Couple of years ago, I was walking to work on a sunny morning day. The busy streets of the Bronx filled my ears with the sounds of accelerating cars, rushing pedestrians, and elevated subway passing overhead. Typical morning commute commotion. Out of nowhere, with a lighting speed, a big raptor fell from the sky. InContinue reading “Hawks in the Bronx”
Category Archives: birds
Chasing the waves
Sanderling (Calidris alba). Sanderlings are master predictors of the motions of the Ocean’s waves. As the waves go back and forth, the sanderlings find a perfect moment to begin their sprint run, dig some sand dwellers, and safely run away. For such a tiny body, they are master sprinters. Their beak is about the sizeContinue reading “Chasing the waves”
Fashionista gulls
After my third attempt to photograph piping plovers at the Far Rockaway’s ended up in a failure, I began to feel disappointed. To protect the plovers, a part of the beach was closed. I walked for hours with my long lens camera, only to learn that the plovers moved to the other side. I wonderedContinue reading “Fashionista gulls”
Birds of the Salt Marsh in Brooklyn
Marine Salt Marsh is the largest park in Brooklyn. The Marsh has a unique combination of wetlands and grasslands, an ideal habitat for many species of birds. As you walk the path near the water, the vast grassland stretches for several acres. The entire area is about 800 acres. Multiple small birds find their homeContinue reading “Birds of the Salt Marsh in Brooklyn”
Walk on the beach
Walking on the beach you may notice transparent spheres, thinking that you encountered jellyfish that washed ashore. Afraid, you may be scared to touch them, taking that you may get stung. No worries, you are perfectly safe. You have met harmless salps, planktonic tunicates with a dorsal nerve cord, making them much closely related toContinue reading “Walk on the beach”
Walk on the Fire Island
Today’s weather and lack of a tripod were not friends to my amateur photography. Visibility was very low, due to fog and cloudiness. At times I you could see only several feet ahead. Luckily, the weather conditions got little better as the Sun started to set. Apparently, finding birds in this weather created a challengeContinue reading “Walk on the Fire Island”
Ospreys at the Oyster Bay Wildlife Refuge
Ospreys, Pandion haliaetus, are some of the bigger birds migrating to Long Island during their breeding season. In 1960s, ospreys were listed as endangered. One of the many victims of the extensive use of DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane), one of the first synthetic insecticides used in agriculture. DDT directly did not kill most birds, however it ledContinue reading “Ospreys at the Oyster Bay Wildlife Refuge”
Early May at Jamaica Bay Park, Queens
After a winter break, I finally visited Jamaica Bay Park. It is a heaven for bird watchers all year round. It is full of tree swallows. Their wooden nesting boxes are always occupied. Tree swallows are always on guard, constantly watching and patrolling their nests. There is something distinguished about their posture, head up andContinue reading “Early May at Jamaica Bay Park, Queens”
April birds and curious raccoon of the Central Park
You cannot visit NYC in April and not notice the squirrels vigorously digging through the leaves to look for last year’s supplies. How do they find them after so many months? I am sure they forget many, but those seeds and nuts they forget, later will repopulate the forest. White-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) camouflage exceptionallyContinue reading “April birds and curious raccoon of the Central Park”
Birds of Forest Park in April
Male Northern Cardinal. Cardinalis cardinalis. The red feathers of the Cardinal are beautiful. He can be spotted from a very far distance. He remains one of the most iconic North American birds. Male Indigo Bunting. Passerina cyanea. This blue beauty was very elusive. Due to its tiny size, definitely would benefit from a more powerfulContinue reading “Birds of Forest Park in April”
Marta Grońska-Pęski 