March Madness

     As the temperatures are rising, the days grow longer, and you see the sightings from other folks- sometimes it can drive you mad. You have the urge to get out to see if you too can find those things, getting time in anyway you can. We all get a little bit of spring fever, the urge to be outside- but for viewing other species, it escalates a bit more than it should.

While Tim worked on our bikes, I sat on the stoop watching our avian neighbors. This mockingbird was eating berries from the ivy growing on the row house next door.

This male house sparrow was looking to spruce up his nest within a little old utility box on the house that we live in.

The same male house sparrow, floofed and chirping to other house sparrows nearby. 

Yesterday, after a full day of work, I made a pitstop on my drive home to Green-Wood Cemetery, where I had to explain to the guard why I had humpback whale baleen in my back seat and that I was just going throught real quick to look for woodcocks... which I did not find.

Instead of woodcocks, I saw my first Eastern phoebe of 2016, tons of common grackles, song sparrows, and my favorite introduced resident, the quaker parrots!

They were taking advantage of spring too, feeding on the new bugs coming in on the trees, waking up from their winter dormancy.

They fed in a small group in this small tree near the main gate, not too far from their massive nest.

I could watch these guys for hours, they are so acrobatic, yet clumsy and comical as they sometimes trip over their own toes.

This individual is missing part of toe on its left foot. Their feet are used not only to grip branches, but to grasp items to eat or explore/destroy. Their feet are well adapted, especially to satisfy the curious nature of these birds.

I got up at &am, but really 8am (we sprung ahead) and I thought, maybe if I got an early start I'd find a woodcock. Again, a big fat NO for woodcocks-- but woodchucks-- I saw quite a few on the run in different parts of the cemetery. This one I found near the Ft. Hamilton entrance, I took this from my car as he ran alongside the road in the grass.

His burrow was in this tree stump, I found another burrow right against a headstone in a different part of the cemetery. I bet these guys must drive the groundskeepers nuts-- but I enjoy seeing them.

Before he departed underground. You can tell he is freshly woken, he looked a bit scraggly and slim. I bet all he is doing is looking for yummy vegetation to eat as new buds come out of the ground.

     I hope you all -- whoever you all are that may actually read this, find some time to get out and begin your farewells to winter, and send your welcome to spring, coming our way next week!

Back to Brooklyn Birding

     After getting my camera repaired by the wonderful people over at phototech, in Manhattan- I was ready to get out and explore closer to home. This post combines last weekend and this weekend because I got a little behind on posting.
     Last Sunday I birded around Prospect with some birding friends, finding the continuing black headed gull. I was able to ID it in flight, which felt pretty good to do- as gulls look so similar in chaotic flight. We also saw the pretty little European Goldfinches, birds over at the feeders, along the lullwater, and on the lake:

A curious Canada Goose on the west side of the lake.

American Goldfinch, winter seems to be the only time I can get a half decent picture as they LOVE the feeder station and come in close and in large groups.

Nomming American goldfinch.

A handsome common grackle. Among other feeder visitors were W.B. nuthatch, chickadee, tufted titmouse, downy woodpecker, mourning dove, white throated sparrow, and lots of SINGING red-wing blackbird. The singing of the Red-wing blackbird is my favorite sign of spring! 

I also really enjoyed observing the behavior of this female wigeon, she was very possessive of the male mallard she was following behind.

He is not the same species as her, but she totally has an eye for him.

Here she is chasing away another male mallard who got too close. I would expect this out of a male, guarding females nearby to him, but not a female.

Giving an aggressive chase to the other mallard drake.

Head bobbing by the wigeon, before she reunited with her male mallard companion.

And then, synchronized preening!

      Yesterday I went to Green-Wood Cemetery before a lovely brunch with friends. I was hoping to find an American Woodcock as it is just getting to be the right time of year.

I saw a nice cryptic spot, low hanging trees and something felt right about it. I investigated and came up empty handed but did find some promising evidence that they are around...

Woodcock tracks in the snow, plus possible probe holes (it is hard to tell since the snow was melting). I couldn't follow them because they just ended, with the bird possibly just flying off and I didn't locate any in any of the underbrush.

I enjoyed watching the mocking birds though, they were fighting over space, foraging and flashing the white patches on their wings. They were very active, showing a variety of behaviors-- and of course posing for portraits.

I like how this (same mocking bird from above) landed and how its shape fits among the upward curved branches of the tulip tree perfectly. 

