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Messages - BLeafe

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3196
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 12, 2011, 08:30:19 PM »
These two videos were shot today. Again - they're cell videos off a TV screen that's showing a VHS tape.

The first two scenes in this one are the same - the second's just closer than the first:


<a href="http://img291.imageshack.us/flvplayer.swf?f=Mauu" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://img291.imageshack.us/flvplayer.swf?f=Mauu</a>




I think he's looking for me AND food in this one. Let's hope he never confuses the two:


<a href="http://img192.imageshack.us/flvplayer.swf?f=Mr7c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://img192.imageshack.us/flvplayer.swf?f=Mr7c</a>



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3197
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 12, 2011, 05:02:16 PM »
Hammy was a no-show yesterday - probably at the store stocking up on milk, eggs, and pigeons before the snowstorm.............and a shovel so he could clear out a spot for himself on the A/C (first picture).

He showed up twice this morning and stayed for about 45 minutes each time - just watching for brunch scurrying by, I guess. I didn't see him leave the first time, but I saw the second exit: right off the edge - ass over teakettle - straight down.

During the second visit, I got some cell shots as the sun went in and out. You can see the wind lifting up some of his feathers on the left. The pix are severely cropped and are starting to show the limitations of cellphone photos. In the brighter shot, his white feathers look yellow because he's facing the yellow-brick wall of my building and the sun is reflecting off it.



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3198
http://cgi.ebay.com/Trolleys-NYS-W-RR-Depot-Hackensack-NJ-/290521824390?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a4733c86


OMG!  :o

I think this is the first image of an actual trolley on Main Street tracks that I have ever seen! There are lots of pictures that include the tracks on Main, but not trolleys.

This card is truly rare.



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3199
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 10, 2011, 07:44:58 PM »
Thanks for the suggestions. From an absolutely selfish photographic standpoint, nothing is gonna beat what I have right now.

I can get within 3' of the bird in the comfort and warmth of my home while being protected by the window. I've seen hawks on my roof a couple of times and you can't get anywhere near them.

From the eating habits you describe, I don't think he can beat what he has right now: he's got a great view of the river and parts of both parks and anything scurrying on the ground or flying in the air.

He's also got protection on his blind side from the building - something he wouldn't have on the roof here or at the other place I've seen him: on top of 417 Main St.

If he wants to Pale Male it on my A/C, that's fine with me (though he might not appreciate it when I turn the unit on in the summer).

I'm happy to just let nature take its course.



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3200
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 10, 2011, 03:30:34 PM »
Hammy's been here almost every day. There's no nesting behavior - I think my A/C is just an convenient perch for him to scan the area for prey. I know of at least one other nearby perch he uses, but that happens a lot less frequently.

Yesterday, he left a 2" x 1" something on the A/C. This double-picture shows the same deposit yesterday (left) and right (today), when it lost the feather in its cap. It's got lots more feathers, however..............the lump looks like a little tarball with feathers mixed in:





My A/C's been tarred and feathered!

I didn't know if it was an uneaten part of a bird or excrement, so I sent the shot to the always-knowledgeable Hugh Carola at the Hackensack Riverkeeper. His reply:

"I BELIEVE that it’s regurgitant (indigestible bits) that cannot pass through the bird’s system. Their excreta is like that of most other birds: lots of splashy white stuff (often referred to as 'whitewash'). There are a number of tails in and around the city: a nesting pair at Borg’s Woods, another along the river in Teaneck by FDU, plus plenty of immature/nonbreeders that feed on the abundant pigeon population.

Evidently your penthouse is THE place for this bird. You’re a lucky fella."



I got up at 8 this morning and there he was on the A/C (Hammy - not Hugh). The sun was so bright reflecting off the river that I would have been highly visible to him - too visible to get close and take pictures. But I did notice something interesting.

The sun cast a strong shadow of him on the side a wooden dresser. Next to the window is a mirror that showed that shadow on the dresser, so I took a picture into the mirror of THAT:





I want to get more video, but I can't stand there for an hour or two or just let tape run, so I hooked up the camcorder that's mostly in my bedroom to a free-standing VCR (remember those?). But the VCR's other cables only let me move it so far, so it's half in my living room and half in my hallway.

The connector from the VCR barely reaches the camcorder. It's strung so tightly that I have to hurdle it to get into the hallway and duck under it to get to the camcorder in the bedroom.

