Monday's parting shot

Photo by Steven 

After yesterday's tree lighting ceremony in Tompkins Square Park, attendees were treated to a special guest appearance by Opie, aka Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop... 

Merry Christmas!

These are the opossum days of summer in Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Steven

Hello, is it me you're looking for? 

It has been a while (January), but we finally have an opossum sighting in Tompkins Square Park—with photographic evidence!

Over the years, opossums have been sighted in Tompkins Square Park (hence its own EVG opossum tag). 

We don't know how many members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia might live in the Park. We've tried to tag them, but we haven't gotten close enough with the spray paint. (That is a joke!)

Anyway... enjoy the cuteness...

The first opossum sighting of 2024 in Tompkins Square Park

Thanks to EVG reader Richard for this up-close shot from yesterday in Tompkins Square Park. 

There have been opossum sightings through the years in the Park (hence its own EVG opossum tag).

And now some facts about these members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia:

Opossums' diet includes all types of bugs and insects, including cockroaches, crickets, and beetles. They also eat mice and rats. Nocturnal opossums are attracted to neighborhoods by the availability of water, pet food left out at night, and overripe, rotting fruit.

Odd that opossums would be attracted to this neighborhood — as we have none of these things!

This afternoon in Tompkins Square Park

Could it be our old oppossum friend Opie aka Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop????? (Background here and here, as to what the *&^%$%^^ we're talking about.)

Thnaks to the reader for the pics!

Monday's parting shot

Today in Tompkins Square Park... photo by Steven...

The first opossum sighting of 2021 in Tompkins Square Park

We got a really good look at the (an?) opossum today in Tompkins Square Park... Steven took these photos... the last sighting in November 2020 came late in the afternoon, and the opossum was hiding in some holly bushes. Not today though...

There were multiple opossum sightings in late 2017. Remember Opie aka Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop?

Previously on EV Grieve:
• The opossum has pretty much made Tompkins Square Park her/his home now

• The opossum of Tompkins Square Park — now on video

• Opossum where art thou?

• Opossum drama in Tompkins Square Park

Oh look at the opossum in Tompkins Square Park

An EVG reader shared these photos from Tompkins Square Park today ... where an opossum was spotted lurking in some holly bushes... right there!

Nearly three years have passed since our last opossum sighting here (whatever happened to Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop aka Parachute ChingChing Yanoonoo aka Opie...?) 

Updated 7:30 p.m. 

Steven and Eden had a sighting this evening...

Previously on EV Grieve:
• The opossum has pretty much made Tompkins Square Park her/his home now

• The opossum of Tompkins Square Park — now on video

• Opossum where art thou?

• Opossum drama in Tompkins Square Park

An injured opossum on Avenue B

Photos and report by Mark Cyr...

Last night, the NYPD found an opossum lying on Avenue B, near Seventh Street along Tompkins Square Park, where a car had been parked. The opossum was alive and looking around at onlookers, but making no effort to move. In the words of the NYPD officer holding back the crowd of onlookers, "He is playing possum. We don't know what he might do."



An NYPD Emergency Services Unit (ESU) was called to deal with the opossum.

An NYPD officer explained that the NYPD's job was to remove any wildlife found at ground level. The ESU officers waited for an animal crate to be brought and then they dropped a loop over the opossum's head and moved him into the crate. The ESU officers said the opossum did not resist.







The ESU officers said that the opossum appeared to have a broken leg. They thought he had probably fallen asleep under a parked car and gotten hurt when the car drove away. They said the opossum would be taken to animal rescue for evaluation. The crowd applauded as the opossum crate was carried away.

This opossum was gray, not white. This does not seem to be the same opossum I photographed in Tompkins Square Park, in December.

FLASHBACK... to December


[Photo by Mark Cyr]

So to recap, the opossum the NYPD took away last evening is NOT Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop aka Parachute ChingChing Yanoonoo aka Opie...

Previously on EV Grieve:
The opossum has pretty much made Tompkins Square Park her/his home now

The opossum of Tompkins Square Park — now on video

Opossum where art thou?

Opossum drama in Tompkins Square Park

The opossum of Tompkins Square Park — now on video

[Photo from Dec. 20 by Cheyenne]

Here's your weekly report on Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop, the opossum who recently (and mysteriously!) showed up in Tompkins Square Park.

Goggla has some photos and videos of the opossum, interacting with some squirrels, a rat and Christo, the red-tailed hawk. Head on over here for all the opossum action.

Meanwhile, here's one of the videos showing some dining action...

The opossum has pretty much made Tompkins Square Park her/his home now

Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop (OK — that's not really working as a name), the opossum of Tompkins Square Park, is apparently feeling more comfortable now roaming around.

EVG reader Mark Cyr shared these photos from today... showing Parachute ChingChing Yanoonoo enjoying some discarded takeout (where is the mayor with the opossum-proof trash cans????).

Mark also noted that the squirrels would run away from Rasta Jenny Ju...









Per Mark: "We better name him soon — he looks like he is moving in."

Opossum where art thou?

The (an?) opossum was spotted traipsing around Tompkins Square Park again today... (this time without a plastic bag) ... Steven shared these photos...









... while EVG regular Cheyenne passed along these shots...







To date, the opossum doesn't have a name/branding/Instagram presence. Found a website that generates opossum names...



Other favorites so far from the generator have been Rasta Jenny Ju, Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop and Parachute ChingChing Yanoonoo.

Opossum drama in Tompkins Square Park

Parkgoers spotted an opossum this morning ... near the entrance on Seventh Street at Avenue B... unfortunately, the critter had been entangled in a plastic shopping bag...





At least one bystander attempted to remove the bag... but the opossum raced back up the tree as the person approached...



After nearly 30 minutes, EVG correspondent Steven, who shared these photos, said that the opossum was eventually able to free itself from the bag.

P.S.

Bonus photo of an opossum yawning...

Opossum, where art thou?

Possum or opossum? This little Manhattanite is glad you asked https://t.co/BoaKjHbrzo pic.twitter.com/napFCdEcKY

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) July 30, 2017

As the Daily News reported, it was "marsupial madness" today as an opossum was discovered inside the Classic Gourmet Deli on First Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

There isn't much more to the narrative, other than the NYPD Emergency Services Unit was called in ... and the critter "was safely removed in a crate by Animal Care Centers." He was then released on the rooftop garden at Steiner East Village.

Reader report: Gas main replacement brings new wildlife to East Seventh Street

A resident on East Seventh Street between Avenue C and Avenue D shares the following:

East 7th Street between Avenue C and D has been graced with multiple weeks of gas main replacement, causing the area's typical wildlife, frisky rats, to find alternate habitat. You'll notice in this photo, the planter's dirt has been covered in Belgian block and chicken wire to prevent the erstwhile rodents from nesting in them.

Well, the absence of our rats has brought another form of wildlife to 7th Street. Peeking from between the planters is a frightened little opossum.



311 has uninterestingly responded that opossums are the "property owner's problem."

We hope the little guy hasn't been poisoned by the block's copious rat bait stations...

This morning at the East River Park Track

Spotted by EVG reader Brad212.

And beware…

@evgrieve angry raccoon-sized east river park (5th st) opossum!! pic.twitter.com/ksYIIO4Iqb

— East Village Kit (@EastVillChris) September 27, 2014

Rejected headlines:
Opossum, where art thou?