2018 Central Park Squirrel Census - Stories

32E

AM

10102018

Heard bluejays squawking
People keep talking to me
Nuts dropping -- are the squirrels telling
me something? (Get lost!)
Squirrel in tree after nuts.
Big old leaf nest in tree -- no activity.
Found a ball! Saw lichens
#3 was really tugging at something buried --
Wasn't able to unearth it.
#3 Eating then washing tail!
Mushrooms!
Saw a young black squirrel!
"Are you counting squirrels?" One woman asked excitedly.
Met a "Brit" walking his dog.

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1

32E

AM

10072018

#1 spotted on plane then climbed tree w/ white food in mouth -- did not want to be my friend :) :(
Large mushrooms in area -- may have been what was in squirrel's mouth
#2 dug small hole + patted in down w/ a couple of leaves -- Then went back up the tree from where s/he came

Met woman walking dog (Golden) wanted to know what I was doing -- she complained about the Central Park Conservatory -- that no one does anything but drive around in their carts. Ah. NYC -- a city of complainers.
She was my good luck charm as I saw (w/ her help) squirrels #4-7! --> #14 -- I heard a THUD! Squirrel fell from huge tree 50 feet up. Seemed unfazed. -- scurried up tree after 30 seconds -- Back on the horse! :)

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1

GOOD

32E

AM

10192018

Squirrels #1 and #2 initially observed separately foraging — climbing, running. A bit later, seen chasing one another across expanse of grass above transverse.

Squirrels #3 and #4 foraging, separate.

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32E

PM

10172018

Lots of squirrels running back and forth, possibly just to confuse me.

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32F

AM

10122018

Lots of dogs off leashes.

Very pretty guy (squirrel). Saw him yesterday.

Beautiful oak (?)

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1

32F

PM

10082018

Numbers #1 and #2 gathered near the base of tree — foraging and digging, jumping from spot to spot. Squirrel #3 initially up tree, then joined #1 and #2. Approximately 6 to 8 small birds also foraging in same ground area.

Squirrels #1 and #3 chased one another around tree base, up-and-down trunk, and on ground.

Squirrels #1, #2, and #3 eating, standing on hind legs. These squirrels observed me walking nearby and proved indifferent when I moved closer.

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32F

PM

10192018

I’ve never seen a squirrel resting, taking it easy. They are all action, all the time. Not that it’s always work they are doing. They play a lot, run back and forth just for the glee of it. Most of the time, life is about food: finding it, hiding it, eating it.

Lots of small birds — brown. Small birds, robins. Big trees.

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1

Birds

32G

PM

10192018

The bushes by the wall
of the transverse are
full of tiny birds.
The foliage shakes
with their movement
and their chatter
and chirp fills the air.

1

32G

AM

10182018

Squirrel #1 burying/digging nuts under a beech tree.
Squirrel #2 ran up oak tree with acorn, gave me a tail twitch.

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32G

PM

10132018

A little girl lost her frisbee over a fence and tried to find a gap for 15 minutes before her father lifted her up and plopped her down on the other side.

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32H

AM

10102018

Lawnmower speeding along in East Meadow. Lots of dog walkers with on and off leash dogs along east west pedestrian path. Busy with people — quiet with squirrels.

This section has a good amount of unreachable (by me) space, due to the transverse. Surprised I didn’t see more squirrel activity in the big elms in the area.

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1

32H

PM

10062018

After 10 minutes without a single sighting, I heard a rustle above me and felt something fall on my head – a branch, maybe? Thanks a lot Squirrel #1. :(

Squirrel #3 ran away from me but then came back (within a respectful distance) and stared at me while eating acorns. Seemed very pleased with himself or herself.

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32I

PM

10072018

Pretty quiet, squirrel-wise! I circled back and a dog was at the base of one of the trees where I saw squirrels a few minutes prior.

1

32I

AM

10132018

Dogs off leash: just one.
Small number of people out, some walking dogs.

