Flaco the Owl
Unofficial NYC mascot29 total reviews
Comment from Mintybee
This was a good post about something unusual, which kept me reading. I was cheering for Flaco. I'm sorry he hit a window. There were a couple of typos, but the structure of the story was good. The length was good. The pacing was good. The detail was enough for those of us who didn't know the story to feel involved.
Mintybee
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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This was a good post about something unusual, which kept me reading. I was cheering for Flaco. I'm sorry he hit a window. There were a couple of typos, but the structure of the story was good. The length was good. The pacing was good. The detail was enough for those of us who didn't know the story to feel involved.
Mintybee
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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A few reviewers provided corrections which I haven't gotten to correct.
Thankyou so much for reading.
John
Comment from Jeano
Oh, wow! I had not heard of this story of Flaco, but my husband had read about him. During my lifetime, at least a dozen birds have flown into my windows and died. Thank you for writing and sharing this story. Very bittersweet but more bitter than sweet.
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Oh, wow! I had not heard of this story of Flaco, but my husband had read about him. During my lifetime, at least a dozen birds have flown into my windows and died. Thank you for writing and sharing this story. Very bittersweet but more bitter than sweet.
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you, Jean for reading and sharing.
John
Comment from mermaids
I love owls and had heard of Flaco but did not know all the details about his story. He has become a legend in New York City and I can see why so many admire him. He deserves a statue. Your writing is excellent and thank you for telling Flaco's story. It seems that he did enjoy the freedom he obtained.
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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I love owls and had heard of Flaco but did not know all the details about his story. He has become a legend in New York City and I can see why so many admire him. He deserves a statue. Your writing is excellent and thank you for telling Flaco's story. It seems that he did enjoy the freedom he obtained.
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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He did enjoy his 12 months of freedom for sure.
Thank you,
John
Comment from lyenochka
Thank you so much for this fine tribute to Flaco! I didn't know his name, only that an owl had escaped the zoo but didn't hear anything more. The ending to his brief life in freedom is sad but I like how he rallied the spirit of the New Yorkers.
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you so much for this fine tribute to Flaco! I didn't know his name, only that an owl had escaped the zoo but didn't hear anything more. The ending to his brief life in freedom is sad but I like how he rallied the spirit of the New Yorkers.
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you, Helen for sharing with me. It is a happy story as well as a sad one.
I hope you are enjoying your Tuesday.
John
Comment from Thesis
Also living in New Jersey, I've heard of Flaco and applauded his resilience. I like how you described the issues/dangers he faced once finally being free. It's too bad he died tragically, but he will always be free. It was an enjoyable read. Thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Also living in New Jersey, I've heard of Flaco and applauded his resilience. I like how you described the issues/dangers he faced once finally being free. It's too bad he died tragically, but he will always be free. It was an enjoyable read. Thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you for reading. I recall the story from a year ago, but lost track of it not being in NYC. It was a heartwarming story I felt compelled to share.
Where in NJ do you live. I?m in Tinton Falls (Monmouth County).
John
Comment from zanya
What an interesting story about a famous New York owl - amazing, he hadn't lost his predatory instincts while in captivity-he carved out an interesting life for himself. Well done Flaco!
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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What an interesting story about a famous New York owl - amazing, he hadn't lost his predatory instincts while in captivity-he carved out an interesting life for himself. Well done Flaco!
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Zanya.
Thank you for stopping to read my post and for the generous gift of six stars.
John
Comment from SimianSavant
Neat story! I have added some suggested edits below:
Once upon a time, there was an owl named Flaco. This Eurasian eagle-owl is native to much of Europe and Asia, but not North America. Hatched in Scotland Neck, North Carolina, U.S.A. in March 2010, he was delivered to the Central Park Zoo a few months later making his "public debut". <= the current arranging of your sentences makes the introduction a bit confusing. The easiest way to smooth it out is probably to say in your second sentence that Flaco was an Eurasian eagle-owl. Also, it is unnecessary (although ok) to have quotes around "public debut".
For over a decade, Flaco amused all the onlookers as he lived in his makeshift apartment the size of a department store window, furnished with tree branches, fake rocks and a painted mural of a mountain landscape. <= this is entertaining and nicely worded
Flaco the owl made his way through the opening and was suddenly experiencing freedom <= passive voice. Try "suddenly experienced freedom"
Even rain was felt for the first time in his life. <= this is passive voice, making it sound like something a non-English native speaker might say. Go with "he even felt rain for the first time."
After living in a small zoo in America's largest city, his story was a cliffhanger about escape, freedom and resilience. <= nice
Never having to fend for himself, he was like the child who left home for the first time, venturing out on their own. <= don't mix pronouns. Stick with "he"/"his", and avoid "their", unless Flaco is planning on having a sex change operation
For Flaco, there was the mixture of anxiety, hope and worry, that after a lifetime in captivity, he wouldn't know how to feed himself or keep himself safe. <= passive voice. Go with something like: many worried that after a lifetime in Fox
The initial worry was he could crash into a skyscraper window, run into a Central Park coyote, or get hit by a moving bus. <= passive voice. Maybe "many initially worried"
He was spotted everywhere... <= go with a comma instead of an ellipsis from Central Park to many rooftops, flag poles, metal staircases, any secure landing spot for this seven pound owl with a six foot wingspan <= break the sentence here
dubbed, the ultimate New Yorker <= put in quotes instead of bold
by tourists and photographers. <= change to a comma
Flaco soon became the underdog everyone rooted for.