Then a large juvenile red tail hawk flew from behind the hill followed by blue jays. The bird seemed to have dropped something from its talons and kept its head low as the jays dive-bombed at his head over and over again. Calling out a predators is a great way to protect yourself, when the element of surprise is ruined, you are safe- the Jays alert birds all around with the noises they make letting everyone know that the gig is up. The hawk has to protect its face and eyes, as dive bombing beaks are not something you want to be hit with.

The array of behaviors by otherwise common birds made up for not seeing any woodcock, and of course spring is on its way-- so there is much to look forward to!

Seal of Approval: Riverhead Foundation Seal Cruise!

     This Saturday I took my parents and my husband on a seal watching trip in Hempstead Harbor in Nassau County, NY. This is something that involves: 1. Being on a boat, 2. Being outside in winter, and 3. two hours of your time. My mom, I could see her doing this, she is fairly adventurous-- My dad, well, I tried to really just pitch this trip to him in the most positive light possible.

     When it comes to my father, he is, as he would say--"fascinating!" I know he is going to read this, because he is my father and always looks at and shares with his friends, these posts and the pictures I take. So to really make this trip worth his while, I told him that if he comes and pretends to have fun that I will golf with him, 9 holes, with him and my husband. I now barter with my dad and use golf and my husband as currency.

     Go figure... the weather was great, the waters were calm, we saw lots of seals, and dad had fun-- not pretend fun, real fun. I still owe him 9 holes of golf... don't worry dad, I plan to bring my binoculars to not only help me find my ball-- but also some birdies (not the golf kind). It was a super great day with the family and I was so happy to share the experience with them! I'm really lucky to have such great parents who will try new things with me- they are pretty fantastic people.

Some Handsome Great Black-Backed gulls watched as we just barely passed below the Meadowbrook Parkway.

Aside from these gorgeous gulls, we also saw common loons, long-tailed ducks, greebe sp., brant, canadas geese, and a peregrine falcon.

Rear flippers as a seal dives underwater...

A group of harbor seals hauled out, resting on the marsh in the harbor.

Harbor seals come here in the winter and spend the summer up North in places like Maine where they birth their pups.

Harbor Seals have a very puppy dog-like face. On land, when dry, their short fur appears fuzzy- when they are wet, they appear slick and hairless. These are marine mammals, and like mammals they are covered in fur, are warm blooded, and feed their young with milk produced by the female.

The boat kept its distance from the group and crew instructed us on board to remain quiet so as to not spook the group. It is important to remember that seals and other marine mammals are protected with strict laws and you need to maintain very specific distances, 50 yards to be exact as per the NOAA guidelines for viewing marine life.

Despite their absolute cuteness, it is important to remember these are wild seals- approaching these animals and disregarding regulations can result in a hefty fines and injury as wild animals will protect themselves. Please always remember to be respectful of wildlife.

In these waters these seals are feeding on the fish to help maintain that layer of blubber that insulates them well and helps to keep these animals warm despite cold temperature sin the water and air.

The group was hauled out next to a large group of gulls that out of nowhere flew up all at once, catching the attention and alarm of the seals as they all stretch their necks to look out at the commotion.

The flight of the flock resulted in all seals fleeing into the water...

Take note of the second seal from the left-- sporting a neck injury.

Injuries like this are signature of entanglement in monofilament lines that are not disposed on properly- they can get caught up, cut into the skin and cause painful lesions that can become infected and severely put the seal at risk. It is so important to be smart about trash, making sure it goes to the right place where it will not end up in places where it can harm wildlife.

Seals are pinnipeds- this group of mammals includes true seas (like this guy), eared seals (like fur seals and sea lions), and walruses. Marine mammals is not an actual taxonomic group, but its a term used to describe a few groups including all pinnipeds, all cetaceans, all sirenians (manatees/dugongs), one mustelid (the sea otter), and one ursine (the polar bear).

Unlike the sea lions we see at zoos and aquariums, harbor seals are true seals. They have small front flippers, so they cannot stand on them or propel themselves forward with them in water. They use their powerful rear flipper to help them move through the water, basically wiggling their hips to swim. 

True seals also have small openings for their ears- as you can see. Sea lions have ear flaps, and are pinnipeds known as "eared seals." 

These seal cruises are operated with folks from the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research & Preservation on board, I highly recommend the cruises. Your small fee of $26 per person helps support their rescue & rehabilitation efforts. They are the only marine mammal and sea turtle rescue for NY State. I used to intern in their hospital and I have to say, they run a great place with only THE very best intentions for every animal that comes into their care. I highly suggest a tour and also to learn more about them and supporting them in any way that you can!

