2018 Central Park Squirrel Census - Stories

08F

AM

10142018

There is a loud concert! Rap. Nelly’s “Hot in Here” was playing, which is ironic because it’s cold. It’s for breast cancer. Many people wearing pink. Unfortunately, cannot walk on the grass. Trees are spread out, it’s not a very foresty. I don’t see any fruits or nuts on ground. Saw an owl! Just looking and resting on a big branch. May also be why I saw no squirrels. It was flying around the area. Spotted around 9:25 a.m.

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1

08G

AM

10172018

I saw two incredibly vibrant Blue Jays

I'm seeing so few squirrels, feeling like a failure!
Met French tourists looking to rent bikes.

In 7-G, met two vendors asked it I was counting squirrels. They told me there were 7 squirrels that they feed & they sit on their tables. Tourists take photos, used to be 8. Hawk killed one. All named Charlie.

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08G

PM

10172018

Drums! Next hectare over.

At 4:33 p.m., a gale came through. It blew down a vendor stand. A poster from the stand (wood or metal) hit a person walking and knocked him down. Everyone walking stopped to help the vendor pick up all his posters. It's hard to imagine squirrels out and about after that.

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08G

AM

10122018

* Relatively quiet within this hectare but noise from outside (construction, honking, people speaking) can be heard.

* People biking, walking, and running along East Side Drive.

* Construction vehicle on East Side Drive.

Again, no squirrels! :( :(

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08H

AM

10102018

Pretzel squirrel
3-legged dog walked past -- then he spotted squirrel for me!

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1

08H

AM

10172018

The squirrels were indifferent to me and the other humans, but not to each other. When squirrel #2 came near squirrel #1, squirrel #1 chased #2 all soundlessly. They resolved their differences and were later in the same area without dispute.
Similarly when squirrel #5 climbed a tree #6 descended chasing #5. Once both were on the ground and apart from one another there was peace.
It was a morning for chasing as a dog on a long leash chased an off-leash dog who got away by jumping a fence.

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1

08H

PM

10142018

Lots of construction near one corner of hectare (by gazebo, bottom left). Whole bunch in that one section! Must be a good foraging zone ...

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08I

AM

10062018

Pigeons

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Birds

08I

PM

10132018

Nest in elm on sidewalk between 68th and 69th.

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09A

PM

10102018

There are a bazillion birds in the beautiful trees in this hectare as the sounds of their chirping is magical!

Gentleman walking his dogs along CPW also threw a whole handful of birdseed into park along wall ... lots of bird action!

Large area sectioned off from any kind of traffic; I assume for reseeding or just plain "rest" as it is almost completely devoid of grass or other vegetation besides the nine glorious trees ...

Yup! Just saw the sign: "Lawn Closed for Renovation"

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1

09A

AM

10132018

5k going by
lots of dogs
getting much busier with
people and dogs

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1

09B

AM

10102018

One squirrel, #8, was almost silver in color — something I haven’t previously seen.

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09B

PM

10132018

We saw rats! By memorial

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09C

PM

10062018

Can't help but sing, "Ain't no hollaback squirrel" to the tune of Gwen Stefani's song.

THERE'S A ROLLER DISCO NEAR THIS HECTARE!

A guy actually stopped to smell some flowers. (heart)

Squirrels #2 and #3 were playing with each other.

People dress really nicely for lawn bowling.

YES, HULA-HOOP DANCE PRACTICE!

Update: Oh no, someone appears to not be as committed to the routine.

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1

09C

AM

10062018

This area needs 60-90 minutes --> 35-40 huge trees.

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09D

AM

10082018

Too many dogs! More than nine. Many oak trees and acorns. Wonderful talk with woman walking dog — from Upper West side, went to Princeton University — discussed “orange“ squirrels, Ellie Kemper's new book. Tree trimming!

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09E

PM

10142018

* loud drumming music/outdoor concert nearby
* Acorns fell off trees, almost hit me in the head! :)
* Tricky to walk through — lots of fence poles blocking walkway.

