Many Faces of Central Park

I have been to NY City, Times Square, Madison Square Garden,
China Town, Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, Empire State Building, etc....
and I thought I had seen it all .... but that was before my friend talked
me into going on a 'birding' tour of Central Park.

I was so impressed with the Park that I would go back there
in a heartbeat. It's the City in a country setting. Who would
have known what pleasures awaited us.

First I want to show the Scenes and Statues, Gardens and
lakes of Central Park. This 'jane and barbie' adventure
surpasses any we have taken in our 30+ years as friends.

The Famous Split level Bethesda Terrace is a picture that most
people have seen in books or on line. It is the Architectural heart of
Central Park.

At the edge of the Great Lawn in Central Park is a bronze statue
depicting the two lovers from Shakespeare’s play
“Romeo & Juliet” published in 1597. ...

A Robin actually built a nest in the space between these
two lovers in years past. The Statue stands in front of the
Delacorte Theatre in Central Park

go here to see a pict. of bird's nest.

Fifty-ninth Street, at the entrance to Central Park
you will see a Statue of Columbus.

There are many other Statues and Scenes that I
have posted in my Picasa Album.. please click to see.

Belvedere Castle is perhaps the most magical monument in Central Park,
one that combines function, form and romance - ...
It is perched on an immense outcropping of bedrock called Vista Rock

What amazed me was how you could see the NY skyline
from a lot of places in the park. Reminding you that
you are indeed in NY City.

There are many bodies of water in Central Park. The one above
is near the Loeb Boathouse and the one below is the Harlem Meer.

We saw water birds at both places we do not see at home.

The sandstone terrace with benches built into the walls is the site of the
Angel of the Waters, one of the world’s most famous fountains. ...
It was unveiled in 1873.

On March 26, 1981, the city council designated the area, stretching from
71st to 74th streets, as Strawberry Fields. The mosaic is at the heart of a
series of open and secret glades of lawn and glacier-carved rock outcroppings,and
is dedicated to John Lennon who was shot not far from here in the Dakota
Apartment Building on Dec. 8th, 1980.

Deep within the forested northwest sector called “The Cliff”, stands the oldest building in the Park, Blockhouse No.1 high upon the edge of a hill.

Lush green and waterfalls can be seen through out the Park.

The six-acre Conservatory Garden is Central Park's only formal garden.
The walkways are lined with benches where you can sit and read
or just relax.

The Wisteria was in bloom and the scent was heavenly
and the view is of the Fountain

To the north is the classical French-style garden. At its center is German
sculptor Walter Schott's The Three Dancing Maidens.

Some come to capture the beauty on canvas.

But the Reason we came to Central Park was not for the
beauty of trees, flowers, statues and waters but is depicted
in the photo below.
This is the famous 'Hawk Bench' where Pale Male
and Lola The red tailed Hawks are watched everyday
they are nesting across on 5th Avenue.

And YES!!!! We did see Pale Male sitting on the nest.
Talk about excited..... It was the last thing we saw as we
were leaving Central Park and we were just in awe of the
whole experience.

Stay tuned for the next 'Face of Central Park' coming soon
to Window on Nature Blog....

Sad update.... When I returned from my trip I did not see
Mr. or Mrs. Wren flitting about and was afraid to even look
in the nest. When I did I was very sad....all 6 hatchlings were
there perfect but dead. While I was gone we had freezing temps
and pouring rain. If this was first nest for mom she may
not have known how to keep the chicks dry and warm.