Marine Park Happenings

     As we get into summer, and the end of migration if I have time beyond plovers, I head to Marine Park. This is a collection of pictures from over the last month, each visit bringing its own special experience with the marsh.

Last month I helped co-lead a bird outing and while we tried to see clapper rails, we mostly heard them. But there were still plenty of other sights, like this great egret.

A warbling vireo mid-warble allowed us to see it, a special treat.

Highlight of the outing was for sure a family of Carolina wrens, mom, dad, and their fledglings. The fledglings had their yellow gape still, and were almost butt-less with their tiny tail feathers -- of course very cute.

Even got some terrapin views as they came out to bask.

For those who stuck the outing out to the very end got a little dazzle by this white-crowned sparrow, not a regular to the area.

Found west of us, there are always a few who show up in spring and fall migrations.

On a morning visit before starting my work day, I enjoyed watching this egret do its morning fishing, maybe catching what looks like a peanut bunker to me.

Definity keeps its eyes on what it is going for, even as it hits the water.

Elegant but effective hunters with those elongated features.

Want to talk about luck?

Getting any look at a clapper rail is great. A tail flick, a quick head popping out of the grass, or its back as it darts into the grasses.

But to have a clapper rail stand around for a solid five minutes in fairly open view, that is something special and mother nature has blessed you.

Thanks, clappy!

Can't get enough of them, love 'em!

The resident yellow-crowned night herons were throwing back fiddler crabs.

By time I left, the egret was playing a game of leap frog with the terrapins basking on the pilings.

We have so many beautiful indigenous turtle species in New York, and the diamondback terrapin is up there.

One quick job before leaving for me...

And one last good view, for the bunker and myself.

On my most recent outing enjoyed a double crested cormorant drying its feathers.

From where it was sitting, gave me a nice opportunity to admire those ice-blue eyes. Probably the best kept secret about double crested cormorants.

Also got to enjoy those butter-yellow feet of this snowy egret.

A willow flycatcher who was having a little stand-off with the red-winged blackbirds. Perhaps it has a nest in the bush they were in.

A special sight, an active Baltimore Oriole nest dangling from a tree-of-heaven.

A beautiful, wishing me ill-thoughts, common grackle.

The red-winged blackbirds had nestlings nearing fledge age, it was pretty cool to see a few crawl up grass stalks into view and calling for their mothers.

Hoping to get some more chances to get out soon. The weather has been a bit of a bummer and unpredictable as of late.