# Central Park



## Happypaphy7 (Jun 28, 2017)

We are having such beautiful weather in the past two days, a nice break from the heat wave.

Sharing some photos I took in the park.

I love the first photo. The shape and colors on the center of the cone flower really catch my eyes! Honey bee on it also is a nice addition. 







Bumble bee? There was a small metallic green colored bee but it flew away before I was able to snap a shot of it. Oh, well...Maybe some other time.











Something creepy was eating the flower bit by bit.






Hemerocallis in full bloom. I think these came here from Asia.
I know they are native in my home country.






Terrible quality, but I was excited to spot a make wood duck napping next to a group of mallards.






I needed to see this open water and clear my mind for a moment.
Sweet scent of Linden in the breeze is also helping! 






Wild type Hydrangea. Then my phone ran out of battery and couldn't take photos of Linden blossoms and others.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jun 28, 2017)

A nice time to be out in the park! Do you know if Lyme's disease is a problem in the park? I imagine it would be.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jun 28, 2017)

I don't think so. Haven't heard anything about it. City people would go nuts over it! Lots of dog walkers and sun bathers lying on the grass and everywhere else peacefully today as usual.

I thought it is mainly spread by deer carrying certain ticks.


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## cnycharles (Jun 28, 2017)

rodents also host them


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## SlipperFan (Jun 28, 2017)

A beautiful place.



Happypaphy7 said:


> I don't think so. Haven't heard anything about it. City people would go nuts over it! Lots of dog walkers and sun bathers lying on the grass and everywhere else peacefully today as usual.
> 
> I thought it is mainly spread by deer carrying certain ticks.


https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/transmission/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/index.html


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## abax (Jun 28, 2017)

We've got a major tick problem here this year and it's
been fatal for four children. Apparently, there's a new
disease caused by tick bites and there's very little information available currently. Lyme disease is relatively
rare here, so the new information is disquieting.

Lovely photos hp. Central is a very nice place to escape
the noise and bustle of NYC.


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## cnycharles (Jun 28, 2017)

Ouch. Yes two years ago I heard about a nasty variant of a tick borne disease worse than Lyme disease and doesn't make the bullseye Lyme ticks do, so very sneaky. It was first 'realized' somewhere mid Hudson River area and who knows where else. Hard to treat something with generic early symptoms achy and feverish
Some areas the ticks don't bother me but flying buyers do. Other spots they crawl all over me


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## abax (Jun 29, 2017)

Here's a good tick repellant you can make yourself when
you're out tramping about. In a quart bottle, six drops of
lemon grass oil, six drops of pepperment oil and however
much eucalyptus oil you care to add. Add water. Spray it liberally and often. It works quite well on deer flies and other such obnoxious critters too. Piping Rock has the best oils at the best prices I've been able to find.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jun 30, 2017)

abax said:


> We've got a major tick problem here this year and it's
> been fatal for four children. Apparently, there's a new
> disease caused by tick bites and there's very little information available currently. Lyme disease is relatively
> rare here, so the new information is disquieting.
> ...



Yes, it is. I love the fact that we have this large green space in the middle of the city with birds and all.

I just wish there were less people and no horse (all the poop all over the street and the smell!!!!).


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## Happypaphy7 (Jun 30, 2017)

cnycharles said:


> rodents also host them



Yikes! Rats are everywhere in the city and the park! 

I always wonder how Americans just lay down on the grass without blankets.
No fear! lol I don't mean potential risk of picking up a disease organism but it just is dirty as grass field in the park is often badly damaged and the grass are not packed in enough leaving the patches of bare ground here and there.

Speaking of people laying down on the grass, in Korea, people stopped picnicking on the grass even with the blanket (Koreans almost always do) after a outbreak of hemorrhagic fever carried by rats and mice.
I remember being in total shock watching news about it. Once in your body, you will show the symptom typical of common cold, and then start having sever fever and die from bleeding. terrible way of dying! and there was no vaccine or cure. 
No one ever sits on the grass since then. 

I don't ever sit on grass here, either. Life long trauma, I guess.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jun 30, 2017)

cnycharles said:


> Ouch. Yes two years ago I heard about a nasty variant of a tick borne disease worse than Lyme disease and doesn't make the bullseye Lyme ticks do, so very sneaky. It was first 'realized' somewhere mid Hudson River area and who knows where else. Hard to treat something with generic early symptoms achy and feverish
> Some areas the ticks don't bother me but flying buyers do. Other spots they crawl all over me



It is scary because the symptom can be easily just ignored for something else.

Powassan virus is what you meant?
I just read about it the other day.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jun 30, 2017)

abax said:


> Here's a good tick repellant you can make yourself when
> you're out tramping about. In a quart bottle, six drops of
> lemon grass oil, six drops of pepperment oil and however
> much eucalyptus oil you care to add. Add water. Spray it liberally and often. It works quite well on deer flies and other such obnoxious critters too. Piping Rock has the best oils at the best prices I've been able to find.



Isn't covering up (long socks and pants, long sleeves...) the best protection? I mean it is not easy to cover up in the heat of summer.
I guess it is best to just stay away from wooded area.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jun 30, 2017)

It's funny how this thread turned into a disease discussion page. lol


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## abax (Jun 30, 2017)

Covering up is a good idea as well, however, the very tiny ticks are
almost impossible to see until you've been bitten and the bite starts
to itch.


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## Ozpaph (Jul 1, 2017)

You guys sure know how to spoil a lovely stroll in the park!


