February 19, 2021--Birding In Gotham

Only in New York City can a bird become a celebrity. It's happened before and right now is happening again. In Central Park.

According to the New York Times, in 2018 it was the famous Mandarin duck. Last October it was the widely-celebrated barred owl. And recently it's been a snowy owl.

All three avian species catapulted to celebrity status after they landed in Central Park, becoming the subject of news reports from Manhattan to India and attracting hoards of groupies, snapping away on their smartphones.

These rare glimpses of nature in the heart of New York elicit a dose of joy in the best of times. But those feelings are magnified during the pandemic, when so many people are seeking respite in the outdoors.

For those wondering if New York will ever recover enough from the pandemic to become its old top-of-the heap swaggering self, as long as an owl can become a bigger celebrity than Robert De Nero, not to worry.