Owl, Be Seeing You: Flaco Gone, But Not Forgotten

A photo tribute to the beloved NYC celebrity owl who perished last Friday. Plus: this week's cartooning.

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books (see link) and now writer/director of three award-winning films aired via PBS, including “Atomic Cover-up” and “Memorial Day Massacre” which are still up at PBS.org. Before all that, he was a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. »»»You can still subscribe to this newsletter for free.«««

We loved the celebrity NYC owl Flaco who was set free from his cage in the Central Park by a “vandal” last February, then enchanted locals and seemingly the world by not only surviving in the wild (against expectations) but seemingly thriving, soaring in the skies, snacking, peering into Upper West Side bedrooms, and hooting to the end. It seems, like millions of other birds in the region each year, he crashed into a building or window last week and fell to the ground. A memorial was soon established at his favorite tree in the park, which drew heartfelt messages, art and poetry.

Never got to see Flaco up close but followed him every day via social media. Last month in this new, semi-regular feature, spotlighting my own photography, I offered a collection of images of Flaco’s fellow raptors. In his honor, a few more today. Don’t worry, the usual hard-hitting cartoons appear down below.

Captured this image just this week, when our local Red-Tail Hawk returned to the tallest tree just down the block…

Twice, up in Goshen, N.Y., we have met, and carried on our wrists, what could be a Flaco cousin, a fellow rare-in-these-parts Eurasian Eagle Owl named “Boogie.”

Also at Goshen, a pensive Barred Owl named “Woodstock.” The previous celebrity bird in NYC was a Barred Owl called Barry.

At a local Audobon presentation, this Short-Eared Owl (a Flaco knockoff) made a grand entrance.

I frankly forget what this owl is called and he looks like he is daring me to get it wrong.

This Bald Eagle on the Hudson is giving off vibes like, “What, you don’t think I deserve to be this nation’s Symbol?”

For two years, I followed the upstate celebrity couple at the Stateline Lookout near Alpine on the Hudson. The longtime female has disappeared (we hope just happier elsewhere) and the male is now choosing between two new contenders as new mate.

Former Lady of the Cliffs, as she was known.

The Odd Couple: male joined by a happy Vulture, as they overlook the river.

Might have been a first locally: Snowy Owl, seen in these parts maybe once a decade, joined by a Great Blue Heron on the Hudson off Piermont, one hour of one day only.

Wednesday Cartooning