Coyotes: have frequently been seen in our area starting in early 2022. It is believed they move around using a corridor extending from Kings Point Park in Nassau County, through Udalls Cove Park into Alley Pond Park and possibly beyond. Coyotes have been photographed or seen on local streets including crossing Northern Boulevard near the Douglaston Golf Driving Range, on Douglaston Parkway near the Joe Hellmann Overlook, and in Little Neck a block south of the LIRR station; they have also been recorded several times on a doorbell camera of a house in the Douglaston Hills area (between Northern Boulevard and the LIRR).
Dolphins: In early 2023 a pod of about 12 dolphins spent some time playing in Little Neck Bay. Several people videoed their antics, which were even shown on a local evening TV news show.
Bald Eagles: are now frequently seen around Little Neck Bay. In particular, there is a dead tree on the shoreline near Fort Totten in Bayside where a Bald Eagle often perces.
Osprey: The first osprey nesting platform in Little Neck Bay was installed by the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee in April 1997 in the wetlands restoration area northwest of the Douglaston LIRR station. UCPC installed a second platform in 2004 on the shores of Udalls Cove, across from Douglaston Manor’s Memorial Field. Both platforms were occupied within a week or two of their installation. In the years since, ospreys (probably the descendants of those living on these platforms, have built other nests in trees, on electric towers, and light poles around Little Neck Bay. As of 2023, there are some eight active osprey nests around the bay.
River Otter: Long Island’s population of River Otter is growing and moving west towards Queens. A biologist documented an otter “latrine” on the Great Neck shore of Udalls Cove, though it was probably used by a transient otter, not yet a permanent resident of the area.
Whitetail Deer: are common further east on Long Island. They have been seen from time to time in the Douglaston area, but by 2023 they appear to have taken up residence in nearby Alley Pond Park. They have been seen and photographed in broad daylight on the cloverleaf of the intersection of the Cross Island Parkway and Northern Boulevard.