Unfortunately, Flaco's run with his free life came to an end as he died from "acute traumatic injury" after crashing into a buildings <= needs a possessive apostrophe
clear glass window.
Here are a few lines written by Janet Wikler, on February 24, 2024 titled,
Ode to Flaco... <= go with a colon instead of an ellipsis
Thanks for sharing the story of Flaco,
Harambe (for President)
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Neat story! I have added some suggested edits below:
Once upon a time, there was an owl named Flaco. This Eurasian eagle-owl is native to much of Europe and Asia, but not North America. Hatched in Scotland Neck, North Carolina, U.S.A. in March 2010, he was delivered to the Central Park Zoo a few months later making his "public debut". <= the current arranging of your sentences makes the introduction a bit confusing. The easiest way to smooth it out is probably to say in your second sentence that Flaco was an Eurasian eagle-owl. Also, it is unnecessary (although ok) to have quotes around "public debut".
For over a decade, Flaco amused all the onlookers as he lived in his makeshift apartment the size of a department store window, furnished with tree branches, fake rocks and a painted mural of a mountain landscape. <= this is entertaining and nicely worded
Flaco the owl made his way through the opening and was suddenly experiencing freedom <= passive voice. Try "suddenly experienced freedom"
Even rain was felt for the first time in his life. <= this is passive voice, making it sound like something a non-English native speaker might say. Go with "he even felt rain for the first time."
After living in a small zoo in America's largest city, his story was a cliffhanger about escape, freedom and resilience. <= nice
Never having to fend for himself, he was like the child who left home for the first time, venturing out on their own. <= don't mix pronouns. Stick with "he"/"his", and avoid "their", unless Flaco is planning on having a sex change operation
For Flaco, there was the mixture of anxiety, hope and worry, that after a lifetime in captivity, he wouldn't know how to feed himself or keep himself safe. <= passive voice. Go with something like: many worried that after a lifetime in Fox
The initial worry was he could crash into a skyscraper window, run into a Central Park coyote, or get hit by a moving bus. <= passive voice. Maybe "many initially worried"
He was spotted everywhere... <= go with a comma instead of an ellipsis from Central Park to many rooftops, flag poles, metal staircases, any secure landing spot for this seven pound owl with a six foot wingspan <= break the sentence here
dubbed, the ultimate New Yorker <= put in quotes instead of bold
by tourists and photographers. <= change to a comma
Flaco soon became the underdog everyone rooted for.
Unfortunately, Flaco's run with his free life came to an end as he died from "acute traumatic injury" after crashing into a buildings <= needs a possessive apostrophe
clear glass window.
Here are a few lines written by Janet Wikler, on February 24, 2024 titled,
Ode to Flaco... <= go with a colon instead of an ellipsis
Thanks for sharing the story of Flaco,
Harambe (for President)
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Wow. Thank you. I copied and pasted your review to my copy of Flaco?s post to go back and correct.
I appreciate all your time and your talent. Were you an English teacher or just a fabulous writer.
Again, many thanks. Would you mind taking a look at my previous post- Hickory, Dickery and Dock Escapade? If not, that?s absolutely okay,
John
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Sure! Just added a review for it. I mostly just write for my own entertainment, and probably could teach but there's rarely much money in it : )
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Thank you for sharing Flaco with us. I would have liked to have seen those windowed skyscrapers put decals in those windows so Flaco would see that they were there. I had not heard of Flaco. Thank you for sharing this tribute with us.
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reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you for sharing Flaco with us. I would have liked to have seen those windowed skyscrapers put decals in those windows so Flaco would see that they were there. I had not heard of Flaco. Thank you for sharing this tribute with us.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you, Barbara for reading and sharing.
John
Comment from Tom Horonzy
My first thought is I, too, I think would avoid NYC in a heartbeat. Flaco should have.
The seconbd was coyote - in Central Park? Are three free-roaming bears there, too. Besides the captive ones in a zoo. In fact, has it a zoo besides the vargary of people residing thre beneath the shadows and in the walkthroughts. Why ask a Jersey boy who never heard of Flaco until his R.I.P. was read.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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My first thought is I, too, I think would avoid NYC in a heartbeat. Flaco should have.
The seconbd was coyote - in Central Park? Are three free-roaming bears there, too. Besides the captive ones in a zoo. In fact, has it a zoo besides the vargary of people residing thre beneath the shadows and in the walkthroughts. Why ask a Jersey boy who never heard of Flaco until his R.I.P. was read.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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I knew of Flaco last year but lost track as not living in NY.
Thanks for reading.
John