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Who knew there were so many kinds of sparrows? The yellow above the eyes and the bright white throat patch identify this lifer for me.
Prospect Park,
Brooklyn, New York
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We were sitting on a playground bench enjoying the children playing in the fountains, and watching a cute baby sparrow hopping in front of us.
In a moment, a large red-tailed hawk swooped down, grabbed the sparrow, and took him up to the tree you see above. You can see some of the remains of the sparrow in the hawk’s claws.
The next day, I went back to the area and though I didn’t see the hawk again, a birder told me that the children’s playground was a regular part of that hawk’s territory.
Marine Park Playground
Brooklyn, New York
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Foamola—that’s poet/lyricist Sparrow, Sylvia Gorelick, and composer Lawrence Fishberg— sing the haunting “Moontime” and the rollicking “I Put My Radio in The Refrigerator So the Vegetables Can Dance.”
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Sparrow is the name of the poet that music critic Robert Christgau called “the funniest man in America.” Yesterday, this interview I did with Sparrow was broadcast on radio station WBAI’s Arts Express program. I think you’ll find him both profound and irreverent. Click on the grey triangle above to enjoy both his poetry and conversation.
And oh yes—Sparrow gives Arts Express a hot political scoop!
The sparrow is quite happy to have the heroic mockingbird protect it from the black snake. Earlier on, there were starlings in the trees above who were emitting warning cries, and a few of flew them down to mob the snake to make it move away from their nests.
Wilmington, Delaware.