The VCR is hooked up to another VCR that's with my TV, which is near my computer, so the end result is that I can see whatever the camcorder's aimed at (the bedroom window) on the TV while sitting at my computer in the living room, but without having to record anything.

I DID record him for about 12 minutes this morning before he flew off. If he comes back, I can hit the first VCR's remote from my computer and record the signal from the camcorder on the VCR instead of running through the obstacle course to record it on the camcorder and possibly spooking him when I trip on the connector.

It's a mess, but it works.



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3201
Hackensack Videos / Re: Winter in Hackensack '11
« on: January 09, 2011, 03:52:51 PM »
Wow - I had no idea that there were houses filled with snow on Summit Avenue.



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3202
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 09, 2011, 12:00:08 AM »
Somebody's gonna be Salesless in Seattle.


3203
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 08, 2011, 10:23:47 PM »
the Seattle "SEEHAWKS"

One of your biggest clients and you spell their name "SEEhawks"?

Oy!


3204
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 08, 2011, 06:46:26 PM »
Wouldn't it be great if he set up a nest right there on your building ???  The "pale male" of Hackensack.

Here's a picture of that famous Fifth Avenue denizen at lunchtime:






I fully expect Hammy to be dining in a similar manner on my A/C, assuming I don't keep spooking him.




Maybe the hawk is looking to dine on Bob's "fisheye lens."

He hasn't seen my fisheye - just the cellphone. To use the fisheye, I'd have to have the camera right against the window and he'd still be too small a percentage of the frame to make a good picture. He'd be long gone by then anyway.

Here's what that cell shot looked like full frame:






The fisheye would be MUCH wider and pretty useless. Maybe I SHOULD just feed it to him.

I'm sure he'd be thrilled.  :D



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3205
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 07, 2011, 03:00:07 PM »
"I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeVille" - The Further Adventures of Hammy the Hawk



A little gift from Hammy the Hawk this morning: a special performance in the snow. This is cellphone video shot off a TV screen that was showing a VHS tape playback:


<a href="http://img443.imageshack.us/flvplayer.swf?f=My0z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://img443.imageshack.us/flvplayer.swf?f=My0z</a>


He landed on the A/C facing me this time - probably because the cold, snowy, east wind was at his back. It was too drab for photos, so I shot some video from about 12' away in the hallway outside my bedroom.

He shook his head, appeared to be talking, watched me like a.........well, you know what, and then stuck his tongue out at me. I got him back by taking a cell pic from my living room window while the tape still rolled by the bedroom.





I guess that spooked him and he took off.

BTW - I was nowhere near as close to him when I shot this as it appears. It's just well-cropped.



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3206
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Photo-Stereoview-HACKENSACK-N-J-St-Joseph-Church-/140496642605?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item20b640a22d

Description:

Photo Stereoview-HACKENSACK, N.J.-St. Joseph Church- Lot 2-These are two,old photo stereoview cards of Hackensack, New Jersey. One card is marked "St. Joseph Church Caarol ST?".The photographer is "E.A. Poe". The card has some creases.The second card shows men, in front of a house with a bicycle and an uprooted tree.. It is by The Poe Studio 102 Main St. Hackensack. Both cards are sold is used, as found condition.


There's no indication that either of the images has any connection to Hackensack, other than Mr. Poe.



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3207
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 05, 2011, 04:33:10 PM »
Well, I didn't have to wait 8 more years to get another hawk shot on my A/C. This ham apparently likes to have his/her picture taken and came back today for more photos.

I cleaned the window as much as I could this morning and the bird scheduled this afternoon's shoot a little earlier to take advantage of the sun and the results speak for themselves.

Now if only one of the bald eagles that hangs out a few blocks away along the river would come by.............

Meanwhile, ladies and gentlemen - give it up for Hammy the Hawk!



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3208
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Hawk
« on: January 04, 2011, 09:38:04 PM »
Look what I found on my bedroom A/C today! I set the cell cam to its highest resolution and snuck up on it.

I got within about 3 feet of the bird. It heard the camera clicks and turned toward me before it flew over to 417 Main.

I photographed an identical bird in the same spot 8 years ago. It was identified as a red-tailed hawk. I couldn't see the tail in these pictures, but I did see it when I video'd it two minutes later on top of 417 Main. It was red.

Too bad for that last shot that the window was dirty on the outside. I can't clean it unless I learn to fly. Maybe I can teach the hawk to clean it.



