On a recent trip to the Upper West Side to a doctor’s office, I drove along Broadway and saw a large sculpture of a bird on the central median. I made a u-turn, parked and walked over to photograph it and read about an artist I hadn’t before heard of, Nicolas Holiber. The Audubon Sculpture Project and the Broadway Mall Association sponsored the installation. From 64th Street all the way up to 157th Street.

These Scarlet Tanagers were just the cutest! Originally, there was a Red-Necked Grebe installed at 64th Street, but it was only there until November 2019. I was bummed to have missed that one because it was a mom with three chicks riding on her back. I once saw an actual Grebe with her chicks. Nothing sweeter.

These birds are all NYC natives or migratory residents, whose populations are currently threatened due to climate change.

Here’s a Common Goldeneye across the street from Barnard College

This one is a Hooded Merganser. You don’t see too many of those on 139th Street.

Wood Duck in a little corner park just off Broadway at 157th Street. Park looks pretty shabby because we’ve had no street sweeping during the pandemic.

I also parked and jumped out of the car to photograph the art painted on these steel gates. What the heck, It turned into a day of urban birdwatching!