Staten Island’s Bird Walk Flies in Clove Lakes

Clove Lakes chirped last night with Staten Island’s Bird Walk, spotting NYC’s spring wings. Guide Jay Patel led 50 with bins, a $10 trek through the park’s dawn. It’s borough feathers—free vibes, pure SI soul. A kid spied a hawk; a pro logged a sparrow. ‘Staten soars—this is it,’ Patel says, pointing nests. The trails turned wild.

The walk’s fresh—April 3’s kickoff, it tripled since RSVPs, packing paths by 6 a.m. Patel’s a St. George birder; last night’s crowd hit max—wings flapped. A latecomer nabbed a scope; mist cleared—NYC grit glowed. Logs hit 20 species—birds ruled. #SIBirdWalk trended; Bronx wants a peek.

Some griped—’Too early,’ sniped a sleeper, dodging dew. Bugs bit—spray won; sights held. A rival’s pitching a Midland watch, splitting scopes. Still, 60 stayed—feathers reigned. Clove Lakes’s never flown so bold.

Patel’s teasing a monthly run, maybe a dusk if spring bites. ‘NYC’s sky—this spots it,’ he says, packing bins. The walk’s a Staten win—grit meets flight. It’s a bird bash; catch the next. Bring a lens—wings call.