Oh Deer, Better Late Than Never...

     It's summer, my favorite season of the year, and I've been slacking lately. Opportunity and adventure calls and I take it, because, why not? Baseball, the beach, and more baseball grabbed at my attention this week, but I did forget about a cute encounter last weekend...
     On July 4th, my husband and I visited his family up in Rockland County. In the afternoon we got out of the house and drove around to Hook Mountain and on the way found another family, out and about...

We pulled the car over to the side of the road and fawned over this family of three, mom and her two youngsters. White-tailed deer are common, and considered by many a nuisance. But I love seeing them, and I mean, c'mon-- look at that face!

Mom didn't seem too concerned as she munched on a pile of pruned oak leaves. It'd funny how we consider deer a nuisance, but it's because of us they do so well. Deer thrive on edge habitat, where a forest boarders a cleaning. The cleaning provides food, the forest provides cover and protection. So upstate, we clear trees away for lawns, but property often boarders wild habitat- and, VOILA! Edge habitat! So, really we only have our selves to blame for making such ideal space-- and after eradicating their natural predators, deer are doing rather well.

The whole fan! You can see how the fawn farthest back really blends well, those white spots on the fawn's back help to break up their shape and allow them to camouflage well into brush.

And, oh yes, all these were taken from the backseat of my father-in-laws Ford F-150, so we are out of the car. It was almost like we were all observing each other.

"Look, Ma!"
"...Yes, I see, dear (deer?)."
"YOU'RE NOT LOOKING!"
"Yes, I am. I have eyes on the back of my head..."

Sunset Park Surprises

     Before work yesterday, 7/2/15, I decided to check out Bush Terminal Park in Sunset Park. I learned is the park has very set hours, which I suppose makes sense, since it is located off the beaten path, along the New York Harbor and behind many Brooklyn warehouses that begin from the BQE and extend to the Harbor. The park does not open until 8AM sharp. I arrived just after 7 to locked gates. I came hoping to see a surf scoter, and did some stationary watching from the gates of the park and figured I'd wait till 8AM to see if they would open. They did open the gates at 8 and I am glad I waited...

A mourning dove in the morning light posed on the park's entryway. From the gates of the park there were mourning doves, active mockingbirds, going through their repertoire of call from killdeer to car alarms, and osprey, cormorants, and heron flying by.

Entry to the park found me some handsome black-capped night herons. This one if perched above a netted shoreline that is being restored. It is nice to see parks appearing along what was once a very industrial coastline, as the shoreline is restored, plants and wildlife that were once here before Europeans arrived and colonized the area are coming back and comfortably calling these parks home.

Wildlife, just in the shadows of lower Manhattan! Thankfully this night heron does not have to pay outrageous rent for this killer view!

A common tern seems to be part of a dynamic heron-tern duo. Common terns have a nesting colony just across the water at Governor's Island.

I saw no surf scoter (a type of sea duck), but I saw what I originally thought was only 3, but this photo now reveals 4! Four European Goldfinch! They were feeding on thistle seeds, which clued me in to them being some sort of finch.

I used my Peterson Field Guide Application on my phone to ID these birds, I originally thought from afar and on behavior alone they were a goldfinch, of the American variety, perhaps a female or a juvenile male. But binocular revealed these were something else! They are native to Europe, not NY.

I did look them up and ask around, and not surprisingly these are kept as pets, and sometimes even hybridized to create "mule" varieties with canaries, so you'd get exquisite colors and exquisite song. The bird to the upper right reveals a pink leg band, which could be placed on by a breeder, I did not notice leg bands on any others. Especially if they were on the right leg. I love those red faces!

A closer view to really see these little beauties.

This reminds me of a magicians disappearing act, there are three birds one on top of the other, and as you look from the top bird down to the last, it's like they slowly disappear into the thistle they are feeding on.

A closer look at the one facing to the left, and a closer view of his leg band.

Whether these were escaped pets (probably the more likely situation) or a group who got off track and landed in NYC, it was a fun sight to have. It was unexpected and their colors really were like a sudden surprise which gave me a feeling of excitement in seeing something new and unusual.

Keep a look out for a group of 4 European goldfinch around Brooklyn, they seemed to be flying about together, and if there are seeding flowers around, maybe you'll catch a glimpse! This park is rather island-like and secluded, in that is surrounded by water and lots of non-natural buildings, with little to no trees on the street, so maybe they will just stick around in Bush Terminal.

Rainy Days

     Yesterday was a very rainy day, but I decided to get out before the heavy rains started. Prospect Park (and most places outdoors) are awesome to visit on grey days that threaten with rain because the crowds are few, the park is quiet, and with the lush green all around you, impending rain make the place feel all the more like a wild jungle in New York City.
     While nothing out of the ordinary was seen, the quiet of the park was most rewarding and a plus for getting out just before a heavy rain began to fall-- just in time for the Mets game I attended yesterday evening!
     Take advantage of the grey days, they are peaceful and a nice way to escape for a little while:

If you walk through the Ravine in Prospect Park you can ignore TLC and actually go chasing waterfalls. If you start from the upper pool at Fallkill Falls, then follow the watercourse down to the Neathermead Arches, you'll see a few smaller waterfalls, including this one- beyond the arches, still following the path of water, there is another popular waterfall that takes you to the boathouse pond, Lullwater, and lake.

