NYC Jan 28 2006-Pigeons - Humboldt street

today's pix
warm sunny day
went to a roof down the street where I live
a guy keeps 300 fancy "flight" pigeons
beautiful clean - brown or grey birds that fly in circles
this guy cares for them.
he can whistle in different ways to catch their attention and make them
land or fly on command.
there is a hawk in the neighborhood that every day or so during mating
season
snatches a pigeon -
I took a bunch of photos
these are not homing/carrier pigeons that are bigger / stronger / smarter
he told me people have contests with homing pigeons from NJ/ PA -
pigeons that fly back home -
they bet a lot money.
these pigeons tho dont smell bad and are smart-
they recognize the owner's face and they are not scared of him when he
gets close
but if a stranger comes up close they act wary and suspicious.
I walked around my neighborhood -
people enjoying the sunny day -
old italian american neighborhood - lots of churches.
picked up my clean laundry
and rode my bike to J&R
ran into erin o'
on the bridge -
on broadway and worth street
I took pictures of the federal building -
a bit paranoid -
that is where in a few weeks I have to be interviewed / examined by the
dept of homeland security
at 7.45 am.