Spring Break!

Lunch with a view.

     In my first year of teaching, I am beyond overjoyed that it is spring break. It is much needed, in the sense that I can do work and get ahead so I can successfully make it to June. I suppose I also get some time to myself to do things I find enjoyable.
     The temperature today was in the upper 60's so being outdoors was mandatory! My husband and I went to Marine Park, down on Avenue U in Marine Park, Brooklyn. We saw some good wildlife, had sandwiches overlooking the water, and took the baseball gloves out across the street in the park for catch. Among the un-photographed were a belted kingfisher, shy fiddler crabs, lots of bufflehead and ruddy ducks, nesting osprey, and more. It was a great day to be out and it finally feels like winter has gone away for good - but who knows, maybe it will snow again next week because that's how insane it has been.

A mockingbird working hard to protect its turf outside the nature center.

We were kindly pointed over to this area by a ranger who told us there was a red tail around. He was very well hidden, and my camera had a hard time focusing.

Then he was on a mission. 

He gave this great egret a really hard time, chasing it down. Was it trying to capture this bird?

Well, maybe he was, he seems to still have much to learn. See his long tail? That tells us he is a young bird, maybe still getting the hang of hunting.

He looks beaten up, but really he is molting. Those tail feathers are banded, telling us he/she is young. Mature adults have those brick red tails. Maybe his is just coming in.

Mute swan test shot.

A double crested cormorant and a pair of bufflehead ducks.

A greater yellowlegs.

As opposed to the lesser yellowlegs that has a shorter bill. The greater's bill in appearance can seem slightly upturned.

A common grackle voices his opinion to the nearby waterfowl.

A common grackle attempts a photobomb on some foraging crows.

There is always that reminder that amongst it all, you're still in New York City. The Freedom Towers peeks over the tree line and nature center.

Fuhgeddaboudit!

The Cannonballs of Cannonball Park.

     Today, my husband and I explored a new set of parks here in Brooklyn, we began at John Paul Jones Park, better known to locals as Cannonball Park, and walked along Shore Road Park. Fun fact: Cannonball Park is where my parents had their wedding photos taken!
     On our walk we had the chance to see some good waterfowl sightings while enjoying the abundant sunshine. This park also gives you a great chance to view and walk under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. It's a lovely place for a stroll and even a bike ride, I think we will be going back especially as the weather gets warmer!

A pigeon sits a top the Dover Patrol World War Memorial- a gift from England after WWI, in Cannonball Park. 

An Eastern Phoebe flew just ahead of us as we walked along the park, just bordering the Belt Parkway. 

A red breasted merganser gives a yawn as he wakes up from his nap on the harbor. 

... soon after, he returned to his nap. 

I have been over this bridge so many times, but never under! The Verrazano from the bottom, bottom level.

A common loon sighting just East, past the bridge.

Mind you, we are walking next to the Belt and still spotting Mergansers, brant geese, loon, and scaup.

Greater Scaup- nice and close, but I had the wrong lens on- Greater scaup males have a green glossy head, lesser scaup have a purple gloss.

Rainy Spring Weekend

     Last weekend was pretty rainy and miserable. For a little bit on Sunday it didn't rain and some pigeons gathered at the feeder in my neighbors yard, and I just found this one pigeon so handsome on such a stinky day. I love those eyes and that purple-green iridescence on the neck...
     Pigeons are under appreciated, I think they deserve some love, even on an icky rainy day.

First Spring Excursion

     It was a fine day for a walk, temperature in the 50's, the sun shining, and a blanket of snow on the ground at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. I walked the trail to get around to the far side of the west pond and I heard so much honking. I figured so many Canada Geese were waiting for me on the bay, but to my surprise a huge flock of snow geese were covering the marsh. Snow geese are a first for me, so I was very happy getting to see them. Also sighted were killdeer and osprey (both back for the season), bufflehead duck, brant, house finch, and red wing blackbirds.

Snow geese! The only kind of snow I want to see at this point.

Snow Geese in New York City!

Mourning dove

In being so close to JFK International Airport, migratory birds and planes do not mix. According to a recent article I read, many species of bird are killed off each year in hopes of preventing air strikes. Could this be done without all the killing? It's a tough question to answer, but the number presented in this article really shocked me. 

The geese were super restless and by time I was leaving there was a lot of flying and photo ops.

House finches on the feeder outside the center.

A male house finch all handsome for the ladies.

Manhattanites

     With a high in the 50's today, getting out of the apartment was an absolute requirement. My husband mentioned Central Park, and after a visit to the zoo, we walked North. Our walk took us through the mall, the ramble, and out to the West side, near Strawberry Fields, right in front of the Dakota, where John Lennon lived, and his family still resides.
     The highlight was at the end of our walk as we watched a red tail hawk swoop and dive, perch up on an iconic building, and collect nesting material. Enjoy!

A blue jay forages amongst the first flowers of spring, snowdrops, at the entrance to the mall.

This raccoon found a nice place to sleep in the ramble. You have moments here where you forget you are in the middle of Manhattan. Birds are calling, buildings are out of view from the hills and trees, then, from time to time you get a reminder of where you are from the sirens off in the distance.

A red tail hawk sighting before we exited the park.

The mate of the hawk above perched on a corner of the Eldorado on the Upper West Side.

They look so regal.... then they have to collect sticks for their nest, and they just look sloppy. 

More nesting material being collected in front of the Eldorado.

It was so hard to get even a semi decent picture, as runners were dodging me on the path.

The Eldorado.

Flying with nesting material...

He is very, very, very high in the sky. He is very much looking for some real estate, he has some serious standards, just like any New Yorker.

PERFECT! On the Eldorado, park view, covered, East facing....

Maybe not perfect, back out with twig in talon...