On April 21, 2023 at 9:47 am, I visited Cloves Lake Park, on Staten Island. On this day, the weather was 55 degrees fahrenheit and it was cloudy with some sun. This picture was taken on the trails of the lake located in the middle of the park. This picture shows two Killdeers, also known as Charadrius vociferus, which are medium-sized birds, with a brown and white plumage that helps them blend in with their surroundings. They have a distinctive black band around their necks and a bright orange beak. Killdeers are known for their distinctive calls, which are often described as a loud, sharp "kill-deer" or "dee-dee-dee." They have this unique behavior of displaying a broken wing in order to distract predators from getting to their nests or their offsprings.
On April 27, 2023 at 9:38 am, I visited the Fresh Kills Landfill, on Staten Island. On this day, the weather was 53 degrees fahrenheit and it was cloudy with some sun and previously raining in the early morning. This picture was taken in the mound transects located in the middle of the landfill. This picture shows a Seven spotted lady beetle, also known as Coccinella septempunctata. Like their names says, seven-spotted lady beetles have seven black spots on their bright red or orange wing covers. They are small, rounded beetles that typically measure around 7 mm in length. The coloration and spotting pattern of seven-spotted lady beetles can vary, however, and some individuals may have fewer or more spots. Seven-spotted lady beetles are beneficial insects that are often used as a natural pest control method in gardens and agricultural settings. The seven-spotted lady beetles are also considered to be a symbol of good luck and are often featured in children's stories and folklore.
On April 27, 2023 at 9:38 am, I visited the Fresh Kills Landfill, on Staten Island. On this day, the weather was 53 degrees fahrenheit and it was cloudy with some sun and previously raining in the early morning. This picture was taken in the mound transects located in the middle of the landfill. This picture shows a brown lipped snail, also known as Cepaea nemoralis. The brown-lipped snails have a brownish-yellow lip around the opening of their shell, which is usually lighter in color than the rest of the shell. The coloration of their shells can vary widely, however, and may range from light yellow to dark brown or even black. Brown-lipped snails are commonly found in a variety of habitats, including gardens, fields, forests, and other wooded areas. They are herbivorous, feeding on a variety of plant materials, including leaves, stems, and flowers. Brown-lipped snails are also known to be an intermediate host for several parasitic organisms, including some species of trematode and nematode worms.
On April 27, 2023 at 9:38 am, I visited Wolfe's Pond Park, on Staten Island. On this day, the weather was 52 degrees fahrenheit and it was cloudy with winds going 15 mph and this was before a rainstorm. This picture was taken on the beach part of the park and it shows an American Oystercatcher, also known as Haematopus palliatus. They are large, conspicuous birds, easily recognizable by their black and white plumage and bright orange-red beaks .American oystercatchers are primarily found in coastal areas, including sandy beaches, mudflats, and salt marshes. They are named for their preferred food source, oysters, which they open by hammering their bills into the shell. They also eat other bivalves, crabs, and other small invertebrates found in intertidal areas. Due to habitat loss and human disturbance, American oystercatchers are considered a species of conservation concern in many areas
