Green Flats Reef facts for kids
Green Flats is a special rocky area, like a small reef, located in City Island Harbor in New York City. It sits between City Island and Rat Island. Green Flats is also part of a group of small islands known as the Pelham Islands.
This reef is usually hidden underwater when the tide is high. This means boats need to be careful when sailing nearby! But when the tide goes out, Green Flats becomes visible, showing off its rocky surface.
What is Green Flats Made Of?
Green Flats is mostly made up of small, smooth, rounded rocks. These rocks were carried and shaped by huge sheets of ice, called glaciers, a very long time ago during the Ice Age.
You can also find some very large granite rocks here. These big rocks are called glacial erratics. They are like giant boulders that were picked up and dropped by the moving glaciers. The entire reef looks very green because it's covered in green seamoss and a type of seaweed called kelp.
Wildlife at Green Flats
Green Flats is a busy spot for different kinds of birds, especially when the tide is low.
Clever Seagulls
You can often see seagulls flying around Green Flats. They are quite clever! These birds pick up mussels from the shallow water around the reef. Then, they fly about 30 feet (about 9 meters) above the rocks. From that height, they drop the mussels onto the hard rocks below. This smashes the mussel shells open, making it easy for the seagulls to eat the tasty insides.
Hunting Herons
Great blue herons are also often seen at Green Flats. These tall, graceful birds come to the reef when the tide is low. They stand very still in the shallow water, patiently waiting to catch fish or other small creatures that might be hiding among the rocks.