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## SlipperFan (Jul 1, 2017)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Isn't covering up (long socks and pants, long sleeves...) the best protection? I mean it is not easy to cover up in the heat of summer.
> I guess it is best to just stay away from wooded area.



Ticks are also found in tall grasses...


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jul 1, 2017)

God help us all! Be afraid of everything, please :rollhappy:

One thing is certain, you are going to die. I think that famous surgeon general's message on cigarette packages should have read, "the surgeon general has determined that being born is hazardous to your health". I don't say this in jest.

Lie on the lawn, enjoy the flowers, walk in the woods, pop a cold one... if that is what you want to do.

Now I have to get to Central Park in summer just so I can roll around in the grass! :rollhappy:


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## Happypaphy7 (Jul 1, 2017)

I know, but I can't help it!

I also am very afraid of not seeing my feet, so I don't ever walk into area with tall grasses. Mainly snakes and bugs. lol

There are nearly no wildlife other than some harmless birds and rats, yuck! I did see a racoon taking a bag of lunch from a visitor last week. First time seeing one in person.

I still enjoy the park very much.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jul 1, 2017)

Nature is not the enemy! If you want to see two young guys in love with the "natural" world, and life itself, watch this video. These guys really aren't afraid of nature, but they do respect and understand it. Moreover, they don't see a separation between "us" and the "natural" world. These guys inspire me.

Florida's Wild Side


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## SlipperFan (Jul 2, 2017)

Awesome, Tom. Thanks for the intro!


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## Lanmark (Jul 2, 2017)

Great video, Tom!


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## abax (Jul 2, 2017)

Very informative video. I'm sorry that I posted about the
new tick disease and spooked some people. I did offer a
defense that isn't harmful to people or animals.


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## Happypaphy7 (Aug 19, 2017)

*Black Crowned Night Heron*

A bit old photos from late June.

I was lucky to witness the hunting scene.
The pond is full of Bluegill. 
He caught one and after carefully tossing around the fish to position the head down, he swallowed the whole thing.


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## Happypaphy7 (Aug 19, 2017)

At anther location, thing like the pond, a large lake with very clean water, there is a pair of Canada Goose raising a few young.
I have also seen Mallard female (no male) with quite a few young.


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## SlipperFan (Aug 19, 2017)

It always amazes me to see a bird swallow a fish whole.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Aug 19, 2017)

SlipperFan said:


> It always amazes me to see a bird swallow a fish whole.



And the darn thing is still alive in there! I once watched a hundred pound dog literally inhale a 6 six inch rib bone in a similar fashion, no chewing, just SHLOP! and down the hatch it went. I couldn't help but wonder how it came out the other side...


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## abax (Aug 19, 2017)

One hopes it comes out the other end or it's a trip to the
vet. for surgery.

We have quite a few green herons here and far too many
Canada geese and they eat and poop everywhere around
Laurel Lake just down the road. They're become quite
aggressive and a bit of a pest, but they're such beautiful
birds.


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## cnycharles (Aug 20, 2017)

Nice catch on the pics!. People think being around water is so peaceful (unless you're living in it)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NYEric (Aug 20, 2017)

Too far uptown. :evil:


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## cnycharles (Aug 20, 2017)

NYEric said:


> Too far uptown. :evil:



Regionalist!  
Some say all of manhattan is too far 'uptown'


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## Happypaphy7 (Aug 20, 2017)

SlipperFan said:


> It always amazes me to see a bird swallow a fish whole.



I know. I wonder if it hurts inside.
I would think the fish will move around.
And those sharp pointy edge on the dorsal fin!!! 

Maybe they have tough layers of tissues lining the digestive system?


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## Happypaphy7 (Aug 20, 2017)

cnycharles said:


> Nice catch on the pics!. People think being around water is so peaceful (unless you're living in it)
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Yeah, there were Herons fishing on the water edge, Cormorant diving to catch fish...Oh, and a Large Egret walking around shallow water to catch fish. 

I also saw a turtle bite a Pigeon's foot and drag in inside the water. :clap:


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## Happypaphy7 (Aug 20, 2017)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> And the darn thing is still alive in there! I once watched a hundred pound dog literally inhale a 6 six inch rib bone in a similar fashion, no chewing, just SHLOP! and down the hatch it went. I couldn't help but wonder how it came out the other side...



Hope it was ok.


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## Happypaphy7 (Aug 20, 2017)

abax said:


> One hopes it comes out the other end or it's a trip to the
> vet. for surgery.
> 
> We have quite a few green herons here and far too many
> ...



Mallards, Canada Geese are pest in many parts of the world. 
but yes, they are beautiful!!! 
and yes, they do poop big poop all over as they walk around. 

Green Heron? First I read as Great Heron, which eats lots of things. Snakes, mice, other birds, and of course fish and frogs...
I looked up Green Heron. A small Heron. It is pretty indeed!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Aug 20, 2017)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Hope it was ok.



He lived. He was my friend's dog and at the time was very young. When it did pass he just let out a big yelp and it was over. He lived to be 13 years I believe.


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## abax (Aug 20, 2017)

Good on that big dog...puppies will eat anything! One of
my dogs pooped a paper towel a couple of days ago. I
have no idea where the damn towel came from. Didn't
hurt her, but I think she was surprised!

HP, you are invited to KY anytime to see our green herons. The young are very funny looking with a rather
large head crest that stands straight up appearing very
clownish.


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