Elusive night heron becoming less elusive

We've heard about several recent sightings of the (formerly elusive) night heron in Tompkins Square Park of late… EVG regular Grant Shaffer took this photo last night, adding "it gobbled down a rat right in front of us — amazing!"

Or perhaps there is more than one night heron in the Park???

Anyway, the consensus among non-bird experts is that this is a yellow-crowned night heron … or a black-crowned night heron.

Whatever… it's crowned … it's a heron … and it has been eating rats in Tompkins Square Park.



Previously on EV Grieve:
The night heron apparently comes out at night in Tompkins Square Park

Hello again: black crowned night heron spotted in Tompkins Square Park

An EVG reader shared the above photo from last night in Tompkins Square Park... the return of [an elusive] black crowned night heron!

This one, with the dark markings on its back, looks different than the one(s) spotted in previous years (here and here for instance).

Here's a photo of one from last June...right before it foraged the remnants of an Açai bowl blended with banana and apple juice and topped with strawberries and granola...


[Photo by Bobby Williams]

In previous years, the heron(s) returned to Tompkins Square Park in May.

And here's quick cut-n-paste heron refresher via the National Audubon Society:

Seen by day, these chunky herons seem dull and lethargic [ed note: gee, don't sugarcoat it], with groups sitting hunched and motionless in trees near water. They become more active at dusk, flying out to foraging sites, calling "wok" as they pass high overhead in the darkness. Some studies suggest that they feed at night because they are dominated by other herons and egrets by day.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The night heron apparently comes out at night in Tompkins Square Park

Elusive night heron becoming less elusive

Formerly elusive night heron makes triumphant return to Tompkins Square Park

Formerly elusive night heron makes triumphant return to Tompkins Square Park

[Photo by @nitenateperry]

The black crowned night heron that captivated audiences around Tompkins Square Park just about this time last year ... is back!

Several readers tonight reported seeing the heron hanging out in the Park near the entrance on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place...


[Photo by Jose Garcia]

Here's more about the heron via the National Audubon Society:

Seen by day, these chunky [ed note: husky?] herons seem dull and lethargic, with groups sitting hunched and motionless in trees near water. They become more active at dusk, flying out to foraging sites, calling "wok" as they pass high overhead in the darkness. Some studies suggest that they feed at night because they are dominated by other herons and egrets by day.

The Park has been proven to be a good foraging ground... as seen here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The night heron apparently comes out at night in Tompkins Square Park

Elusive night heron becoming less elusive

The night heron apparently comes out at night in Tompkins Square Park

[Photo last night by Guillermo Zubillaga]

For at least the past year there have been occasional sightings of a rather odd-looking bird (so to speak) lurking about the Park in the evening hours… now we've had two reader sightings these past few nights…

Any bird lovers experts in the house know what we're looking at here in the photos? Some kind of night heron????


[Photo from Monday night by Bayou]

Word is the bird stays in the abandoned Christodora House pool during the day.

Updated 5/7

EVG regular Grant Shaffer also spotted this elusive nighttime, uh, night bird last summer...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Rare bird

The black crowned night heron continues to come out at... night in Tompkins Square Park

Bobby Williams got a photo of the black crowned night heron that has been spotted here and there around Tompkins Square Park the past few years...

Summer 2016

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park from July by Derek Berg]

Just a few of the stories that we followed these past few months...

• The Yaffa Cafe mural was painted over

• People watched the President drive by

• Tompkins Square Park had a Prince-inspired piano


[Photo from June by Steven]

• Kanye West thought about playing a show at Webster Hall

• Other Music closed


[A tribute for Muhammad Ali on Avenue B]

• The Sock Man announced his return to St. Mark's Place

• ABC No Rio closed for now


[At ABC No Rio's last HardCore/Punk Matinee. Pic by Walter Wlodarczyk]

• The Kati Roll Company announced plans to open in the Stage space on Second Avenue

• The black crowned night heron continued to come out at... night in Tompkins Square Park

And we spent time watching Christo and Dora's new kids learning to hunt and fly in Tompkins Square Park...

[Photo from July by Bobby Williams]

• There were neighborhood alerts for the Third Street Rose Snipper ... and a flowerpot thief on St. Mark's Place.