A Tropical Escape: Puerto Rico - The Last of it All!

     In the photos to follow we will revisit 3 locations, Crash Boat Beach (on the NW section of the island), Parque de Cavernas del Rio Camuy, and my favorite part of Old San Juan, Plaza de las Palomas.
     A rental car was the best as it allowed us to see and experience so much. I really enjoyed the trip, despite our camera issue and also sad news from back home. I love travel, especially when it is with my husband Tim, because no matter where we are I feel at home when we're together exploring a new place, seeing new sights, tasting new flavors, and the experience of something new.
     So please, enjoy the last of it all and safe travels if you are planning to explore somewhere new in the future!

At Crash Boat Beach in Aguadilla, or anywhere in PR-- there are no gulls. Pigeons stroll the beach, picking up scraps. At this beach though, pelicans plagued tables like oversized pigeons, pestering picnicking people (how's that for alliteration!). Brown pelicans were the species patrolling this beach.

Reminders on the beach about manatees in these waters! (Look but don't touch is pretty much what the title states)

So I had this idea to jump off the pier... I immediately regretted that idea as I of course became terrified. At this beach there are no life guards, so that made me nervous-- but did not scare me enough to rent some (kind crappy) snorkel gear and swim around for an hour so so. Sergeant Majors, those striped fish, were very plentiful.

I was SUPER STOKED to see this guy, a spotted eagle ray-- a shark relative and damn gorgeous. If it wasn't swimming out to sea, I would have followed it forever!

The pier people were jumping off of was home to various small coral and these guys-- sponges! Sponges are animals- they are sessile (don't move) and filter feed. They are favorite foods of animals like some sea turtles, which I did not see. Not all sponges are soft and luxurious, many contain silica spicules, which provide support to the structure of this spongey creature. So you don't want to just grab a wild sponge and start scrubbing... owwie.

A cruddy picture, but check the foureye butterfly fish! With eye spots, they can fool potential predators in the way many animals like butterflies do with false eyespots.

I was excited to see what I thought was a triggerfish, I found that this is a whitespotted filefish, a close relative of triggerfish. These fish feed on sponges, so this place was a buffet for him!

The pelican that almost bit me-- these birds were very much a product of improper interaction with wildlife-- someone has habituated these animals to getting food from humans.

The guy was hand feeding pelicans, had them on his arm and offering folks photo opportunities with the birds. It bothered me a bit, this is how accidents happen, no thanks! 

We arrived to the caverns at Parque de Cavernas del Rio Camuy early. Which seems like the best thing to do as many reviews reveal this place can get VERY crowded, making it not as enjoyable. There were 10 of us in our tour group and our guide was great. With a bit of a wait before the tour, I cautiously flipped leaves and looked for anoles. Under one leaf I found this assassin bug!

Stalactites reach down from the ceiling. Formed by limestone deposited by water leaking from the roof of the cavern. These caverns and caves were formed by an underground river, running below where we were. 

This place was very beautiful, eerie, and powerful all at once. The natural ways the earth can be sculpted is a pretty amazing thing, it makes me feel like such a measly thing- I am nothing against such forces!

Formations of rock and limestone are all made possible by water!

Natural springs bring crystal clear (and delicious) water out into the open from these exposed cliffs.

These cave crickets made the ones we found in the basement of my parents house look like child's play. These were HUGE.

We found that Tom Otterness- the same guy who has (very similar) sculptures on Roosevelt Island and in the 14th street subway station on the ACE line, he donated some small sculptures to the park!

Our Final destination was San Juan, we walked much of Old San Juan and found my most favorite creature! The Green Iguana! This one reminded me so much of my late Spike, in his size and coloration. He also gave us a lovely headbob, which resulted in squeaky noises from myself...

And we also saw plenty of anoles and even the ground lizards too!

My favorite plaza was Plaza de las Palomas.... plaza of the doves. It was hopping with pigeons and people feeding them, from vendors who sold cracked corn for the pigeons.

Pigeons covered trees but also occupied cubbies that seem to have been made just for them and their little chicks.

I love pigeons, and there were all different color varieties, ages, and different people coming here to enjoy this little plaza.

Puerto Rico treated us well, it was super enjoyable and we would recommend a visit- we didn't get to do everything we wanted, so I suppose one day we will need to return! If not for the wildlife but for the good coffee, food, piña coladas, and the vibrant culture!