A peacock in Manhattan? That's right. Recently, there was a live peacock hanging out on the window ledge of an apartment building in New York City. Believe it or not, with acres of green space, this is not an uncommon occurrence. This particular bird had excellent taste in real estate, choosing to land on a 22.5 million dollar apartment on Fifth Avenue. The feathered guy made his way back across the street the following morning to the Central Park zoo.
Wildlife exists everywhere in New York. It may be difficult to appreciate this in certain areas of the city like Times Square, but nonetheless, amid the noise and chaos, nature in the city is alive and well.
Of course the rats, squirrels (rats in a cuter outfit per Carrie Bradshaw), and pigeons (flying rats) are a given. But believe it or not, raccoons, ducks, birds of prey, as well as deer, turtles, fish and more exist in the parks of New York City.
Even when I think of Manhattan, wildlife is not the first attraction that comes to mind. Broadway, shopping, carriage rides in Central Park maybe, but lions, tigers and bears not so much.
Much of the beauty and tranquility in New York City lies at the edges. The hustle and bustle thrives in the center. For those of you who are planning a trip sometime soon, go to an unexpected part of the island. Go West until you hit the Hudson river. Walk along the promenade at Riverside Park in the 80's and 90's. Or head further uptown to Fort Tryon Park and the Cloisters. You won't believe you are in the city, let alone the city of New York.
If you visit Central Park, make your way to the north end of the park around 100th street on the West side. Walk around the pond and head back toward the waterfalls into the North Woods, which is untouched wilderness like you have never seen in any city. You can observe bird watchers in this area known as the "Manhattan Adirondacks".
This list goes on and on---for the nature lovers, bird watchers, hikers, and even campers, imagine--you can also camp in New York City parks. Even if you are not an urban dweller, surely you would enjoy the country side of the Big Apple.
And if you listen carefully when the traffic has slowed, the horns have stopped, and the screams have quieted, you may even hear a chirp in midtown Manhattan.