• There were some storms...


[Photo from July 14 by Mike Brown]

• Shaun Martin was found guilty of murder in 2013 crash at East Village Farm and Grocery

• Small-format Target announced plan for 14th Street and Avenue A

• The new Astor Place got tables, chairs and umbrellas

• Permits were filed to demolish five buildings on 11th Street to make way for new hotel

• NYPD reportedly took action against heroin users in Tompkins Square Park

• The 111-year-old New York Central Art Supply closed

So long to the long, hot summer...

Week in Grieview

[Photo on 2nd Avenue by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

The Sock Man is returning to St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

Gregg Singer secures $44 million loan to continue plan to convert former PS 64 into a dorm (Monday)

Report: East Village man admits to three sexual assaults in 2014 (Wednesday)

At ABC No Rio's last HardCore/Punk Matinee on Rivington Street (for now) (Tuesday)

Reverend Jen departs her LES home, and Troll Museum (Tuesday)

A visit to former East Village mainstay Love Saves the Day in New Hope, Pa. (Thursday)

Brooklyn's Dun-Well Doughnuts opening an outpost on St. Marks's Place (Wednesday)

Out and About with Colette Pwakah (Wednesday)

Another freeze on 1-year leases for rent-stabilized apartments; 2% for 2-year leases (Tuesday)

Other Music storefront is for rent (Monday)

The Kati Roll Company vying for the Stage space on Second Avenue (Friday)

Thursday Kitchen will serve Korean tapas on East Ninth Street (Tuesday)

235 Second Ave. being pitched for bar-restaurant usage (Wednesday)

B4 has closed on East Fourth Street (Thursday)

Final 4Knots Festival lineup unveiled (Monday)

Checking out the penthouse at THREE99 — "unlike any apartment ever in the East Village" (Friday)

Sweetgreen opening on Astor Place (Thursday)

The black crowned night heron continues to come out at... night in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)

Two more sidewalk cafe choices for Second Avenue (Tuesday)

Films in Tompkins return this summer with "Do the Right Thing," "True Romance" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (Friday)

A reminder about breath-holding contests (Wednesday)

Osaka Grub bringing Japanese fast food to the Essex Street Market (Tuesday)

Full reveal at Icon Realty's 327 E. Ninth St. (Tuesday)

Inch by inch, 190 Bowery is losing its graffiti (Thursday)

Week in Grieview

[Photo by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Public forum set to discuss special business district in the East Village (Wednesday)

City approves co-naming the northwest corner of 7th Street and 2nd Avenue Moises Locón and Nicholas Figueroa Way (Thursday)

High-rent blight: Senator's report finds nearly 10% vacancy rate on parts of 1st and 2nd avenues (Friday)

Looking at the future home of 14th Street's 2nd Trader Joe's (Tuesday)

Out and About with photographer Roberta Bayley (and Stella) (Thursday)

Report: Suspect in 6th Street slashing seeking a sentencing deal in court (Wednesday)

The Shake Shack effect? McDonald's on 3rd Avenue at St. Mark's Place has closed after 20 years (Friday)

Hello again: black crowned night heron spotted in Tompkins Square Park (Monday)

Love Gang is moving on 9th Street (Tuesday)

Love and shrooms for Gregg Allman outside the former Fillmore East on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

Report: Morton Williams won't be taking over the 14th Street Associated after all (Wednesday)

...crosswalk moments on Second Avenue and Seventh Street yesterday...



[Photos by Derek Berg]

Esperanto offshoot closes on 1st Street; may return elsewhere (Tuesday)

The Pride Ribbon Project at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery (Thursday)

Moustache has closed on 10th Street (Tuesday)

Reader report: A buyer for 119 and 121 2nd Ave., site of the deadly gas explosion? (Friday)

Shiina opens on 3rd Avenue (Friday)

Against the Grain yields to sustainable omakase restaurant on 6th Street (Wednesday)

Celebrating a Grateful Deal anniversary in Tompkins Square Park (Thursday)

Ramen Setagaya reopens after renovation on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

The Continental's 5-shot deal bumped from $10 to $12 (Tuesday)

No Malice Palace 'waiting for legal things to happen' on 3rd Street (Tuesday)


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'The Oracle of the Past, Present and Future' now on display in Tompkins Square Park

Artist Jorge Luis Rodriguez installed his new sculpture yesterday in Tompkins Square Park …



Here's more about it via Facebook:

"The Oracle of the Past, Present and Future" (2015) consists of geometric interlocking parts of steel, wood and glass elements that stands about 12 feet high with a magnificent steel dome and designed for Tompkins Square Park …"

The sculpture is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Growth, his large-scale, permanent work at the East Harlem Art Park at East 120th Street and Sylvan Place.

