Bird Watchers

My favorite birds are blue jays; I think of them as raucous teenagers, making a racket and raising hell.They're the juvenile delinquents of Birdom.

Sparrows come in as a close second. Sitting at my drawing board I sometimes watch them get into dust-ups on the fire escape outside my window. It reminds me of schoolyard brawls from P.S. 145 when a group of the eager little fellas circle the contenders, cheeping, "Fight! Fight!" They're fearless and feisty and take no guff.

But there are New Yorkers who take birds much more seriously than I. They're members of an intrepid crew: city bird watchers, and can be spotted strolling through city parks craning their necks to spy their next find.

Click here to buy the 8" X 10" full color, 184-page book that features a selection of 68 Overlooked New Yorkers, for $25.