ML618368668

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Reported late yesterday by Wes T who had seen it from a ferry, and reported again this morning by Adam C. It took me a moment to find the bird upon arriving, as it was very mobile due to all the boat traffic. Enrico L, who had just scoped the bird from The Battery compared it to a "whack-a-mole game." I eventually got my scope on a massive white bird with black wingtips and a big orange bill in flight, headed right in my direction. I was hoping it come closer for better looks, but it settled back down on the water and I lost it for a while. It repeated this pattern several times during my stay, picking up and settling down, sometimes seeming like it would head towards Brooklyn, but would then drift back out towards NJ. It's easy to appreciate how remarkable this bird is in flight even from afar. Scope views provided somewhat satisfactory looks (more than sufficient for ID) but photos were challenging considering the distance as well as heat haze and fumes from the boats. Not quite a nemesis bird but definitely an overdue lifer for me.

Technical information

Model

iPhone 14 Pro

Lens

iPhone 14 Pro back triple camera 6.86mm f/1.78

ISO

50

Focal length

6.9 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/1.8

Shutter speed

1/158 sec

Dimensions

967 pixels x 967 pixels

Original file size

283.76 KB