One of the nicest places I know to see animal fun is the Botanic Garden behind the Museum. At the right time of year you can see rabbits, raptors riding the morning thermals and even a beautiful, red rooster who took up residence in the peony garden for several months.
Here are two of my favorites from a few years ago:
The Japanese Hill and Pond Garden is home to a large population of mallards. One summer, they were joined by a vacationing pair of mandarin ducks. These were almost certainly enjoying a holiday from the zoo in Prospect Park. That's just across Flatbush Avenue. The mallards may have been wearing their finest green heads but they couldn't hold a candle to their visiting Asian cousins.
Magnolia Terrace has beautiful ponds stocked with water lilies and big kois. The Garden is within easy flying distance of Gateway National Park. That's a sanctuary for water birds such as the Great White Heron and the Little Blue Heron. They come to the Garden all the time.
Probably they come for lunch. Magnolia Terrace is right next to the outdoor section of the Garden cafe. Birds and people can watch each other enjoy meals. Here's a pretty close approximation of a conversation I heard a few years ago.
K= Kid, probably about 10.
D= Not the sharpest knife in the drawer but a good Dad.
Here's what I heard.
K= Look, Dad. (Pointing to a gorgeous white heron perched over the water lily pond).
D= Nice but he can't be real. Real birds move around and this one ain't. It's a good joke though. Havin' a stuffed bird standin' on a 'No Fishin'" sign. We'll get a picture of that. Grandma will like it.
(Dad takes the picture and, right after he does it, the heron catches sight of the perfect koi. It swoops, catches the fish and the white bird with the golden fish in its mouth flies off to a tree with lush, dark green leaves. Lunch is served but Dad missed the picture.)
Here are two of my favorites from a few years ago:
The Japanese Hill and Pond Garden is home to a large population of mallards. One summer, they were joined by a vacationing pair of mandarin ducks. These were almost certainly enjoying a holiday from the zoo in Prospect Park. That's just across Flatbush Avenue. The mallards may have been wearing their finest green heads but they couldn't hold a candle to their visiting Asian cousins.
Magnolia Terrace has beautiful ponds stocked with water lilies and big kois. The Garden is within easy flying distance of Gateway National Park. That's a sanctuary for water birds such as the Great White Heron and the Little Blue Heron. They come to the Garden all the time.
Probably they come for lunch. Magnolia Terrace is right next to the outdoor section of the Garden cafe. Birds and people can watch each other enjoy meals. Here's a pretty close approximation of a conversation I heard a few years ago.
K= Kid, probably about 10.
D= Not the sharpest knife in the drawer but a good Dad.
Here's what I heard.
K= Look, Dad. (Pointing to a gorgeous white heron perched over the water lily pond).
D= Nice but he can't be real. Real birds move around and this one ain't. It's a good joke though. Havin' a stuffed bird standin' on a 'No Fishin'" sign. We'll get a picture of that. Grandma will like it.
(Dad takes the picture and, right after he does it, the heron catches sight of the perfect koi. It swoops, catches the fish and the white bird with the golden fish in its mouth flies off to a tree with lush, dark green leaves. Lunch is served but Dad missed the picture.)
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