EVG correspondent Steven took these photos of Rodriguez, who teaches at at the School of Visual Arts, Manhattan Community College, and Kingsborough Community College.



The installation will officially be dedicated today at noon … you and the night heron have until May 2016 to enjoy this in the Park.

Some earlier reports did contain a little misinformation…

@evgrieve did you see the shrine the rats built? pic.twitter.com/3WKv662lD3

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) June 5, 2015

Week in Grieview

[Photo on East 6th Street yesterday by Derek Berg]

Claim: Landlord of 444 E. 13th St. threatened "to drop dynamite on the building" (Thursday)

Rumor: East Village Cheese Shop relocating to East Seventh Street (Wednesday)

More about the new Café Pick Me Up-Gnocco combo on East 10th Street (Friday)

Out and About with Alicia Mercado (Wednesday)

A bitcoins ATM (Wednesday)

Rent hike KOs Delicacity (RIP Robin Raj) on Third Avenue (Thursday)

The Second Avenue Spice is closing (Tuesday)

Mono + Mono hoping for a mid-summer return on East Fourth Street (Thursday)

Icon Realty bringing Sexyflow to Avenue A (Tuesday)

Reader report: Please don't destroy the trees (Monday)

Selling off the former Hop Devil Grill (Tuesday)

Fancy Juice for First Avenue (Tuesday)

East 14th Street building returns to the market for a few million dollars more (Wednesday)

Elusive night heron becoming less elusive (Tuesday)

Warning flyers posted about renting from Steve Croman's 9300 Realty (Wednesday)

Making the Tompkins Square lawn more seedy (Thursday)

Spicy House is now Young Chow III on Third Avenue (Tuesday)

… and keep an eye out for the hawklets on the Ageloff Towers on Avenue A…


[Photo from Thursday by Bobby Williams]

Week in Grieview

[Members of the Alice Farley Dance Theater during the Dance Parade yesterday. Photo by Steven]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Residents at 444 E. 13th St. will receive a $1 million settlement over claims of harassment by Raphael Toledano (Wednesday)

ABC No Rio set to close next month ahead of demoliton for new building (Tuesday)

First look at the all-new 26 Avenue B (Monday)

Report: Mount Sinai Beth Israel "will cut its inpatient capacity" (Wednesday)

A new sign on Avenue A from Donald J. Trump, President of the United States (Monday ... Saturday)

The return of the night heron! (Wednesday)

Spotting Christo and Dora's latest offspring in Tompkins Square Park (Thursday)

Will a car-free 14th Street make life more bearable during (and after) the L train renovations? (Tuesday)

The Tang bringing Chinese noodles and wraps to 120 First Ave. (Thursday)

The Ignited Lighter Project at Exit9 (Tuesday)

Rolled ice cream for Seventh Street (Wednesday)

The Neptune's new breakfast special to go on First Avenue (Friday)

On this Urban Etiquette Sign, grease is the word (Wednesday)

Reader report: Have you heard Verizon test its emergency generator on Second Avenue? (Friday)

Cava Grill coming soon to Fourth Avenue (Monday)

Guaco Taco now open on East Second Street (Friday)

Small kitchen fire temporarily closes McDonald's on First Avenue (Thursday)

Historic 25 Bleecker St. one step closer to being demolished for a 6-story building (Thursday)

Thor Equities is the new owner of Patricia Field's former retail condo on the Bowery (Wednesday)

Donald Trump dog poop bags (Tuesday)

This afternoon in squirrel photos

From Tompkins Square Park today, riachung00 shares this photo of a (the?) blond-tailed squirrel...



