The West Pond Conundrum

We have a little tradition. Larry and I go to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Thanksgiving morning. It started a few years ago, when Larry's mom stopped making the traditional holiday dinner and we were looking for something to do that didn't require us to drive on a highway. Some people go to the parade to see the floats and the balloons in the air. We go see the flotilla of waterfowl and birds in the air.

Today as we walked around (that's operative word in this sentence...around) the West Pond, I said to Larry, that I wish the birds were closer. He commented that it was strange that, even though the pond is round, the birds are always on the other side.

Today we saw hundreds of Scaup, Ruddy Ducks, and Northern Shovelers. The Shovelers formed a circle with their little butts sticking up in the air, going round and round, to stir things up below. I never saw them do that before. A new dance troupe, The Duckettes!

There were a couple of interesting birds, a juvenile Little Blue Heron, and a female Common Merganser. We saw a Black Crown Night Heron, a Great Egret and a Great Blue Heron also.

Jamaica Bay West Pond

Here is a White Throated Sparrow hanging out in a tree..

Yesterday, to kick off the holiday weekend, we went to Prospect Park. In the pond at the Audubon Center I saw this American Coot. The other Coots spent their time on the surface and then diving. This guy was the bad coot in the group. He was zipping right and left, annoying all the other Coots. He reminded me of kids in a pool. Marco! Polo!