2018 Central Park Squirrel Census - Stories

01A

PM

10142018

Observed a squirrel with a cache of peanuts that he was eating. Strangely, none of the other squirrels were eating those peanuts.

1

01A

AM

10182018

Lots of pedestrians and vehicular traffic, food vendors, bike rental guys, city workers doing something with the fountain in Columbus Circle, but not a squirrel to be seen.

A bike rental worker telling prospective customers about Central Park, "... 21 playgrounds, three restaurants ..." — no quote on the number of squirrels, not yet!

1

01A

PM

10202018

Three of the pedicab drivers (14 pedicabs lined up) put out mats to pray. White Rolls Royce and stretch limo waiting for bridal party. Lots of birds bathing in the fountains in Columbus Circle.

1

01A

AM

10072018

Squirrels were in surrounding grass areas/trees. Almost none on concrete/sidewalk/road area. There is a large pigeon population on the Maine Monument, so this may be deterring squirrels from leaving grassy area.

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1

1

Birds

01B

AM

10122018

"SQUIRREL APALOOZA"

6+7 were playing on tree trunk

Nests spotted: 111 [?]

Squirrel #11: There was a bag of nuts or trail mix under a tree - pigeons were eating at it - squirrel would come up + fight pigeons off, get a nut + go eat it a bit away. Pigeons come back, squirrel finishes nut, then goes back to bag + fights them off again - repeat

1

01B

PM

10132018

Counted 10 squirrels of different varieties. Mostly brown cinnamon with gray tails. What are the chances for running into two Norwegian tourists who love squirrels. They would have volunteered except they leave for Norway tomorrow. Weather is cool and cloudy.

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1

1

01C

AM

10122018

The squirrels around here were running very fast through the grass. They even chased some. I felt as if the squirrels were more aggressive in this part than in the other part. [this person writes squirrels like ‘squares’]

1

01C

PM

10132018

Squirrels #1 and #4 interacted.

Squirrels #8 and #9 very red.

Bird poop ----->

1

01D

AM

10062018

A couple walked by to feed squirrel 7. Squirrel 6 would find a round object on the ground, like a nut, and tumbled/rolled around with it.

1

01D

AM

10182018

Acorns on the ground in this partly shaded area but no squirrels and hardly any birds. Why? Oh, the parks worker using the leaf blower, raking, and mowing the grass. What sensible small would not stay away? “Good morning, sorry about all of the dust,“ from the parks worker – a female whose gender was before undetectable under her uniform, goggles, and face mask.

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1

1

Birds

01E

PM

10192018

Couple taking wedding photos near gazebo. Squirrel 7 I found because a family was staring at it. It was in a tree and just laying down. It then came down, approached me, went back up in the tree, then approached two little girls who were looking.

1

1

01E

PM

10072018

Lots of robins here

1

Birds

01E

AM

10062018

Squirrel #2 climbed a tree and looked at me like I was an idiot. I tapped my button as instructed and it seemed satisfied that I was on official business.

Two separate creepy dudes stared at me. I did not tap my button; I just skedaddled out of there,

1

1

01F

PM

10122018

This area was slightly busy, however it was a great vibe. There were a good amount of squirrels running around and they were actually being friendly. I chased a few up a tree. I felt very alive and happy the whole time.

1

1

01F

AM

10102018

(1) eating on lawn
(2) eating on lawn
(3/4) were eating - then 3 chased 4 up a tree
(5) 3/4/5 neat dumpsters

1

01F

PM

10192018

Squirrel #3 was a baby in a nest in a tree.

1

01G

PM

10102018

Someone walking their cat

A gentleman asked me if I was surveying trees. I said "no, squirrels." He responded with, "I forgot there was a squirrel count happening!"

1

Raccoons, Walking a cat on a leash

01G

AM

10062018

Squirrels #1 and #3 chased each other around the tree, then grew tired of that went back to foraging. Lots of digging and camping! Squirrel #3 found an acorn. Squirrel #4 had a mouth full of leaves (for a nest?) and was chased by Squirrel #3 for a short time. Then Squirrels #1 and #3 began chasing each other again. Two people took pictures/video.

1

01H

AM

10122018

Bike rental + food carts + bus tours at edge
I feel in the way. Saw a nest in a tree almost overhanging CPS. --> And then one over the pond (waterfront property) Multiple leaf blowers.

Got asked: "Can I ask what you're doing?" by a girl in town from FL for a Bachelorette Weekend, killing time in Central Park waiting on others to arrive. I told her, gave her an acorn button, and thanked her for asking. "Glad I did!" she said. As I was leaving my hectare, took a photo of & for 2 tourists.
*peace signs*

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1

01I

AM

10072018

Even though I work on 60th and Lexington, I have never stopped here or knew who this statue was. A few tourists come by to view and take pictures of the statue. Saw a pack of runners stretching to warm up for a run in the park. You could smell the horses. Hear the traffic of cars, buses, taxis. Hot dog, waffle vendors. The Plaza Hotel/Condo was to the right of the statue. Saw this couple dressed in a beautiful ruffled yellow dress and blue suit. Very popular statue.

No sightings of squirrels. :(

Yinko Shonibare Wind Sculpture

Horse and carriages

1

01I

PM

10122018

We saw several squirrels all at the same time but we managed to document four.

1

02A

AM

10102018

#NAME?

1

02A

PM

10132018

This section is off the beaten path for the squirrels. However, tourist seem to love and feed them. Squirrels are real hams posing for the camera and are not shy about accepting treats (AKA nuts). It seems I hit the squirrel jackpot. I'm sure there are more! These are the creatures that graced my path. Really enjoyable. Hope to do it again.
5 in total!

