<P> A wooded section of the park, called the Ramble and Lake, is popular among birders . Many species of woodland birds, especially warblers, may be seen in the Ramble in the spring and the fall . </P> <P> Rowboats and kayaks are rented on an hourly basis at the Loeb Boathouse, which also houses a restaurant overlooking the Lake . As early as 1922, model power boating was popular on park waters . </P> <P> The tradition of carriage horses in New York City was revived in 1935 . The carriages have appeared in many films, and the first female horse and carriage driver, Maggie Cogan, appeared in a Universal newsreel in 1967 . As such, they have become a symbolic institution of the city . After the September 11 attacks, in a much - publicized event, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani went to the stables himself to ask the drivers to go back to work to help return a sense of normality . </P> <P> Some activists such as NYCLASS, as well as politicians, have questioned the ethics of this tradition . The history of accidents involving spooked horses has come under scrutiny with recent horse deaths . Protests from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and celebrities including Alec Baldwin, Alecia Beth Moore and Cheryl Hines have raised the issue's profile . Additional media accounts have corroborated some charges, but they have also shown that the standards vary from stable to stable . </P>

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