Squirrels #2 and #3 were climbing together.

East Meadow fenced off, but still had clear view of grass and saw no squirrels on it.

Squirrels #5 and #6 were climbing and foraging together.

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1

1

33A

PM

10182018

Very quiet area devoid of people. Saw only one person walk by on path - she stopped to ask what I was looking at because I had binoculars up. Movement I saw ended up being a bird in the grass. Palm warbler I think - I blame the shrubs for providing cover because how could i mistake a tiny bird for a squirrel

1

33A

AM

10082018

Tree trunk w/ human-like face
Woman foraging Ginkgo nuts
Free roaming dogs gone at 9 am
Chipmunk

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33A

AM

10202018

Fair number dogs out — seven that were off leash. People passed through the area every few minutes; overall conditions were pretty calm*. Quite a few birds in the trees, flying from tree to tree, and on the ground as well. (Majority of birds were sparrows and robis.)

*As far as humans are concerned.

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1

1

Birds

33B

AM

10102018

Heard but not seen: kuking (?) from tree
more mushrooms!
"Are you a Parks person?" someone asked.
"No, I'm counting squirrels."
(to gales of laughter)

Someone pointed out a knothole in a tree where he said "squirrels used to live before raccoons kicked 'em out."

1

Raccoon Eviction

33B

PM

10172018

3 little dogs off leash created a little havoc at first. Once that died down a bunch of squirrels approached me (almost right up to me) they were foraging next to ball fields (& lots of people runners / bikers & dogs) & ignored all the activity. They're so cute up close! <3

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1

33B

PM

10102018

So many squirrels!
In a small area
surrounded by foot paths
& a loud playing field
One fat one hung upside down on the bottom of a tree for 20 mins

1

33C

PM

10072018

Most of this hectare is an athletic field -- several teams were practicing Ultimate Frisbee. I didn't venture too far into the field because I was afraid of getting hit in the face by a frisbee!

Squirrels #2 + #3 were the most blasé squirrels ever. They just briefly looked up as I approached + then promptly forgot I was there.

1

33C

PM

10202018

If this was the toddler soccer player census, I would’ve been in the perfect spot.

Just kidding – found a little crew of squirrels away from the tiny soccer players. Really cute goal celebration (and some not-so-cute soccer parents).

No squirrel friends on the area of the field of this hectare, but I spotted a few on the field and 34-C.

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1

33C

AM

10122018

Squirrels #1 and #2 high-speed chase between beneath branches of two trees and the ground — small adults (?) similar color and markings. Oberved five nests distributed across five trees in close proximity. Other noise: weed whacker alond edge of path, close to trees. Squirrels continued to run between branches above.

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38I

PM

10142018

The garden was very busy this afternoon. I saw three wedding parties taking pictures, clues for a birthday party scavenger hunt, and the New York Historical Costumers' Society out for a stroll in gorgeous Victorian dress!

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33D

AM

10172018

A man spins a whirring contraption like a top controlled by a string with two wooden rods on the end, with the man uses to manipulate the top in yo-yo like tricks. It’s noisy and mesmerizing. It’s black squirrel country over here. I feel like I may have found a family. Squirrels 6+9 could be the same. 6 ran into a tree hold & was very vocal. 9 looked like it could be a mother who was nursing.

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1

33D

PM

10172018

This hectare runs through a playing-field area. There were three to four games taking place. At one end, there were piles of acorns on the ground but no squirrels.

* Found one at the last second!

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33D

PM

10062018

Squirrels in this area seemed more skittish.

1

33E

PM

10122018

Group of five teens throwing and catching baseballs (right side of path).

There are so many squirrels here. They all hung out along the fence, running back and forth. I couldn’t keep track.

I saw a woodpecker for the first time.

Met these two guys looking for mushrooms.

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1

1

33E

AM

10142018

I got so excited to see them all come out of the tree at once. Squirrels #5, #7 through #11 were in the same area of three trees, and I loved watching them all interact.