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09F

PM

10142018

Super loud drummers near Beethoven!

Older woman talked to me as I was recording squirrel #1 -- said she always carries peanuts in her pocket so she can stop by + feed her squirrel friend "Chiquita" every day! She called its name + it stood up straight + ran over to her, got its nut, + ran away. She said she knows it's illegal to feed them but does it anyway. :)

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1

09F

AM

10082018

A ballerina danced on a stage off the Mall while a photographer (and many Instagrammers) snapped shots. Later, a man sat on a park bench and played saxophone.

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09F

AM

10132018

There was a HUGE fun run kicking off right as I was counting.

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12B

AM

10072018

Met this man who had an aggressive dog harass him.

Finally saw some left of Strawberry Fields making aggressive noises, one chasing the other.

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14H

PM

10122018

One big tree with lots of sounds coming from it. I’m not sure if it was a squirrel or bird. Lots of kids and dogs around here.

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1

09G

PM

10072018

— Northeast side of hectare is roped off by security barricade for Central Park summer stage — can’t get close.
— The southwest area is off limits for walking to protect American Elm.
— On Northside of hectare, hear a man singing + hyping the crowd.
— On Southside, hear solo jazz drumming.
— Squirrels #1 and 2 spotted right next to each other - foraging together.
OVER —>
— 5:42 - Hear “Circle of Life: being played on summer stage
— #3 squirrel emerged from small cluster of wild flowers approximately 3 ft away from me, and ran to climb a nearby tree
— There are 3 ppl laying out on the top of the large rock shelf
— About a dozen other sitting on the northside of the rock shelf to watch concert — #5 squirrel ran away as a man entered the lawn area near it, but returned to original position once man was 10 ft away
— By the end of this observation it was close to dusk + getting dark

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1

09G

AM

10072018

Some kids attempting to catch a squirrel by hitting the tree with a very tall stick. They were unsuccessful.

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09H

PM

10182018

Twice I've seen a guy jogging and kicking a pink soccer ball along the curb. He seems like a good guy.

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09H

AM

10062018

I saw a couple taking their wedding photos but the man was much older, so I was staring super-hard trying to find out the dynamic, and so they stared at me, and then they walked past me, and he wasn't that old — he was just balding.

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09I

AM

10142018

Far enough from the concert at the bandstand to see squirrels! The movement of small birds suddenly makes 6&7 go on a tree, but they returned to the ground a sec later to continue foraging. Seriously, loads of small birds.

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09I

PM

10102018

Hula-hoop woman.

Woman posing for photo by boyfriend. She is laying flat on her back, arms spread melodramatically. She checks the pic, has him take another.

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10A

PM

10142018

* lots of tourists, singing groups and people out
* The woman selling pictures next to strawberry field said the squirrels here run up + down the trees all day gathering nuts, and acorns constantly fall on her head!

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10A

AM

10062018

couple sitting on bench
family with baby carriage
Tourist walking around
strawberry field with Guide
car near (?) car traffic near
road
Dog walking
Red Robbins hopping around

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10B

AM

10062018

At first we were getting somewhat discouraged, given the running race and the large number of dogs in the hectare. But then, we saw her. She darted out of the bushes right in front of us and scampered up a very tall tree. When we looked up, we saw that she was with a juvenile high in the top of the tree.

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10B

AM

10202018

So many dogs unleashed!

Lots of runners (people)!

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1

10B

PM

10142018

Last three squirrels were in the same area and seemed to keep their distance from each other. When they got close to each other they ran in circles around each other, they ran and circled around each other. They stood apart and one held his tail straight up and moved it left to right a little (maybe meaning, "I don’t want to fight") and then they separated. There was some loud singing at Strawberry Fields from a Christian band that had been at the Beacon I was told by a friend.

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1

10C

AM

10072018

Fancy black standard poodle is stalking a squirrel. hides behind tree, rather than run up tree.
Squirrel holds nut in its mouth, twitches tail.

