The Osprey: An Underrated, Unofficial Long Island Emblem (with guest words + photos from some of Long Island's most talented wildlife photographers)

Okay, so maybe ospreys are not an “emblem” of Long Island in any official capacity but, to those of us who spend a significant amount of time on the water, they are just that. As a south shore Long Islander, I can say they embody our ideals - majestic, loyal, unafraid, and a world class angler.

As a species, they hold a very special place in my heart and as such, I’ve written about them extensively here on ntvli.com. Rather than hear me ramble on again about how amazing they are, I spoke to several of my favorite photographers about why THEY love seahawks. This article will highlight their responses, as well as, some of their favorite osprey photos.

#NTVArtists: A Sampling of Long Island Songbirds Through the Lens of Carolyn Novak (@crnphoto)

It’ officially summertime, and New York State is starting to open back up just in time for the weather to prod us all into spending more time outside. No matter what corner of Long Island you call home, one element of the natural world that remains constant is the serenity of songbirds soundtracking your outdoor experience.

For this month’s blog, we’re taking a look at some of those singers through the lens of the incredibly talented Long Island photographer, Carolyn Novak. We highlighted 24 species here, but that number far from encompasses the entirety of the different songbirds that call our little island home in the spring and summer.

If you enjoy the photography in this blog, please make sure to follow Carolyn on Instagram for more incredible captures of songbirds, raptors, shorebirds, waterfowl, and all sorts of other great wildlife and landscape photos.