Lovely Prospect Park Waterfowl #1

        Hello and welcome to my first* blog post! I think I've now sufficiently brushed off my past of ".blogspot.com" domains (I had them starting at age 7, about My Little Pony, American Girl dolls, and then Animal Jam). 

        It's a little weird writing an introduction, as I don't foresee myself getting any following of any sort in the year of our lord 2021. What I'll say is that my name is Ripley, I'm 16, and I really like birds.

        I have always had a lot of love for pigeons, and thinking back to my childhood I recall trying my hand at birdwatching, too. I had a for-kids set of binoculars and a pocket handbook about U.S. birds. Unfortunately my attention span was too short at the time and when I didn't see any crazy hawks or eagles right away, I mostly gave up. In the past two years, though, I began to spend a lot of time at the opposite side of the park. 

Geese and mallards in the water at Prospect Park.

        Waterbirds are so easy. They are loud, unafraid, and in places like Prospect Park, they make their presence known constantly. Although most people in New York have seen many mallards and canada geese in their life, they are always commanding attention. I brought my girlfriend, Madeline, and my friend, Eva, to my usual spot (on the lake's edge near Prospect Park Southwest) and we were there for a pretty long time. It was early February, right after one of the big snowstorms. It was sort of cold. But that did not matter!

        The three of us stood on the muddy, slushy land next to the water, and observed them. We took lots of photos. We laughed at the ridiculous honking and squabbling that occurred. That little moment was very special to me, and I think I'll cherish it for years. I think a big part that made it meaningful was watching people I love experience the same excitement and joy I have for these creatures :o) ! It was also cool to tell them about American Coots, a strange not-quite-duck (they are rails, but before I knew the name I referred to them as vampire ducks). 

        I think I need to give some credit for my interest in birds to Madeline, actually. I'm pretty sure she's had a thing for swans since I met her. In her neighborhood, there is a body of water where sometimes a beautiful mute swan can be seen floating along, between people's docked boats and the local Keyfood. There is something undeniably exciting about seeing gorgeous birds go about their day in a city setting. 

        That brings me to today! I've decided to pursue some casual, unqualified birding. I hope to learn a lot more about the species I commonly see, and to catch a glimpse of some rarer ones too. I'm not going to be posting only about birds on this blog, but it will be my main spot for sharing my photos and thoughts. <3

Two female mallards, a male mallard, and a creeping coot!


"Hey guys what's poppin"


Me, left; Madeline, right; birds, everywhere.

A goose named Eva and a goose I don't know the name of.


Very very coot little guy.





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