Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is about a 45-minute drive from my apartment in Midtown East and is fairly easy to get to by car. You can also take the train if you don't want to deal with driving, although it takes a little longer. The refuge is located off Cross Bay Boulevard in Queens, near JFK Airport.

It's such a contrast to see a wild area like this with a major airport and the NYC skyline as its backdrop.

There are wide gravel paths that wind around the two man-made ponds, East Pond and West Pond. The main trails are mostly exposed, but there are also some narrower side trails that branch off into shaded areas lined with hardwood trees. There's also a lovely visitor center located near the entrance to the trails.

The refuge is considered one of the most significant bird sanctuaries in the Northeast, with over 330 bird species having been recorded here. From the moment we arrived, I saw so many different species. I turned on my Merlin app's Sound ID because I could barely keep up. I saw tons of Laughing Gulls, Red-winged Blackbirds, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Mute Swans, and all kinds of other gulls that I honestly haven't even begun trying to identify.

I was a little overwhelmed and probably didn't take as many photos as I should have because I was too busy watching.

My favorite bird of the day was the Glossy Ibis. My husband spotted one at the beginning of our walk wading through the muddy marsh. I didn't even see it at first. They are such unique-looking birds, with elegant curved bills and iridescent plumage that shimmers in emerald, bronze, and violet.

I associate this almost mythical-looking bird with Thoth, the ancient Egyptian deity associated with the moon, writing, magic, art, and judgment. I was so happy to add the Glossy Ibis to my life list today.

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