Found this active paper wasp nest along the Ravine. It actually is made of paper- these wasps chew up plant matter and wood, mix it with some of their spit, and BA-BAM-- a paper nest! On the leaf to the lower right, you can see some bumps- those could be some galls- caused by other wasp species, insects, mites, and sometimes different bacteria or viruses. If caused by an insect, this is where their larvae can develop till they become adults.

A male cardinal brought some nice color to a rainy day. Lots of cardinals out with their fledged chicks, who still follow the parents around and still beg to be fed. Lots of whining young cardinals along the ravine too!

I'd like to think this little honeybee was seeking shelter before the rain under the broad, strong milkweed leaf.

My favorite train side plant, Jewelweed. I love their little orange flowers! I also love that during the heat of the day, they wilt, only to bounce back to normal at night. I also like that when extra saturated, they get rid of extra water and form little  waterbeds at every leaf blade. I also like that the leaves can be used as a natural anti-itch remedy for poison ivy relief. I also LOVE their seedpods- they are also called touch-me-nots, touch their seed pods and the seeds JUMP out Closer examination will reveal a spring-like structure that when triggered by touch, like a curious me, or an animal walking by, cause the seeds to pop out-- a great way to disperse your next generation!

I don't know what these are, but they sure are pretty, eden post-boom.

A great egret perched above the Lullwater, duckweed on its face reveals someone has been fishing.

Happy First (full) Day of Summer!

     I worked this weekend half a day which got me the ability to jet out of work early and head out to check out a new place I have yet to visit. I went out, close to home, on Lido Beach to Nickerson Beach Park. This place is well known among birders for its nesting bird colonies. Today I went out that way to see what this place was all about.
     If you do check out Nickerson, go with a group- the cost for parking is rather high, $30 for non-residents, and a reduced price for Nassau residents who present a leisure pass. It is not hard to find the nesting birds, their areas are roped off, and even approaching the roped off areas, the birds have no problem dive-bombing you.
     After my Nickerson adventure I drove back to Brooklyn and made a quick stop at the salt marsh in Marine Park. It was a satisfying day with a special lifer for myself, not too shabby for the 1st day of summer!

Black skimmers (pictured), American oystercatchers, and common terns greet you in the parking lot of Nickerson Beach Park.

American Oystercatcher

Signs and roped off areas identify nesting areas for plovers, terns, skimmers, and oystercatchers.

Black skimmers are awesome, I was so happy to see so many of them, they also look comical on the ground.

If you looked through the dunes and grasses, nesting common terns seem to be everywhere!

I was photographing this bird, and did not realize the two little chicks hiding in the plant to her left! Thats when I especially gave even more clearance than the roped off area, so mom/dad and babies could do what they do naturally.

This common tern summarizes bird parenting. There is a chick under each wing, waiting for their mate to return, tired and hungry themselves.

No chicks spotted among the skimmers, only the common terns.

I did find this little young American oystercatcher catching a snooze next to one of the nesting area signs. Mom and dad stood close by.

Tern chicks are really cute, like floofy chicken nuggets with legs! They move pretty quickly too!

They are so tiny and honestly, they blend in so well! I just love how they seek out a hiding spot and all you see is their little fluffy bum!

This chick wants a snuggle with their parent to feel secure. This was so incredibly adorable to watch...

Then the second chick joins and squishes underneath.

The dunes are such an important habitat for shorebirds. Those grasses help to hold them in place. It is important not to walk all over dunes as our weight can really destroy this very delicate and important habitat.

And now for some terrible photos, but a life bird for me, piping plovers! Do you see him? They are the exact color of the sand, small, and really are hard to see!

Bonus, there were also plover chicks!! Which are pretty much cotton balls on toothpicks.

Piping plovers are endangered and there is a constant battle with local residents over these birds. From firework displays shot off around their nesting grounds to vehicles allowed access to the beach to feral cats and off leash dogs, these plovers have a lot of human induced obstacles.

Worst picture ever, but I mean, it's so floofy!

There were at least 3-4 chicks plus one adult looking over them. I saw at least 2 other adults, one of which was with another chick.
Super happy to see these guys!

Onto Marine Park! Lots of snowy egrets out actively catching fish, even in a group together, with cormorants at one point! It was pretty cool to watch birds just coming up consistently with fish to eat.

I love their little yellow feet!

The dragonflies are out and about. This one I am pretty sure is a painted skimmer. I cannot ever get a dragonfly photo unless they have landed. This one gave me the abdomen... thanks, dude. 

A red-wing blackbird holds on as a breeze sways him back and forth.

A Forster's tern nabs a fish!

Many of the flowers planted at the marsh are in bloom, attracting local pollinators like this cabbage white.

It's hot out there, and summer is totally here. Hope you all get the chance to go out and have yourself an adventure!