Governors Island, once military, then coastguard, but now lots of nature!

I have now been to Governors Island (part of New York County) five times, and I am finding it to be a very interesting and rewarding place to go iNatting.

Governors Island is an 172-acre island situated between Brooklyn and the tip of lower Manhattan. The original island is the northern part, a large chunk of which is now a National Monument, including Fort Jay (1794) and Castle Williams (1811). The lower half of Governors Island was created during 1901 to 1912, using landfill, and recently three artificial hills have been built near the southern tip of the island for the entertainment of the public.

The island was decommissioned as a military base in 1966. Then it was finally decommissioned as a coast guard base in 1996. It was first opened to the public in 2005. It is accessed via ferries. I go there using the ferry that leaves from the attractive antique terminal building which is just north of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

Every time I have visited Governors Island I have been able to find new "lifers" (species I have never seen before), something that has become very difficult for me to achieve in my familiar areas, such as Randall's Island and Central Park.

I am not quite sure why Governors Island has so much interesting biodiversity, especially because it basically does not have any truly wild areas, but perhaps is partly due to the absence of human residents for well over twenty years.

I will be going back as often as I can (assuming there are still some days when the weather is warm and sunny) before the end of October, when the ferry traditionally ceases to run.

Here I have included some photos of the more common species I have found, as well as a few of my "lifers".

If anyone has any questions that I may be able to answer, please go ahead and ask me.

Posted on September 28, 2021 01:41 PM by susanhewitt susanhewitt

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Slender Meadow Katydid (Conocephalus fasciatus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 12:50 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Viruses (Kingdom Viruses)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 12:52 PM EDT

Description

???

Trying to check the ID of the plant, a mid-size tree -- I really don't know my trees very well at all.

Photos / Sounds

What

Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 12:55 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:00 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:28 PM EDT

Description

On common mugwort.

Photos / Sounds

What

Virginia Pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:29 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:46 PM EDT

Description

In the Harbor School Garden, on Anise Hyssop.

Photos / Sounds

What

Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:48 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

American Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:49 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:54 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Differential Grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:56 PM EDT

Description

Missing one of its jumping legs.

Photos / Sounds

What

Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:57 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Evening-Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:58 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 01:59 PM EDT

Description

In the Harbor School garden, which is very overgrown and rather untended.

Photos / Sounds

What

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 02:03 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 02:14 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Northern Bayberry (Morella pensylvanica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 02:15 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 02:15 PM EDT

Description

On Northern Bayberry leaf.

Photos / Sounds

What

Northern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 02:16 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Sea Lilies (Class Crinoidea)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 02:31 PM EDT

Description

Fossils on the bedding plane of a piece of rock used as RipRap.

Photos / Sounds

What

Wharf Louse (Ligia exotica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 02:32 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 02:48 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Cypress Twig Gall Midge (Taxodiomyia cupressiananassa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:07 PM EDT

Description

This species of gall occurs only on Pond Cypress and Bald Cypress.

I think this one is Bald Cypress.

Photos / Sounds

What

Tulip Tree Leaf Miner (Phyllocnistis liriodendronella)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:08 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:10 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Sneaky Elf (Pyropyga decipiens)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:12 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:13 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Tall Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:20 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Aspen Serpentine Leafminer Moth (Phyllocnistis populiella)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:34 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Poplar Rust (Melampsora medusae)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:36 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Life (Life)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:37 PM EDT

Description

On White Clover.

Photos / Sounds

What

Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:41 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Magnolia Threetooth (Triodopsis hopetonensis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:57 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Threeband Slugs (Genus Ambigolimax)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 03:58 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Quick Gloss Snail (Zonitoides arboreus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 04:01 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

September 25, 2021 04:04 PM EDT

Description

On Linden.

Comments

It was recently announced that this year, Governors Island for the very first time, will remain open to the public, with the ferries running, all year long.

Posted by susanhewitt over 2 years ago

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