Wildlife proves to be good photo inspiration for Life-Wire News photographers
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Photography is a skill that many people have taken up or improved upon during their time in quarantine. Some Life-Wire News reporters have also taken this opportunity to hone their photography skills by taking pictures in the outdoors.
– Lifestyles for the Disabled’s Gray Group waves from the bridge in Clove Lakes Park. (Life-Wire News/Aaron Bialer)Life-Wire News
Recently, some community groups from Lifestyles for the Disabled have been spending time at Clove Lakes Park, Willowbrook Park, and Mount Loretto, where there has been ample opportunity to photograph different wildlife.
– Ducks and mallards stand together on the ice-covered pond at Willowbrook Park. “It looks like the mallards at the front are forming the letter ‘P’ on the ice,” Aaron Bialer remarked. (Life-Wire News/Aaron Bialer) Life-Wire News
– A large gathering of ducks, geese and mallards at Willowbrook Park. “Some of them [ducks] are swimming, some of them aren’t, and some of them are wandering about, seeing what’s going on,” Eric Schwacke said. (LifeWire News/Anthony DiCostanzo)Life-Wire News
At Clove Lakes, there are plenty of ducks, mallards and geese to see. Sometimes, they even get close to each other. They can be seen swimming in the lake or walking on the grass. It’s not a good idea to feed them bread, though. Their main diets consist of grass and other underwater plants and organisms.
A Canadian goose is shown in the water. “I think he was trying to drink the water.” Bialer said. (Life-Wire News/Aaron Bialer)Life-Wire News
Another common sight in local parks are fountains in lakes. Usually, its purpose is to regulate the water to cut down the number of invasive water organisms, like algae.
A fountain in the lake at Clove Lakes Park! The fountain helps regulate the water in the lake and keeps it healthy. (Life-Wire News/Aaron Bialer) Life-Wire News
You don’t always need to go to a park to see wildlife, though. There is a growing deer population on Staten Island, especially around woodland areas. In fact, deer make frequent visits to Lifestyles’ Willowbrook Campus.
A deer is seen near Lifestyles for the Disabled’s Willowbrook campus. (Aaron Bialer/Life-Wire News) Life-Wire News
With the weather getting warmer soon, a trip to the park (or even your backyard) can provide fresh air and a change of scenery. You might even get to see a few ducks wandering around.
(Written collaboratively by Aaron Bialer, Anthony DiCostanzo, and Eric Schwacke for Life-Wire News Service with Brigid Fegeley)
