Category Archives: Wildlife

Photo Illustration: Cammanns Pond in Merrick, New York, USA, © Ann Parry, FromLongIsland.com

Cammanns Pond: Or, New Year’s Eve in Space

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From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
December 31, 2018

Cammanns Pond

Tonight, ten days after the shortest day of the year, and hours before the stormy last hurrah of 2018 would become the dawn of 2019, I stopped at Cammanns Pond on my way home.

Struggling through the downpour, the light from the street lamp behind me surrendered before reaching water’s edge.

Merrick, NY, USA. Dec. 31, 2018. A raft of ducks sleeps hidden at Cammanns Pond during rainy New Year's Eve. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Merrick, NY, USA. Dec. 31, 2018. A raft of ducks sleeps hidden at Cammanns Pond during rainy New Year’s Eve. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Rain coated the windshield seconds after each sweep of wipers, and dashboard lights bounced on the glass and water, so my bullseye view was light from distant buildings slashing an abyss.

But, after countless visits, I knew waterfowl must be near. Once my eyes adjusted to the darkness and I covered the instrument lights with an infinity scarf, I saw hints of a silent, nearly still raft of ducks midway between shores.

Aiming my iPhone from the space between steering wheel and windshield, I captured rain smeared photos of two bare trees standing sentinel in front of the pond.

Going outside, I stood behind one tree trunk then the other, to avoid throwing a shadow, and leaned out to take photos of the ducks, pond, shores and beyond.

Shores & beyond

Then I sat silent and still in my car as ducks slept at the Merrick pond, on the deluged south shore of Long Island…

on the northeast coast of the United States on Earth as it orbited the Sun, in a spiral arm of the Milky Way, in the Virgo Supercluster…

as we made our way in the universe this New Year’s Eve…

forty years after the world understood global warming and still had a chance to avoid the extreme, destructive weather Earth’s now experiencing due to the climate crisis.

No home is an island.


• NASA: Global Climate Change Resources
• Bloomberg: Climate Changed
• NYTimes: Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change
• United Nations: Environment, Disasters & Climate Change

fyi fLI
In 1890 Hermann Cammann bought the Carmen farm house property on the north side of Merrick Road and rebuilt a larger version of the house, across from where Cammanns Park is now.

Cammanns Pond:  PHOTO GALLERY

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Scottish Festival & Highland Games at Old Westbury Gardens 2014

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From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
August 28, 2014

I saw Tartan to left of me, tartan to right of me, tartan in front of me…. and much more at the 54th Annual Long Island Scottish Festival and Highland Games last weekend at Old Westbury Gardens.

TARTANS
The Clan Gordon Highlanders Pipe Band of Locust Valley were one of the spirited marching bands that performed.

Old Westbury, N.Y., U.S. - August 23, 2014 - Clan Gordon Highlanders Pipe Band of Locust Valley, marches at Long Island Scottish Festival & Highland Games, Old Westbury Gardens. (© 2014 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Old Westbury, N.Y., U.S. – August 23, 2014 – Clan Gordon Highlanders Pipe Band of Locust Valley, marches at Long Island Scottish Festival & Highland Games, Old Westbury Gardens. (© 2014 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

American Revolution re-enactors of the 42nd Royal Regiment of Foote wore colorful red and black uniforms, carried muskets with bayonets, and performed synchronized movements. The regiment, The Black Watch, was raised in the Scottish Highlands in 1740 and fought for the British.

Old Westbury, New York, U.S. - August 23, 2014 - L-R, TIM NORTON, of CT, AARON BOATRIGHT, of CT, and CONRAD BENDER IV, of NJ, are American Revolution re-enactors portraying members of the 42nd Royal Regiment of Foote, at the 54th Annual Long Island Scottish Festival and Highland Games, co-hosted by L. I. Scottish Clan MacDuff, at Old Westbury Gardens. The regiment, The Black Watch, was raised in the Scottish Highlands in 1740 and fought for the British. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Old Westbury, NY, U.S.. August 23, 2014. L-R, TIM NORTON, of CT, AARON BOATRIGHT, of CT, and CONRAD BENDER IV, of NJ, are American Revolution re-enactors portraying The Black Watch members of 42nd Royal Regiment of Foote, at 54th Annual Long Island Scottish Festival and Highland Games at Old Westbury Gardens. (© 2014 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

WINORR

Cosmo the barn owl was one of the fascinating birds at the Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation exhibit, where WINORR’s CATHY ST. PIERRE and her husband BOBBY HORVATH taught children and adults about the area wildlife and how the non-profit group helps them.

Old Westbury, New York, U.S. - August 23, 2014 - CATHY ST. PIERRE is with AUGIE, a 4-year-old male Eurasian Eagle Owl from non-profit WINORR, Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation, at 54th Annual Long Island Scottish Festival and Highland Games, at Old Westbury Gardens. WINORR is run by Cathy and her husband Bobby, licensed animal rehabilitators in North Massapequa. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Old Westbury, NY, U.S. – August 23, 2014 – CATHY ST. PIERRE is with AUGIE, a Eurasian Eagle Owl, from non-profit WINORR, Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation, at 54th Annual L.I. Scottish Festival & Highland Games. (© 2014 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Long Island Scottish Clan MacDuff co-hosted this festival rich with Scottish musicians, singers, and booths with food, clothing, artwork… stretching across the rolling lawns of the historic Gold Coast estate.

Mar sin leibh an dràsda.

Scottish Festival at OWG:  PHOTO GALLERY

Donate to  WINOOR GoFundMe  (Cathy St. Pierre created campaign)

WINORR:   Winorr  –  Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation

Old Westbury Gardens:  SITE  •  JOIN

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