First iNaturalist Nature Walk (Module 4

For my first nature walk, I went to New York City's Central Park. Initially, I was worried that I would not be able to find much in the way of observations. Central Park was the only accessible and sizable green space nearby, and I feared that its role as a tourism hub would scare off the wildlife. I was surprised to find that there was actually a great deal of variety there, as many areas of the park are kept as nature sanctuaries. I saw a number of species in the park that I did not expect to find there. My nature walk was about forty minutes long, took place mid-afternoon, and the weather was sunny but cool (about 70 degrees out).

I of course found species that one would typically assume resided in an American park: eastern gray squirrels, Canadian geese, pigeons, rats, and small birds like European starlings. The geese generally stuck to the water, while the other animals named above roamed the grounds. The squirrel, as seen in the uploaded observation, was climbing around on a tree. I even saw a squirrel nest made of leaves higher up in a tree, however I was unable to snap a quality picture to upload.

Some species that surprised me to see were turtles, a hawk, carp, and, most of all, a heron. The turtles that I saw were either swimming in the pond or relaxing on a rock jutting out of the water. I initially mistook the hawk I observed for an owl since it was so high up and hard to see. In hindsight, it certainly makes more sense that I would be seeing a hawk in the afternoon than an owl. Either way, the presence of a raptor species is interesting to me, seeing as it likely preys on some of the other species I saw, like the rats. That just goes to show that there's a functioning ecosystem within Central Park, and that it's not just a landscaped garden designed solely for human enjoyment. Seeing the carp - or what I believe to be a carp - also surprised me. Back home in Michigan, carps are known to be invasive to the Great Lakes and threaten the ecosystem there. So, I suppose I have a presupposed notion that carp are harmful, so seeing one in a nature sanctuary challenged my existing conceptions about carp. I also saw a heron from afar, which was very cool for me because the herons are my favorite birds! That was an extra special treat for me on my nature walk.

Lastly, I saw a pretty good variety of flora throughout the park. I could not identify each and every species that I encountered, but I uploaded some of the standout observations: duckweed, a sycamore tree with an interesting bark pattern, some thistles, a few ferns, moss, and a bit of lichen growing on both trees and rocks.

All in all, I think this was a good start to my nature walks. I was surprised and impressed by the variety of species I encountered, especially given that it was in a park surrounded for miles by an urban landscape. I am excited to compare my observations here to later observations in more isolated and wild areas back home in Michigan!

Publicado el 08 de junio de 2022 por