Wildlife on Long Island

Beautiful Park and Fly-Fishing.

My husband and I went fly fishing yesterday in the Connequot State Park on the Connequot River. 

Within the first half-hour that I was in the water, I saw a small woodpecker on a tree near me and a small hawk that landed on a branch about 40 feet away. The hawk looked at the water, then to the left and then right, took a look at me and quickly flew away.
I was trying to decide if I had time to grab my camera. I didn't.

It was probably the most quiet place on Long Island.

I heard splashing and saw a family of mallard ducks, just catching their dinner.

A seagull came down to a log in the water when all of a sudden, he swooped down and scooped up a fish in his mouth.

I also saw a little chipmonk running through the brush. I thought at first it was a little bird but then realized it looked like a very small squirrrel, brown with stripes. I haven't seen a chipmonk in 30 years, not since my brother had a summer house in Greenwood Lake.

I also saw an unfamiliar bird. Large. I thought it was a Great Blue Heron.
On closer observation, I realized it was not, so I grabbed my camera and walked through the river, wearing waders, and took a picture. I am not posting it here but I was able to identify it later on as a Black-crowned Night-heron. They hide in the shrubary and feed at night.
And I got to see it in its natural surroundings!

The entire day was a wonderful experience!
We came home and cooked our fish dinner, complete with farm-stand vegetables in season.
Wow, what a day!
And this is Long Island!