... one of the elusive members of the Park's wildlife, a group that includes the black crowned night heron and opossum (and I don't know what happened to the oppossum).

Week in Grieview

[Photo on 2nd Avenue and East 5th Street via Derek Berg]

RIP Patrick Salt Ryan (Friday)

Cafe Pick Me Up expected to close for good after May 31 on Avenue A (Wednesday)

Omakase-style restaurant in the works for former Lan Cafe on East Sixth Street (Friday)

A visit to St. Mark's Comics (Friday)

Tiengarden closes after 20 years on Allen Street (Monday)

Out and About with Philip Van Aver (Wednesday)

The Sunshine Cinema is on the market (Friday)

"Tompkins Square Park," now a breakup song by Mumford & Sons (Monday)

Check out the new mural of MCA on East Seventh Street (Tuesday)

Virginia's opens on East 11th Street (Monday)

Spotting the sorta elusive night heron in Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday)

Sidewalk bridge arrives at 515 E. 5th St., site of Ben Shaoul's illegal penthouse conversion (Tuesday)

Common Ground has closed on Avenue A (Monday)

Modern American in the works for former Back Forty space on Avenue B (Thursday)

Christo and Dora are parents! (Again!) (Wednesday)

When someone parks a motorcycle in your hallway (Wednesday)

Rumor: Vegetarian sandwich shop in the works for former Dirt Candy space (Tuesday)

The Quad Cinema has closed for renovations (Monday)

Veggie friendly Avant Garden in the works for former Gingersnap's space (Tuesday)

Fourth Street Central has closed (Monday)

A 4-building parcel on East Sixth Street has been sold (Thursday)

Rare bird

Here are shots of a Black Crown Night Heron ... a rare bird to be found in Tompkins Square Park... photos by Bobby Williams...

This unique bird made a migration pit stop on 7th Street the other day

This American Bittern made a migratory pit stop behind a building on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue ... which is where Elizabeth Cunningham spotted the brown heron hanging out in the nasturtiums ...







The bird arrived on Friday morning around 11 and left by 8 a.m. yesterday. During the bird's nearly 24 hours here, she spoke with the Wild Bird Fund, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and two wildlife rehabilitators in the city.

Here's her report:

Although rarely spotted — especially around here — I was informed it's common for them to make 24-hour stops along their way south. He didn't appear injured and the ornithology personnel told me he'd be fine overnight despite the cold snap. He settled into a bush for the night and is now presumably back on track toward warmer climes.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included ... (with a photo celebrating Orthodox New Year on Seventh Street yesterday by Derek Berg) ... 

• RIP Alicia Torres (Thursday) 

• The remaining structure of the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church will be demolished (Friday) 

• After 29 years playing in the East Village, I finally decided to see 'Stomp' before it closed (Monday) ... Clearing out 'Stomp' (Tuesday) 

• Openings: From Lucie on 10th Street (Friday) 

• The landlord has taken legal possession of Commodities on 1st Avenue (Friday) 

• The area behind the fieldhouse in Tompkins Square Park is now open for 5 hours a day (Wednesday) 

• A look back at the devastating fire that destroyed Essex Card Shop 1 year ago today (Tuesday) 

• New season of 'Feud' brings a 1970s Times Square vibe to the East Village (Thursday) ... In the 'Feud' of the night (Sunday) 

• 5C Cultural Center reopens with coffee service from the Roost (Thursday) 

• A look inside the under-renovation Poetica Coffee on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Tuesday) 

• A gut renovation at 12th and C, and the loss of the Gil Scott-Heron tribute mural (Wednesday) 

• Coffee shop slated for this retail space in NYU's Third North dorm (Tuesday) 

• 75 1st Ave. — once again without a sidewalk bridge (Saturday) 

• 2023 preview: Panda Express (Monday) 

• Foul Witch is the new restaurant from the Roberta's team on Avenue A (Thursday) 

... and do you remember Goggla's photo from the other day showing the piano tucked among some discarded Christmas trees in Tompkins Square Park? (View at this link.) Here's how that story ended — in the back of a garbage truck ... photo by Derek Berg ... (and we don't know what condition the piano was in before it was tossed)...

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