Statue of Liberty — The Chronicler's Tales

It was an almost perfect day on July 4, when I took the ferry and train to Mount Loretto Unique Area on Staten Island to look for our national bird, the bald eagle. I wasn’t disappointed: I got to see both eagle parents (although not the two eaglets, who I was told were flying around the area — maybe next trip!).

*Papa Bald Eagle was on the utility tower when I reached the church grounds.*

*In the evening, the eagle parents shared a tree over the beach at Mt. Loretto*

I had my picnic lunch looking out over the Atlantic Ocean, after I saw one of the eagles on the utility tower then in a tree over the beach. I also got to see the osprey nest and babies near Page Avenue. I stayed around Mt. Loretto until a little after 8 p.m., finding the eagles at Cunningham Pond then back in a tree over the beach. I caught the Staten Island Railroad back to the ferry terminal at St. George, arriving there a little after 9 (I was listening to the Yankees game on the radio, which was a very entertaining and also very American activity on the Fourth!). Since the ferry was suspended until 10:30 because of the fireworks in the harbor, I walked out on the terminal esplanade to watch the show as best I could. It was a bit crowded, and I didn’t have my tripod out, but I had fun taking some pictures and watching the celebration lighting up the sky around the Statue of Liberty. The Macy’s fireworks on the East River were a bit obstructed by a very bright light in front of me, but Lady Liberty’s light show was just splendid.

More eagles and fireworks, taken with my Sony camera.

Governors Island is just a short ferry ride away from the Isle of Manhattan, and definitely a summer destination (as well as a spring and early fall place to visit). It has an absolutely incredible view of the Statue of Liberty!

The view from the west side of Governors Island, Aug. 6 — *The view from the west side of Governors Island, Aug. 6*

There is a lot of nature there, particularly birds and flowers, but good bugs, too! The island has very few cars (only official and vendor motorized vehicles allowed), lots of bicycles, and many pedestrians. Slowly but surely, more and more touristy places to spend your money are popping up on the small island. But in advance of the total commercialization that will probably deprive Governors Island of its charm, I've been visiting and documenting the nature there. On August 6, I walked around the island photographing wildlife and avoiding people. I offer here An August Nature Walk on Governors Island.

For the last two years, a pair of yellow-crowned night herons have been nesting on the island. The babies this year are so delightful.

*Yellow-crowned night heron youngsters, Governors Island, Aug. 6*

The first stop of my walk was just west of the castle, where I saw a banded common tern. I watched it for a while, and you can see the flight in the video.

On a building across from the Harbor School, a mother herring gull watched over her kids, occasionally squawking at them. Below, on the ground, two youngsters ran around, stretched or slept. I shifted my focus between the gulls and the heron nest.

*A baby herring gull, hanging out below Mom*

After leaving the Harbor School area, I walked south along the west shore and found least sandpipers exploring the rocks.

There are flowers to be found everywhere you look on the island, not only in the Urban Garden (which I didn't visit on this trip) or the garden in front of the Harbor School.

And I saw lots of bugs, but focused on the butterflies, including a very beautiful skipper, a monarch butterfly, a cabbage butterfly, a painted lady and a battle-scarred spicebush butterfly (I think, but am not sure).

*This butterfly has seen better days, but has survived. Harbor School garden*

The island will remain accessible through the end of October. I will go back, I hope several times, and hope to have lunch those days at Little Eva's.

Independence Day, With Eagles and Fireworks

Island Hopping