I have a new perspective on some old places that I frequent in Brooklyn. My kayak is officially living in Brooklyn and she's ready to explore.
We went out on our first voyage yesterday after work, I timed out my paddle at Marine Park to coincide with high tide and it was glorious to be out on the water. While I still saw all the regular birds, it was exciting and new. I look forward to many more adventures...
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A juvenile Forster's Tern calling for its sibling (presumed) and parent, as both another immature and mature bird were present. |
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When you are on a boat, the oystercatchers are way less fidgity and flighty. I ditched the 200-500mm lens for a 70-300 so that I wouldn't fall over the side from the extra weight. |
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There was a bit of a racket and bird flying in one very specific area- terns and tree swallows were trying to get this peregrine falcon to leave. |
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Marine Park is a completely different place from the water, there are areas that were once inacessible that I can now explore from the water. While kayaks and boats cannot land on any islands, it's very exciting to be able to paddle near and explore from a closer range than the trails across the water. |
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Still in NYC. |
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What Marine Park is mostly known for, and old dumping ground for cars. That is no longer the case these days. |
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More chill American Oystercatchers. With high tide, flats were not exposed so not too much action with peeps and other shorebirds. I did see some spotted and semi-palmated sandpipers. |
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Forster's tern among some fluffy clouds. |
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I paddled out 1 hour against the wind and tide. Coming back I sat back and drifted back in. It was a nice treat, untill you accidentally drifted into some grasses. Then you're covered in a troop of flies for which you became their new perch. I could not shake them. |
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I also didn't realize how high the tide gets. I drifted in to the trail I walked in on and both me and this yellow-crowned night heron gave each other the same look of "WTF?!" Again, in my experience, birds seems to know that a human in a boat is incapable of anything predatory (I suppose as long as one is unarmed) so we just stared as I drifted right by... |
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And then as I floated over to a small hill that would take me right back up to my car, I looked up, again both of us with a bit of surprise and confusion, a young yellow-crowned night heron-- maybe watching the other seasoned pro below to see how good foraging is done. While my adventure was just over an hour, I literally just wanted to test the waters today, other adventures will soon come and to those I look forward! |
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