebird from Rob Lavoie on Vimeo.

MY VIDEO OF THE ACRE STREAM IN SPRING

Yesterday the fast running stream that runs NORTH from the gate towards what we used to call The Acre Pond ...this stream had budding crocuses and water lilies..Beside it was one quite furtive female Red Winged Blackbird.  I have finally realized how truly furtive the female Red Winged Blackbird is.  I have "heard" them these past few days.  But I only saw this one.

MT. ST. ALPHONSUS SHOWS "SIGNS OF SPRING"

Along the stream that goes from the SOUTH entrance of Mt. St. Alphonus flowing beneath our cementery and below the pastures NORTH towards what we called "The Acre Pond", I found more "signs of spring" which are, I think buds below the water of water lilies.

AND HERE COME THE TINY CROCUS SHOOTS!!!!

SPRING SIGNS OF LIFE-COMPOSTING WORMS

Yesterday was the first time when the temperature here in Esopus (The Mount) hit 50F.  I had not been able to turn over my compost pile since January since everything had "iced over".  But yesterday there were many signs that spring is "on the way".  I had put about 1000 fallen apples in my compost pile besides the peels and coffee grinds etc from The Mount's kitchen last summer.  The "slimmy friends" have been creating great topsoil for what may be my "final planting" here in my "Sylvester Feeley Abundant Life Garden".  However, depending on whomever may lease The Mount as of next January-2012, and if I am chosen to stay and work pastorally in this Ulster County area, I might just be able to "make a deal" with the leasees to continue working this garden.  I hope so.

SYLVESTER FEELEY ABUNDANT LIFE GARDEN-COMPOSTING

THE WOODCOCK--ANOTHER "SIGN OF SPRING"

I have never really seen a real, live woodcock.  The truth is that, so far, I have had two "senior moments" in which I could not recall its name.  I just remembered that they appear in Central Park, NYC when spring is soon to come.  And I also remembered that they have a  beep, beep sound like and insect.  So here is a three minute video on another harbinger of spring....the woodcock.

SIGNS OF SPRING---(with Bambi!!)

I realize that any real "macho" followers of this site might say to what I present below:  "Uggghh!!"  Well, this little segment, little remembered by old fans of the Bambi movie, is about Bambi seeing the signs of an approaching spring...And, as this weary Hudson River Birder has already told you, I'm more than a little weary of this winter, especially with all the viruses and colds I've had to weater".  So let Bambi keep us hoping for a soon arriving...SPRING.

AWAITING THE EASTERN PHOEBE'S ARRIVAL

After the Red Winged Blackbirds arrival here at Esopus around Feb 27th, the "next" real harbinger of a much desired approaching Spring....will be the call of the Eastern Phoebe.  No!  I haven't seen any yet.  Maybe on April 1st.  I have seen them down in NYC in Central Park even in March.

RED WINGED BLACKBIRDS ARE BACK IN ESOPUS!!!

As cold as it is today... (It seems like 20 with the wind chill).. The Red Winged Blackbirds are back down along our stream that traverses The Mount from the southern ponds just at the top of Esopus town to the apple orchard of the Apple Bin Family, the Red Winged Blackbirds are back. As I said yesterday I can "hear" them, but, even with my 60 power scope I cannot see even one. But, as the Irish say about the fairies,  They're there!!!   The pitch on this one below (49 sec clip) is a bit higher than the Red Winged we get here.  It just goes to show that there are regionalisms  even among birds.

THERESA'S BARRED OWL

Recently one of our secretaries here at Mt. St. Alphonsus, Theresa, brought me this amazingly clear and almost "posed" photo of a Barred Owl that was sitting practically hidden on a tree branch this winter above her snow covered garden awaiting...as we all do...THE SPRING. Enjoy.

THE BARRED OWL-"WHO COOKS FOR YOU?"

I don't know whether the Barred Owl that Theresa photographed sung for her.  But there most common cry sounds like someone saying, Whom cooks for you?  Here is one sitting on a tree just like the one above.

STAND UP FOR WORLD PEACE

....Wow!!!.  Two posts in one day!  This one won lots of awards.  At the end it says that, If you want to respond, just post your own You Tube video on world peace.  Enjoy and Good Night!

From

The Hudson River Birder

at "The Mount"



WAITING FOR SPRING

I have not been able to do much photography on Esopus and our Hudson Valley this winter.  Colds and bronquitis have "something" to do with it.  Another "factor" is the painful reality that, even though I may remain here  in the Hudson Valley as a Roman Catholic missionary Redemptorist who loves God and loves the "reflections of God" that is nature with its trees, birds, sunrises, sunsets, insects etc, I will not be living at Mt. St. Alphonsus after January 2012.  Our 103 year old "The Mount" will cease its retreat operations on that date and possibly be leased to someone who will hopefully love it, cherish it and respect its deeply spiritual aura...So, yes, there is a bit of melancholy...and not just coughs and aches that have inhibited my photo essays.  So today I just "surfed the web" with the words "waiting for spring" and the embedded short video below is what I found.  It reflects my mood.  Yesterday, down by the stream that runs from North to South through "The Mount" I could hear but not see the Red Winged BlackBirds.  I looked with my 50 power binoculars and 50 power scope.  But whatever they were doing I could not see even one of them moving.. So I, with many of you...AWAIT SPRING.  Enjoy this short video by Michael Minneboo.

Daily Webhead: Waiting for spring from Michael Minneboo on Vimeo.

Orangutan and the Hound

My friend, Ron, sent me this link.  I think it is truly great.  I have alway been fascinated by the ability of both people and animals to "get along".  It is especially interesting when two animal species that, although they aren't enemies, usually don't see or "hang out" with one another.  Enjoy this video.

Orangutan and the Hound

Waiting for Spring...with an Unrelenting Winter

Someone said to me once, It is not the cold in winter that gets you sick. It's having your resistance run down.  I sort of thing these two factors.."work together".  The pictures below were taken "before" ice became king in the Hudson Valley.  All snow shoers and cross country skiers know that when the ice takes over you will either actually break your ankle or just get frustrated trying to snowshoe or ski on an "unstable mix of ice and snow"... With that and battling multiple colds and sniffles I think I am anxiously awaiting the Red Winged Blackbirds to make their early appearance in the fields and forests, mostly the brushes which they just love.  The Red Winged Blackbirds are the true harbingers of a spring that, at least, is "on its way".  I think I have seen some of the world's largest ice cicles on the eaves of our chapel as well as on old country homes up off Union Center Road heading towards Eddyville and Rosendale.

Snowshoeing Hudson River Birder

Snowy Sunset at The Mount