July 17, 2020 - Calling All Bird and Nature Lovers for Virtual Neighborhood Exploration with Wave Hill Naturalist!

Tanya's Scoop 
Covering the West Coast & the World
CURRENTLY IN:  VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA

Hello everyone!

I'm sorry I missed you on Wednesday. We had just arrived early that morning after taking a red-eye from LAX - which btw was a ghost town!

LAX (c)travelincousins.com

Inside the terminal at LAX (c)travelincousins.com

Snacking and waiting for our flight (c)travelincousins.com

On board (c)travelincousins.com

After landing we still had a 5 hour drive!!! And by the time we got to the family property and had done some visiting I could tell that I was not in my usual zone. I was in the zone of being awake but definitely not fully there. I wasn't tired and yet I also wasn't alert. This was my version of jet-lag. 

In the yard (c)travelincousins.com

Ready to play Monopoly the card game (c)travelincousins.com

I still managed to stay awake until 11p or so and then jump right into the new time zone - which has a 3h difference. And then as of yesterday I was back to my usual self. Whew - I missed me!

The plan for yesterday was to head to the beach!
We got the family together and off we went. Eeeeeek was it hot.
I am not a big beach goer, not a big fan of the beach...except of course when I'm spending time in the Hawaiian Islands, The Caribbean, The Greek Islands, etc.      But you catch my drift.
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Luckily once we were settled there was a nice breeze and Lynn (the kids Aunt) had just purchased a great new product - SHIBUMI 
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I had never heard or seen of a product like this and it worked wonderfully. I was able to stay in the shade and be quite comfortable.

Credit: SHIBUMISHADE.COM

I had never heard or seen of a product like this and it worked wonderfully. I was able to stay in the shade and be quite comfortable.

Staying in the shade (c)travelincousins.com

I refused to get a sunburn (c)travelincousins.com

Playing in the water (c)travelincousins.com

Sundog (c)travelincousins.com

After our day at the beach, it was time to hit up the market and then head over to Lynn's for a BBQ and some game time.

ATM (at the moment) I'm sitting here juggling several things and trying to decide what to do about where to stay in Kitty Hawk when everything is SOLD OUT! lol
While needing to book flights to Reno and to Chicago. And a number of other things...Oh and did I mention that all of a sudden I'm starving!

So parden me if I need to excuse myself and sign off for the day.

Have a good one and try to stay out of trouble!

Ciao 4 now,
Travelin' Tanya

Elisa's Scoop 
Covering Long Island & NYC Boroughs 
CURRENTLY IN: LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK

Happy Friday!

Hope you are all well! My dear cousin Tanya has just arrived on the east coast this week in Virginia and will be making her way north to New York by week's end to meet me and my gang!

As for today, join me as we virtually traverse through the parks of the Bronx and Brooklyn to see some amazing wildlife!

For anyone who either lives in the northeast or visits often, this area of the country is chock full of beautiful specimens of the natural world. In fact, right within the outer boroughs of New York City in the Bronx and surrounding areas, it is possible to get up close and personal with a plethora of wildlife species in a variety of categories.

From migratory birds like the Blackpoll Warbler to the poisonous cockleburr plant, to cute little furry outdoor critters like the chipmunk, we have an opportunity to behold it all. Thanks to the wise and creative Wave Hill Naturalist Gabriel Willow, nature enthusiasts can immerse themselves in the wonder that surrounds us in our own New York City backyard.

Frequently described as an urban oasis, Wave Hill, in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, is a 28-acre garden and cultural center filled with a multitude of linked gardens high above the Hudson River with sweeping views and lots of open sky. The site's offering of nature tours onsite has not been available to visitors since it temporarily closed to the public earlier this year due to Covid-19. 

However, in lieu of "in-person" tours until Wave Hill reopens, the venue has put together a series of videos featuring virtual tours. These include  their “Neighborhood Naturalist” series led by their site naturalist Gabriel Willow.

Blackpoll Warbler (Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren / Wikimedia Commons)

I’ll admit, I was skeptical about whether I could enjoy the “virtual outdoors” but I assure you that you will revel in this series of video walks available to experience on the Wave Hill website. 

There is an incomparable ritual to going on an outdoor exploration through parks, cemeteries and salt marshes that includes certain attire, gear and equipment in which nature lovers derive great pleasure. Clearly, virtual tours do not provide the same joyous experience as catching a glimpse of a spectacular Blue Jay perched in a tree through binoculars or capturing bright yellow forsythias with a high powered camera, however, these cyber video adventures are surprisingly delightful!

Willow guides viewers throughout local outdoor spaces in the Bronx and Brooklyn during the months of April and May, filmed earlier this year, to enjoy the awakenings of Springtime in the city. You’ll be captivated as you virtually journey through the sandy soil of the Salt Marshes in Marine Park Brooklyn where you’ll learn about the now extinct Carolina Parakeet that used to dine on the spiny seedpods of the poisonous cockelbur, or listen to the tiny male Blackpoll Warbler that migrates from South America to Canada to find his mate.

Expand your awareness as you watch your computer or phone screen and listen to a flock of Blue Jays in Prospect Park, Brooklyn as they engage in mobbing behavior in the sea of pine trees. You will have to watch for yourself to uncover the mystery of what the predator is and if they catch it!

Mr. Willow’s soft spoken voice will pull you in as will his expertise of the plant and animal life.  For instance, did you know that chipmunks build their underground homes to include both a bathroom and bedroom area? These and other tidbits of information about the outdoor world will be garnered as you transport yourself to the great outdoors with the full array of Nature Expeditions virtual tours. 

Be back tomorrow with a full account of my gang's al fresco dining experience at Enzo's of Arthur Avenue in The Real Little Italy in The Bronx!! 

Till then, 
Stay Safe!
-Travelin' Elisa
xoxo