- Near Falconer statue there are no people + no squirrels in rocky area.

Squirrels all near paths w/ people in the area

Sometimes I would throw an acorn for the squirrels, and half the time they'd eat it.

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10C

PM

10132018

Heavy pedestrian traffic.

Music playing.

Lots of birds and nests.

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1

Birds

10C

AM

10182018

I am cold.

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10D

AM

10082018

(1) Walking tour group
(2) Cyclist who had a whistle in her mouth and blew it when people were in her way
(3) Squirrel 5 was like an acrobat, hanging onto a branch by its legs upside down.
It would pull leaves off, eat them, then toss whatever it couldn't eat onto the ground
(4) Squirrel 5 and 4 chased each other through trees

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1

10D

PM

10082018

It’s lucky that I found my first squirrel just when I started to count. However, that’s also the last squirrel I found in this hectare. The squirrels seem to prefer to staying in their hives, for I found many holes in the trees without squirrels showing up. Instead, the birds are active. And I found one red breast (seems to be) which I saw not from television for the first time.

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Birds

10E

PM

10202018

Area near flagpole calm but loud music and large crowd nearby.

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10E

PM

10072018

Parts of hectare were calm, but they were sandwiched between a drum concert and a pop-up roller disco (competing noise), so it all felt busy. I didn’t want to be there. I don’t blame the squirrels for not wanting to be there either.

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10E

AM

10102018

Squirrels were being very noisy in the area, but few were seen.

There was one black squirrel sighted though — foraging, jumping more than others I’d seen.

Nearby (Hector 9-E), park was doing tree trimming, which may have impact the population.

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10F

PM

10192018

Guy with dancing marionette. Moms/nannies with strollers on Mall. Group = free kids' concert at bandshell.

Live Statue of Liberty taking photos with tourists + Gold Angel with wings = Kids' movie shoot in Japanese

- electric skateboards

- Rollerblading around cones

- leaves turning yellow

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10F

AM

10072018

Photoshoot of a person dressed as a cat.

Little kids performing an operatic rendition of the ABCs in the bandshell.

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10F

PM

10062018

- Very loud music

- Squirrel #6 attracted five human tourists. They took photos and the squirrel got very close to their hands.

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1

10G

PM

10172018

The Rumsey Playground is closed for construction. It’s all sand with no trees.

It seems squirrels are never around the trees with peeling bark — Sycamore, I think.

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10G

AM

10062018

- Loud speaker announcing runners' names nonstop
- Runners walking by constantly
- Blue jay tree fight
- Summerstage workers moving items
- Many porta-potties lining the area
- No access in Summerstage (closed to external access)
- No squirrels near Mothe

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1

1

Birds

10H

AM

10142018

Lots of acorns on the ground
Lots of people walking by (?)
[unintelligible word] walk/run
A lot of loud music

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10H

PM

10072018

Couldn’t reach the west side of 10-H due to the show at Summer Stage — Elsie Fest? Blocking the entrance to the Mother Goose statue was the VIP line (opens at 5 p.m.) and a security barricade. On East Drive is a steady stream of horse carriage rides, bicycles, and pedestrians.

Squirrel #1 was climbing a tree right by the line of people waiting for the concert.

Didn’t see any hawks but heard the constant “cawing.”

On the east side of 10-H in the lawn, there are five picnicking groups, one dog (on leash), two kids kicking soccer balls.

Didn’t spot any squirrels on inside of 10-H even though I thought they might be in the tall oak trees.

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1

10I

AM

10102018

Loud cyclists on East Drive nearby!
Ambulance on the street.
Some surveying machine set up.
Or is it a water sprayer?
A person w/ 5 dogs all the same breed staring down (1) squirrel.
Super loud buses on the street.

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1

11A

PM

10132018

a rat, holding an apple core in its mouth,
hopping leisurely off Race Drive and into
the undergrowth

a robin (looks upset)
two finches
two finches (same finches?
abandoned tennis balls

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