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3209
http://cgi.ebay.com/EARLY-SCHOOL-PHOTO-HACKENSACK-NJ-/330514708358?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item4cf4363786

Description:

You are bidding on a nice photo from Hackensack, NJ. The photo shows a School Group from what looks to be the 1930's. Photography Stamp on the back "Huwood Studio, 272 Main St., Hackensack, NJ. The photo measures 8.0"x 10.0" and is in Very Good condition with no rips, tears or creases.



I can't find any evidence of a "Huwood Studio" in Hackensack. I wonder if the seller spelled it right.

Anybody know which school this might be? I'm assuming it's in Hackensack, but we only know right now that the studio was in town.



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3210
http://cgi.ebay.com/GREAT-letters-notes-Patterson-NJ-Hackensack-New-Jersey-/320637359665?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa779d631


There are some familiar-sounding surnames in this.


Description:

This is a very interesting handwritten autograph book from the 1880s-1890s owned by a girl named Kate Vreeland from New Jersey, I believe.  It is filled with many poems, a couple drawings, and many notes/letters written to Katie from her classmates.  Most the classmates also signed their full names, dates and their hometowns, which are overwhelmingly from New Jersey especially Hackensack and Patterson, New Jersey.

Other classmates are from Columbus, Ohio,  Maywood NJ, Westwood NJ, New London CT, Leonia NJ, Passaie NJ, Hoboken NJ, Newark Valley NY, Brooklyn NY, Mount Vernon NY, East Orange NJ.  It would be interesting to figure out who these individuals are and what school they were attending together.  Nice piece of New Jersey history that is a very unique record.  Practically of the writing is legible in good shape.  Some fraying on the more fragile pages and the pages are loose from the binding.  Individual pages would look great framed as folk art, especially the pages with drawings.

I've typed out most of the locations and names below as best I can make them out, but only typed a couple of the poems and notes:

1890 First page says A merry Christmas to katie from Ida

Jan 3 91 JC Coore? Patterson NJ

2-23-93 Kate Vreeland [owner] In my album I invite you to write but tearing out pages I deem impolite

March 23, 1891 ...FS??Graham

Charles Post Oct 1891 Hackansck NJ

Jennie Mabie? Hackensack 1891

J.W. Paton Columbus Ohio Oct 1891

Oct 1891 Remember me long remember me forever remember the fun we have had in school together, your griend and schoolmate Emma Price, Maywood NJ

Ida Kirby

Katie-I've looked your album through and through to see what others have written for you and now I'll write that others may see the simple words remember me, your friend and schoolmate Albertha Westervelt, Hackensack, New Jersey

Dear Katie When our life in school shall be at an end please at times give a though to your loving friend, Addie Bates, Hackesack NJ 1891

Dear Katie...Fruit is soft as soon as ripened...love and kisses soon grow cold young....Minnie M'Nulty Westwood NJ 1893

I am here today and gone tomorrow Josephe E. Burr, New London, Connecticut

Nelson Taylor Leonia NJ 1891

Ellie B. Jarger Passaie, NJ 1893

Charles Westevelt Hackensack, NJ 1890

Emma

Lelia Hunt, Newark, NJ 1893

Ida Westervelt, Hackensack 1890

Lena F. Voorhis Paterson, NJ

When you get married and live up stairs for mercy sake don't put on airs-Etta

J.H. Vreeland, Hackensack, NJ 1889

Emma M. Daniels, Hackensack, NJ

M. Weggant, Hackensack

Mrs. J.S. Hoover? Patterson, NJ

George Mercier, Hoboken, NJ

Round went the album...Alice Bratt

I wish you had a husband...Sophie J. Lindsay 1894

G.F.? Grismond, Leonia, NJ

Man's love is like scotch snuff...woman's ...is like french brandy, Clara Jones 1894

Stephen Louis Wygart, Hackensack, NJ

Our lives are albums...Nelson Haas 1891

Miss Alice Louisa Ackerman, Newark Valley, Tioga Co, N. York 1891

Cheerfulness is the daughter of employment, Minnie Hetzel, East Orange NJ

In sailing...Carrie 1892

Aura D. Trowbridge? Hackensack 1891

A cheeful disposition is the best umbrella...Muriel Holdridge, Mount Vernon NY 1891

I write not for beautyI write...Ada MacNeil 1892

Our lives are...Eva Huyles? 1891

J. Ferry B. Brooklyn 1893

To the Ripples follow...so may God's blessings...Chris Mookes

Mrs. M. H. Coores, Paterson NJ




Could "Huyles" be "Huyler"?



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