Decided to cut through the park to the Wednesday Greenmarket. Watched the preparation of the stage for tonight's New York Philharmonic concert. Enjoyed the flutter of a kite.
Then suddenly, a blue jay hectored loudly and every other bird went silent...followed by a very near cry overhead that sounded like Kyrie! Kyrie!
A red-tailed hawk coasted a few feet above my head and landed in a low branch near the Long Meadow. I crept closer to take shot after shot of him, as he glared down at me, for all the world as if he were sizing me up as prey.
Their eyes have a far higher "flicker fusion frequency" than ours, enabling them to see clearly at high speeds--a lesson not lost on the silent little birds around us.
Those talons are impressive, and the feathers are marked like royal ermine. The guy just bears himself like he knows he's king (queen?) of the food chain.
After a few moments, he took off, and within seconds the vigilant sparrows resumed twittering.
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