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33F

PM

10122018

Quite a lot of this hectare was also red flagged fields. Treeless & flat. But in the smallest cluster of trees were such bird & squirrel diversity! Eventually 6 chased 5 around until 5 fled & 6 got bored.

1

33F

AM

10082018

Not many squirrels, but two bluejays landed near me — and one was carrying a peanut in its beak!

1

1

Birds

33G

PM

10062018

Father and daughter playing softball
She's pretty good!

Squirrel #2 was very engaging.
He climbed up onto a tree and came about [unknown word] to me (maybe 2 feet away) and he [unknown word] upside down on the tree and sort of lunged at me with his torso (not aggressive) (more playful) very cute!

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1

33G

AM

10132018

9:10 a.m.: Yipping dogs! A dog walker's dogs are barking so loudly at a single owner's only dog. Went on for five minutes.

9:22 a.m.: Saw the cutest family of squirrels hiding in a tree! They would peek out, run around the hole in the tree, and then go back inside.

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1

1

33H

AM

10192018

Just witnessed (and video’d) Mama & child squirrel play-wrestling…pretty adorable… school kids —>

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33H

PM

10122018

More ovals. Still no squirrels.

Just outside my hectare, a red-tail hawk pass @ a sq. which ran up a pine and began calling / moaning softly. Hawk flew off. sq. ran from hiding spot to perch on branch and continued calling

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33I

PM

10062018

Squirrel #9 looked suspiciously at me while using its hind legs to pat the ground protectively!

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33I

AM

10222018

A squirrel tucked its tail over its shoulder. I didn't know they could do that.

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33I

AM

10082018

I found a Samsung cell in the grass! Going to try charging it and returning to rightful owner.

1

34A

PM

10202018

playground closed (under construction)
children playing in surrounding area
kids chasing squirrels

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34A

AM

10122018

(1) + (2) leisurely chase btw trees and ground -- against backdrop of playground noise emanating from playground nearby.
(3) foraging along open ground until v. large dog bounded up (unleashed) the owner sat down on a nearby rock and began clipping coupons from a grocery store circular. The dog did not give chase once squirrel ran to a nearby tree.

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1

34A

PM

10132018

Guy running barefoot with duct tape around his feet.

Playground closed for repair, lots of birds in the playground.

(Tiny) goldfinch in a branch.

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1

Birds

34B

PM

10072018

Not very many squirrels in this area. (But lots of stares from people wondering why I was walking around with a clipboard!)

Also spotted a man with a sign that said "Global Warming Is No Hoax!"

1

34B

PM

10202018

Lots of people (some with dogs)
crying children
baseball game

1

34C

PM

10122018

One of the squirrels was jumping around, + looked almost as if it was chasing the sparrows for fun

1

34C

AM

10072018

Several dogs off leash on path. Squirrel #2 was in tree 30 feet from nest. Lots of nests in trees near #2 spot. Around six. Squirrel #1 on ground within fenced in area (baseball field).

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1

1

34D

PM

10072018

This hectare is almost entirely open field. Frisbees and footballs were being thrown, soccer balls were being kicked. A pick-up game of soccer soon materialized, and shirts came off, which was fun in almost all instances. But there was tree in the NW corner of the hectare and other large trees near it. That's where all three squirrels were found. I can't say they were indifferent. They went about their business, but they seemed very aware of me. They didn't run unless I approached them.

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1

34D

AM

10082018

First time seeing black squirrels.

1

34E

PM

10062018

There are people playing soccer on the field. I find the squirrel sitting on a tree above me. It looks calm watching people. After a while, I find it’s dressing itself on the tree. I lost sight when it climbed up the tree.

1

1

34F

PM

10122018

Mostly large open area; not many squirrel sightings.

1

34F

AM

10072018

This hectare was mostly an empty field between baseball fields, with just a small patch of trees at the top. There were a lot of cute dogs around.

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