1

02A

PM

10202018

Just past the info kiosk is a funny London planetree with an enormous trunk base that suddenly gets very skinny. Lady dancing to "Thriller" on boombox. Dad teaching daughter to play volleyball.

1

02A

PM

10192018

Nest in large tree near kiosk with Squirrels #3 and #4.

1

02B

PM

10132018

DOG IS BARKING AT 6!
#9 jumps from one tree to another.

"The ground is moving with sparrows"

1

02B

AM

10102018

- Lots of activity around
- Rough sleeper in park area sleeping
- Sprinklers on nearby (3-C)
- Generally, all squirrels eating/foraging peacefully/calmly.

Nests noted here.

1

1

02C

PM

10132018

HORSE + CART DRIVER:

"How many squirrels?"
- He stopped the cart, with passengers in it, to ask.

1

1

02C

AM

10102018

A little boy (age 4-5) started running and saying “Mom! A squirrel! A squirrel!“ and that is how I found the first squirrel.

1

02D

PM

10122018

Started at the wrong arch. That is why time is so late.

1

02D

AM

10072018

Squirrel #2 chased #1 off linden tree.
Squirrels #3, #4, and #5 found in tree canopy, assumed adult gray, assumed 100 feet above ground.
Squirrels #3 and #5 on pin oak tree, #4 on maybe a dawn redwood tree.
Squirrel #6 may be #4? Climbed up dawn redwood and ate.

1

02E

AM

10102018

I watched an amazing game of chicken between a woman and a squirrel on a path -- the squirrel was busy eating what appeared to be an acorn and could have cared less that people were attempting to walk around it. The squirrel maintained its position mid path and the woman was forced to shimmy up against the temporary fence to get around. A true New Yorker, that squirrel.

1

02E

PM

10202018

There's a wedding happening at the Cop Cot Gazeebo.
Birds were super vocal by #2
Tons of blackbirds
Birds were causing berries? Pits? to fall from the tree by #4. #4 scampered around eating what they dropped.
A man passed 5 and said in what I dearly hope was a mock Appalachian accent "Aw look ders a squirrel eating his nuts!"
Squirrels roamed just south of my hectare
#5 found an uncracked peanut and ran w/ it sticking out of its mouth
#5 reappeared at the little tree / rock island, peanut still in mouth
Met some very bemused people at the end. Walked behind a couple's fancy photos while writing that last sentence, so squirrel census has now been professionally documented.

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1

02F

AM

10062018

The squirrels in this quadrant had widely varying tails -- #1 had a short stub where its tail should have been; #4 had a large fluffy tail with a large white puff at the end; and #5 also very puffy, though without the puff. (A distant relative?) The sanctuary is beautiful and peaceful.

1

02G

AM

10102018

Many DOGS
Sanctuary locked!
(opens at 10am)
Mouse sighting!
Reema from Bangladesh helped me find #3-4

1

1

02G

PM

10072018

Area was very dense with trees. Only saw 3 squirrels but much of area was not accessible. Suspect more squirrels in the hectare, out of sight. Visible squirrels were busy foraging for nuts and indifferent to human activity nearby. Possible other squirrels high in the trees, taking notes for 2018 Central Park Human Census.

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1

02H

PM

10062018

Area marked for Squirrels #1, #2, and #3 is not open for humans and should be a good number of squirrels on the ground.

1

1

02H

AM

10062018

Three squirrels spotted running. Squirrels #2 chased #1 across grass and up Sophora tree.

1

02I

AM

10202018

Pigeons eating near Squirrel #2, something startled them and they flew/ran away.

1

Birds

02I

PM

10192018

Birds and pigeons were very active in this area.

1

Birds

02I

AM

10062018

Busy area, with heavy car traffic and lots of dog and human traffic and a high level of birds (making tree spotting difficult).

1

1

1

Birds

03A

PM

10172018

Squirrels in this hectare were some of the friendliest I’ve come across, approaching people + taking food from hands.

1

03A

AM

10122018

The area was so beautiful, as we walked we both felt at ease and one with nature. The vibes were great and there weren't too many squirrels but there were dogs and cats. We saw a dog that was so beautiful. She had grey fur. She was a rescue according to the owner, but she couldn't identify the type of dog.

1

03A

PM

10202018

A squirrel was chilling and foraging on the ground when it got into a confrontation with another squirrel. There were kuks exchanged but then they both ran away.

1

03B

AM

10102018

- #2/#3 Juveniles playing / chasing each other running up tree
- Dogs still running around off leashes after 9 am
- #9: Dogs around + running from

- #10 - relaxed eating

1

1

03B

PM

10072018

Lots of acorns and chestnuts in this area!

1

03C

AM

10072018

Squirrel #1 spotted on walkway, climbed over wire fence and circled maple tree.

1

03D

PM

10102018

Squirrel #9 being chased by small child while another child yells + screams to go on the carousel again. Squirrel #12 fights w/ others. Drumset playing just outside hectare. People on rock by playground smoking weed. #14 sitting on branch in tree crying.

1

03D

AM

10062018

Squirrel #1 spotted (next to the playground) approached fence of the playground, cross slightly the fence, but did not go into the playground.

Squirrel #1 ran away from small motor vehicle that left a WC structure
and black dog that approached it (led by dog's owner).

Squirrel #3 slightly approached (from a distance) and stared at a boy with his father.

Squirrels #3 and #5 seem to have shorter and less puffy tails than the rest (about half the size).

Squirrels described as “wary of humans“ would move about so as to avoid coming close to humans in playground.

1

03E

AM

10062018

1 Not too much human traffic
2 People walking dogs without a leash
Large white Golden Retriever scared the squirrel
People hanging around w/ bags

Lot more people w/ dogs

1