It’s been a while since I have paid attention to my good friend 110 Green Street. My buddy Larry da Junkman recently struck up a conversation with the doorman. Apparently they’re asking a much more reasonable $1,800 for a one bedroom at this, Greenpoint’s most famous, nondo. While still outrageously over-priced at least it is a step in the right direction.
But the Viridian is much more than a poorly planned and executed six story testament to the folly of the north Brooklyn real estate boom (and bust). I learned this when I checked my email last night; it can now list “bird killer” to its list of dubious achievements as well.
Jay Lombard of Unleashed Brooklyn/Dog Habitat writes:
Ugh. I was walking by the Viridian around noon today and saw something that made me stop dead in my tracks three dead birds – all were the same species with beautiful yellow feathers. It took me a few seconds to figure out what happened… It appeared that all three died from broken necks from a sudden impact. When I looked up it became clear what happened to these three. I wonder how many more birds will meet the same fate…
This is directly above the bird carcasses (which were removed with 30 minutes of my discovery). My guess is that the birds were fooled by the reflection in the glass. I’m sure this happens all over the city… And probably very little that can be done to avoid this type of collision.
Indeed.
Miss Heather
P.S.: Apparently these are Cedar Waxwings. (See comments). Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about them.
UPDATE, 2:55 p.m.: Crickey, it would appear someone is moving in!
I’m pretty sure those are Cedar Waxwings. Heartbreaking. They are such beautiful birds. People have had some luck getting some of the big commercial buildings in lower Manhattan to make their windows less lethal, at least during spring and fall migrations. Fall migration has already started.
I am so sorry, these help keep our neighborhood beautiful. How many more will die before the building management does something? Note that sensible mitigation is very cheap and it would be a neighborly gesture to be sure.
oh my god, this is so sad! What beautiful birds! What a shame.
Bombycilla cedrorum, Cedar Waxwings, are beautiful birds. Living specimens are difficult to photograph.
The collisions can be deterred by placing inexpensive polarizing decals on the outsides of the windows. They’re transparent and nearly invisible when viewed from the inside. From the outside, the difference in light is enough to let birds know there’s something there, and they avoid it.