Diario de mariamg710

On March 17, 2023, at 1:53 pm, I visited Willbrook Park on Staten island. On this day, the weather was 57 degrees fahrenheit with a cloudy sky and winds about 6 mph. This picture was taken by the woody area that is further away from the park. In this picture it shows a White-breasted Nuthatch. The White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a small bird found in North America. It is known for its distinctive appearance, with a blue-gray back and wings, a white face and underparts, and a black cap and bib. It is named after its habit of using its strong bill to pry open or "hatch" nuts and seeds. White-breasted Nuthatches are common in mixed forests and can also be found in parks and suburban areas with mature trees, just like Willowbrook Park. They are non-migratory and can be seen throughout the year.

On February 3rd, 2023, at 11:30 am, I visited Willbrook Park on Staten island. On this day, the weather was 11 degrees fahrenheit with a cloudy sky and winds about 10 mph. Around the pond area there was minimal disturbances, about 3 people in the park, but there was a high amount of construction and traffic noises that came from outside of the park, which is not far from the pond area. On this day, I was able to observe Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) which are a type of duck commonly found throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. They are known for their distinctive green head, white neck ring, and chestnut-colored chest. Male mallards have a glossy green head, while females have a mottled brown plumage. Overall, female mallards are less colorful and less flashy than males, but they are still beautiful birds in their own right. Mallards are adaptable birds and can be found in a variety of habitats, including wetlands, lakes, ponds, and rivers. They are omnivorous and feed on a range of foods, including aquatic plants, insects, seeds, and small animals.

On March 4th, 2023, at 4:13 pm, I visited Toms River, New Jersey. On this day, in NJ, the weather was 43 degrees fahrenheit with a cloudy sky and at this location the wind was about 16 mph since it is close to shore. This picture was taken in Mathis Plaza, a small park located next to the Toms River on property that is owned and maintained by the Borough. It is part of a 3.74 acre area that includes a large lawn space with a gazebo, walkways along the water, a memorial, and a parking area. Near the gazebo area, there is a bush of these Junipers which are on evergreen trees and shrubs in the cypress family, Cupressaceae. The Juniperus genus includes about 70 species of plants. These plants typically have needle-like leaves and produce small cones or berry-like structures as their fruit. Many species of Juniperus are commonly used in landscaping and horticulture, as well as for their aromatic wood and berries, which have culinary and medicinal uses.

On February 3rd, 2023, at 6:35 pm, I visited Toms River, New Jersey. On this day, in NJ, the weather was 9 degrees fahrenheit with a cloudy sky and winds about 10 mph. This picture was taken in a residential area containing houses but there is a large area of grass and a large tree in the middle of the grass. On the side of the house, I observed an Angle-winged Katydids, also known as, Genus Microcentrum. The katydids have bodies that resemble grasshoppers, but their antennae are longer and more threadlike. The length is between two and two and a half inches. This species is green and resembles a leaf in appearance to mimic leaves.

On February 3rd, 2023, at 4:35 pm, I visited Toms River, New Jersey. On this day, in NJ, the weather was 9 degrees fahrenheit with a cloudy sky and winds about 10 mph.. This picture was taken in a residential area containing houses but there is a large area of grass and a large tree in the middle of the grass. On the trim of the house, I observed a Spotted Orbweaver spider, also known as, Neoscona crucifera, hanging on its silk. This species has a wide range of colors and occasional patterns, but rusty red or golden orange is the hue it is most frequently found in, as shown in the observation picture. The huge, orb-shaped web that they create is frequently built on buildings and other man-made structures, frequently many feet above ground, particularly close to outdoor lighting.

On February 10th, 2023, at 2:36 pm, I visited Great Kills Park on Staten island with my class. On this day, the weather was about 58 degrees Fahrenheit and it was very sunny, with winds about 20 mph. This picture was taken on the tidal pool near the beachy area of the park. At this time, the tidal pools were at low tide and I was able to observe clusters of Atlantic Ribbed Mussels (Geukensia demissa). These mollusks range in color from brown to black and have ribbed shells with iridescent blue to silvery white interiors. They reside in often tidal marshes and mudflats, where they use mucus strands released by byssal glands to adhere to the underside of grasses and to one another. I found it interesting that they live together in very high quantities.

On February 3rd, 2023, at 11:30am, I visited Willbrook Park on Staten island. On this day, the weather was 11 degrees fahrenheit with a cloudy sky and winds about 10 mph. Around the pond area there was minimal disturbances, about 3 people in the park, but there was a high amount of construction and traffic noises that came from outside of the park, which is not far from the pond area. On this day, I was able to observe a Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias, that was mainly hiding in the shallow parts of the pond and was near tall wheat grass on the side of the pond. In addition, there was a tree near the pond transect that I identified as a holly tree in the genus llex. The tree has spiny leaves and grows clusters of scarlet berries. Near the holly tree, I observed a Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) that was sitting high on branches.