Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Animal Wednesday - the Bronx Zoo




We went to the Bronx Zoo on Sunday - a cold crisp day - almost perfect for the zoo. This was directly after a lovely trip down to Brooklyn to show the kids where I grew up, my grade school, my high school and to be honest...I just wanted the chance to drive around Brooklyn again. Loved it - it was a beautiful Brooklyn Day - quiet, sunday go-to-church dressed people, no traffic.

Anyway - onto the zoo. The only problem with the cold weather was that alot of the animals were not out and about - particularly the gorillas, but there were many other interesting animals to see and their environments were pretty good for a zoo.

Grapes could tell you all the animal zoo-logical names. I'll tell you what I remember.

A monkey. He is a particular kind but I don't remember what. Cute tho' and very photogenic.

This is a frog. Maybe called a "very green frog" - but I don't remember. But a classic face eh?

There were some gorillas showing themselves - gorgeous animals - and I took the best pictures I could thru the glass. Most of them didn't come out very well, glare off the glass and hazy, but these two were the best.
I literally could watch these guys all day. I'm going to try to go back in a few weeks to see if it's warm enough so that they are outside. Since their enclosure is called "Congo" and it was only 40 degrees out - they stayed inside where they are (one would think) warm and cozy.
Yup - Sea Lions and I love this first Mother and Child photo. Isn't her head at a rather Madonna like angle?
Probably the Pops - yelling his head off. Whew - his breath was wow-strong.

A tortoise and I'm proud of this photo cause you can't really see the chain link fence. I mean, yeah - you can SEE it but I managed to get my little point and shoot to focus on the turtle instead of the chain link.
Madagascar - and a NILE Crocodile. Again, stating the obvious, photo taken thru the glass. White teeth - the better to bite you with.

Mean little eyes. Poor croc - maybe he's really a sweetheart but I wasn't going to ask.

Mr. Elegant Lizard - smirky.
Some red/orange birds - maybe ibis? No matter - they were gorgeous - especially against the green leaves.

Another special bird I call curly cheeks.
Penguins lying down being lazy in the cool sun.


Now this guy I remember - a Kookaburra - I remember cause of Helen and I thought of her when I saw this bird. Not that it resembles her or anything like that - just cause of Australia.

It was really a wonderful day. Nothing like being with those you love right?
Happy Animal Wednesday!!
( I just noted the date in my Mr. Linky. March is supposed to go out like a lamb and it isn't)

12 comments:

Lynn Cohen said...

What fun to see all these beautiful creatures. I too LOVE monkeys and could sit and watch them all day long. What a beautiful red wing spread on that bird!!! Thanks for sharing and so glad you had a fun Brooklyn day of reminencings!

Lori ann said...

great mim! we were at the zoo on sunday too! wait till you see what kj took photos of, hee hee!

glad you had such fun!

Cris, Oregon Artist said...

What a fun day you had. Was this the zoo that has lost the deadly poison snake recently?? yikes. saw it on the news.. anyway the monkey was so cute and I LOVE the red bird. Lovely color. Cris in Oregon.

sukipoet said...

when a child, i went to the Bronx zoo with my family and we have moving pictures of the gorillas etc. For me, it is too painful to go to a zoo and see animals taken out of their natural habitat so that we humans can gape at them.

I know you may say well they will live longer or something but I just think of what if it were me who was taken out of my home and put in a cage for people to come and watch me.

Sorry to be this way. Those drive thru zoos where the animals have acres to wander on and be free are a little better but it is still the same human centered concept. I cant bear to see it.

i wonder if in another lifetime i was put in a cage or something.

studio lolo said...

really good shots Mim!

I understand Suki's point, but from what I've heard most animals in zoos today were either born in captivity or they were rescued and rehabilitated and wouldn't survive in the woild anyway.
And this gives us all a chance to learn about them and hopefully save future ones.

I'm a fan of the zoos that really try to mimic the natural habitats and temperatures, etc. Admittedly, some fall short.

I'll be going to Roger Williams Park Zoo soon. I'm waiting for it to warm up.
I heard yesterday that they had to euthanize the oldest giraffe because he had such bad arthritis. He was twenty-one, quite old for a giraffe.

HAW Mim! Sounds like you had a wonderful time with the boys. Are they future Guidos??

xo
Lo♥

PAK ART said...

This makes me want to go visit our zoo, but I will wait till it warms up a bit. We have mostly just Alaskan animals....like moose which I can see any day I want if I just drive around for awhile.

Teri said...

Oh wow, what great shots Mim. A zoo is a sketchers paradise.

Baino said...

Wow that red bird is pretty stunning but I'm glad to see you included a little Aussie Kookaburra in there, did you manage to make him laugh? It's raining here and there's a 'laugh off' going on outside. Love em.

Robin said...

Fantastic Bronx Zoo Photos! I spent many a lovely day there... and it is really a wonderful Zoo...
I understand where Suki is coming from...but THIS Zoo (like San Diego) is what ALL Zoos should be....everyone has plenty of room to roam.

The little green froggie is a Prince! Love the Croc....love the birds....but gosh....you mean you didn't enter the Bat House? MY FAVOURITE!

I hope you can return soon...when the weather (finally) warms up! It is 70 here!!!! So we will be sending this weather Eastward soon!

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

marianne said...

Beautiful shots of beautiful animals. I guess we all have mixed feeling about zoos but ........
Saw that orange bird in Sweden too at the science museum.
Great pictures to do paintings of!
HAW!

Katiejane said...

Great trip to the zoo. I think that gorilla resembles someone in my family..hmm...
Curly Cheeks could be a whole new sketch character for you.
Now that I know you are originally from the Bronx I can just "hear" you narrating your blog! :)
Can you "hear" my West Virginia twang?

kj said...

wonderful shots, mim.

i know there are zoos and there are zoos, but overall i have to agree with suki. i look at the gorillas and lions and my heart could just as well break.

lori and i were indeed at the zoo on sunday too. it was also a 'good' zoo, some room to roam.
we had a blast. and i did decide to 'specialize' in certain shots: to be announced :)

i'm glad you were with the boys and those you love mim. xoxo