![]() Willow Lake hosts a variety of wintering waterfowl, including all three Merganser species-this is one of the most reliable spots to find Common Merganser in New York City-as well as Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, and other diving and dabbling ducks. "}" data-trix-content-type="undefined" class="attachment attachment-content"> Parking is easiest at the Park Drive East entrance. On the west side, access the trail via an overpass at Grand Central Parkway and 72nd Street keep in mind that the trail here is very muddy, paving stones have been set down to help walkers along. The trail can be accessed on the east side via an overpass at Park Drive East and 73rd Terrace. On the lake’s east side, a turnoff from the main trail leads to a bird blind look across at low overhanging willows for roosting wading birds such as Black-crowned Night-Heron and Great Blue Heron, which can be found here year-round. These spots are described below from north to south. For birding purposes, the park may be thought of in four sections from north to south (corresponding to eBird hotspots): the World’s Fair Marina the “ Meridian Road Circle ,” Meadow Lake, and Willow Lake. eBirders have recorded 188 species here several species unusual for New York City such as Common Merganser and Bald Eagle are often seen here, and documented rarities have included Greater White-fronted and Cackling Geese, Baird’s Sandpiper, Red Phalarope, and a recent Yellow-headed Blackbird (possibly an escape, but still much admired!). As part of longtime NYC Parks Commissioner Robert Moses’s plan to reclaim the area, the site then hosted two World’s Fairs (65).The northern section of the park today owes much of its arrangement to the World’s Fairs, and includes many public attractions including Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open tennis tournament the New York Hall of Science the Queens Museum of Art and the Queens Zoo.ĭespite this long, mixed history of development, the park still retains a good amount of bird habitat-some of it surprisingly wild. Scott Fitzgerald described it as “a valley of ashes” in The Great Gatsby. By 1925, the area has deteriorated to such a degree that F. ![]() It’s a pleasant spot to visit, and it you are into a wide open space with some iconic structures, it’s the spot for you.In the early 20th Century, however, the wetlands were filled in with ashes and street refuse on a massive scale. It’s a very open space, and there is not much covering if it is raining. Further afield there are two much larger lakes, the Meadow Lake and the Willow Lake. We followed the Herbert Hoover Promenade around a long fountain area, and the almost circular Promenade of Industry around another lake. Being early spring, the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, and although not as spectacular as you’ll see in the likes of the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, they certainly added a splash of colour to the landscape. The park is huge, and it will take hours to fully explore. ![]() The almost bizarre-looking remains of the New York State Pavilion look as if it has been transplanted from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. The Unisphere is certainly fabulous, and to get close up to it is a must-do if you are visiting the park. To me the most striking features of the park are the handful of features which are leftovers from world's fairs held here, including its two iconic elements: the Unisphere, set in the heart of the Beaux-Arts landscape, and the futuristic-looking New York State Pavilion, designed by architect Philip Johnson. ![]() Nearby are the Queens Museum, the New York Hall of Science, the Queens Zoo, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (home of the US Open), and Citi Field (home to the Mets). There’s green recreational spaces for baseball, soccer and cricket playgrounds and skateboarding areas for the young and energetic, and dog runs to keep your pooch fit and happy. It’s the largest park in Queens (and fourth largest park in all of New York City) and it has something for everyone: the nature trail walkers, those seeking to connect with nature, the fitness fanatics, artists, and so on. The park is named after the nearby neighborhoods of Flushing and Corona, which are separated by the park. You may now it better by its more common name, Flushing Meadows. I visited this park in early spring, and even on a dull damp grey day it was still a very pleasant place for a wander. ![]()
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