After Several Wrong Turns …

… I landed at LaGuardia Airport.

It wasn’t my original destination. But truth be told, after nearly a year of Covid travel restrictions, my wanderlust properly kicked in as I drove around the puzzle of airport roads. Couldn’t I just park the car and get on the next flight to anywhere?

My actual destination was the World’s Fair Marina, right next to the airport. I planned to continue my exploration of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and NEEDED to see some water, so this spot seemed perfect.

I’ve lived in Queens over 20 years. More years than any other place, including my hometown of Munster, Indiana. But after all this time, getting lost is STILL a possibility. If you don’t believe me, come to Queens – I’ll give you a tour and you’ll understand.

Which is how I missed my turn and suddenly found myself in the “Departures” lane at LaGuardia. (By the way, the new LaGuardia looks rather nice from my drive-through!)

After a few more wonky turns, I finally parked at the Marina. By this point the cold, windy but sunny day had changed to cold, windy and cloudy. Yet I was determined.

Located on Flushing Bay, the World’s Fair Marina started as a boat basin constructed for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, then expanded for the 1964 Fair. Given its location adjacent to both LaGuardia Airport, the busy Grand Central Parkway, populous nearby neighborhoods, and industrial sites, it’s no wonder these waters have certainly had their troubles with pollution.

Industrial site along Flushing Bay / Queens, New York

Yet, walking along the roughly 1.5-mile promenade makes this location worth the visit.

The wind was spectacular and the water choppy, so I wasn’t overly hopeful but aside a rocky cove I spotted a Northern Pintail bobbing around the water with a couple American Black Ducks resting nearby. As I rounded the bend where two party boats sat moored until the pandemic subsides, it seemed that additional nature sightings would be limited, aside from the remnants of a Butterflyweed seedpod that somehow retained some of its “fluff” in the wind.

Butterflyweed Seed Pod / Queens, New York

But wait – was that a Bufflehead in the distance that just dove beneath the water’s surface? And was that a Ruddy Duck doing the same?

I got closer and saw them and others. Not a few birds but hundreds upon hundreds of various waterfowl species that spend winter months in our area.

Waterfowl in Flushing Bay / Queens, New York

Buffleheads. Ring-necked Ducks. Ruddy Ducks. Canvasbacks. Gadwalls. Plus, more common Mallards along with Ring-billed Gulls and White-throated Sparrows to represent the songbirds.

Canvasback and Ring-necked Ducks / Queens, New York

Canvasbacks and Ring-necked Duck / Queens, New York

Ring-necked Ducks and Canvasback / Queens, New York

White-throated Sparrows / Queens, New York

Despite this location with thousands of cars rushing past, jets flying in or out, and a myriad of pollution issues (though regularly being addressed, thankfully), the birds have found a place here.

And isn’t that the theme for this wonderful county of Queens? We might not have the glitz of Manhattan, the vibe of Brooklyn, the guts of the Bronx, and the … well, I’m not familiar enough with the nuances of Staten Island to make a comparison, but in this place, we find a way to live and thrive in spite of all the wrong turns. Hey, even the ducks feel so optimistic about the Mets this year that they’re already lining up for season tickets!

Waterfowl and CitiField / Queens, New York