Brooklyn Heights

I fully intended to go on the first-Sunday bird walk yesterday. I got up, had breakfast, took a shower, and had plenty of time to get dressed and get to the Boathouse before 10:00, but something happened. The bed monster got me. I have no regrets, though. I really needed the extra rest, and I still had a Puppy Bowl party to prepare for and throw. Who can resist a Sunday morning snuggle? Not I, dear reader, not I!

But I did have time before the Puppy Bowl to head down to the Brooklyn Heights Esplanade with my binoculars, at the recommendation of A Brooklyn Bachelor, to look for kestrels. The air was just starting to warm up and I still had no idea what a gorgeous day it would turn out to be. The constant breeze from the cars below made my eyes water profusely, but I got used to it after a few minutes and was able to enjoy my time there. I checked out the likely perches, but nobody was home. I did, however, see a bunch of bufflehead drakes and one hen, all separately dotting the river, tiny patches of bright white bobbing and diving in the wakes of passing boats. Add to that a small raft of ruddy ducks, lots of American black ducks sunning on the docks, many gulls, and a few cormorants. I tried to get a good view of this one silvery grebe-like bird, but it was just too far away to identify. It had a pointy longish bill, and was darker above than below, but I could not tell where the dark began and ended in the bright midday sun. Soon it was time for lunch at Vegetarian Ginger, my favorite place to eat tofu and seitan, and party preparations. Everything that followed was wonderful and fun. I'd say yesterday had a mix of everything I like - snuggling, birds, good food, and fun with friends. I hope everybody gets to have a day like that!