Views from the Water

     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...

A juvenile Forster's Tern calling for its sibling (presumed) and parent, as both another immature and mature bird were present.

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.

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.

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.

Still in NYC.

What Marine Park is mostly known for, and old dumping ground for cars. That is no longer the case these days.

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.

Forster's tern among some fluffy clouds.

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.

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...

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!