20 Wednesday Jun 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
colonial lake, diamondback, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, photography, postaday, terrapin, turtle
One day last week I had to stop several times to let turtles cross the road in front of me. Here are a few shots of them at different places in the refuge, and one shot at Colonial Lake closer to home.
Diamondback Terrapin.
Diamondback Terrapin.
Snowy Egret with turtle under water in background.
Diamondback Terrapin at Colonial Lake.
17 Sunday Jun 2018
Posted in Photography
I don’t know the name of the following flowers. If you do, please tell me.
Update: I searched for this flower image on the Internet, and it’s a Pink Evening Primrose!
Pink Evening Primrose.
Pink Evening Primrose.
Pink Evening Primrose.
16 Saturday Jun 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
I arrived at the nest just as the male Osprey brought in a fish it had caught that morning, presumably after it had eaten the head. The female Osprey was waiting with two lanky and hungry young chicks.
Female Osprey with two chicks. Male was in the back after flying in the fish it had caught.
Having delivered breakfast, the male Osprey flew up to his perch, but he seemed to be nibbling something at his feet.
“What is he eating up there?”
Feeding time.
Mama feeding chicks while Papa watched out for intruders.
15 Friday Jun 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Forster’s Terns have impressive sky diving skills when they hunt for fish, and I have been trying to capture them doing aerial acrobatics in photos. Yesterday’s several of them put on a fantastic show at the refuge under a sunny sky.
Forster’s Tern hovering.
Forster’s Tern hovering.
Forster’s Tern starting dive.
Dive, dive!
Forster’s Tern diving straight into water.
09 Saturday Jun 2018
Posted in Photography
This evening, I tried to shoot more photos near the bird feeder, and surprised two birds, one full of color, the other blander.
A Northern Cardinal flew in and landed on a magnolia branch. It shook itself as if to get rid of some water, and that’s when I took this photo. He was one of the reddest Cardinals I have ever seen.
Northern Cardinal.
A young female House Finch did not see me until I took her picture.
Female House Finch.
09 Saturday Jun 2018
Posted in Photography
This morning, I went out on the deck and took pictures of the early birds that came for breakfast. Some looked very young, and they may be this year’s fledglings.
Blue Jay.
Northern Cardinal: “Peekaboo!”
Blue Jay: “I see you!”
Young male House Finch.
Young Carolina Chickadee.
07 Thursday Jun 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
A flock of Black Skimmers, those amazing birds that draw perfectly straight lines with their beaks on the water as they look for fish, was parked on a sand bar at the refuge. They were quite far away from me, and those that were fishing were flying fast.
Black Skimmers.
Two Black Skimmers.
Two Black Skimmers. The one in front must have just missed a fish.
Here’s a picture of one that I took last year.
Black Skimmer 2017.
Here’s one from 2015 where the straight line is seen clearly.
Black Skimmer in action
03 Sunday Jun 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
Barn Swallows.
02 Saturday Jun 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
canada goose, duckling, gosling, mallard, photography, postaday
For this hot weekend, here are some cool images of cute creatures in nature that I saw at Colonial Lake a few weeks ago.
Canada Goose Gosling.
Female Mallard and Ducklings.
Have a great weekend!
31 Thursday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
The remnants of the first hurricane of this year, Alberto, is giving us a rainy day. Our peonies are laden with rain drops and most are bent down, except for the red ones that I went out to photograph this morning.
Red peony.
Red peony.
Red peony.
Red peony.
30 Wednesday May 2018
Posted in Photography, Weekly Photo Challenge
The link for this final Weekly Photo Challenge is:
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/all-time-favorites/
Here are my submissions:
The Wave at Coyotes Buttes North.
From inside The Wave looking out.
Clashing waves.
More clashing waves.
Wavy and graceful lines imprinted on red sandstone by the forces of nature.
Ocean wave near Barnegat Lighthouse.
30 Wednesday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
A male Mallard was landing near a female Mallard at Colonial Lake.
Male Mallard landing.
He looked very happy.
Male Mallard: “Hi sweetie!”
She was indeed a pretty Mallard.
Female Mallard.
Female Mallard.
29 Tuesday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
Barn Swallows live under a bridge at Fortescue, NJ. While observing the Horsehoe Crabs, I saw these birds darting around the bridge. They were too fast for me to catch them in flight. After a long time, two of them decided to rest on wood pilings and calmly posed for pictures.
Barn Swallow, female.
Barn Swallow, female.
Barn Swallows.
Barn Swallow, male.
28 Monday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Some flowers I saw on a recent walk around Colonial Lake.
Lupine.
Rhododendron.
27 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Here are some more photos to give you an idea of what the annual Horseshoe Crab egg feast is like on the South Jersey shoreline.
Sanderlings and other birds near an upside down Horseshoe Crab.
Shore birds, including Red Knots to the left of image, waiting for Horseshoe Crabs eggs being spawned on the right.
Shore birds flying up as a Bald Eagle passed by.
Red Knots, Dunlins, Sanderlings eating eggs by upturned Horseshoe Crab.
A couple of Laughing Gulls had needs other than food to be met.
Laughing Gulls temporarily did not care for Horseshoe Crab eggs.
26 Saturday May 2018
Posted in Photography
While watching the Horseshoe Crab egg feast at Fortescue, I saw several other kinds of smaller birds flying around. One of them was a Northern Mockingbird that openly paraded on the road.
Northern Mockingbird crossing the road.
Northern Mockingbird looking at intruder.
The bird was very active flying in and out of some bushes by the road. Inside one of the bushes was a juvenile waiting to be fed.
Juvenile Northern Mockingbird.
The adult fed the youngster several times, but I could not see whether it was with a Horseshoe Crab egg or not.
Northern Mockingbird feeding juvenile.
The juvenile kept asking for more as the adult contemplated what to do next.
Northern Mockingbird.
Finally it flew up to an electric wire, surveying the landscape.
Northern Mockingbird on electric wire.
25 Friday May 2018
Posted in Photography
This year I had to go twice to the South Jersey shore at Fortescue, NJ to photograph Horseshoe Crabs as they come ashore to mate. It rained heavily last weekend, and I had to shoot from the car quickly before the camera got wet.
Upturned Horseshoe Crab, still alive.
Red-winged Blackbird eating Horseshoe Crab eggs.
The second time was yesterday, with plenty of sunshine. There were tens of thousands of birds of all kinds on a stretch of the beach no more than a quarter of a mile (0.4 km) long.
Sandpipers, Laughing Gulls at the mouth of Oyster Creek. The rocks in the water are Horseshoe Crabs.
Red Knots depend on Horseshoe Crab eggs to replenish their energy during their long migration flight of 9,300 miles (15,000 km) from the tip of South America to the Artic. This year there were many of them, and they appeared well fed and in good shape.
Red Knots (orange breasts) on beach at Fortescue, NJ.
23 Wednesday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Siberian Iris.
Reflections.
22 Tuesday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Cedar Waxwings are quite common birds native to North and Central America. They live all year round in our area. However, it was only until yesterday that I could photograph one. It was perched high on a branch by the water at Colonial Lake. A band of them were flying around eating insects. They are normally fruit eaters but there was no fruit to be found yet at this time of the year.
Cedar Waxwing.
Cedar Waxwing.
Cedar Waxwing flying away.
18 Friday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
Recently I inadvertently deleted some old posts and images from 2014. Today, another in a long string of rainy days for this week, I went back to my archives and recreated the images below. It appears that there are some viewers who have been trying to look at the images, which happen to be Lotus flowers from a pond near our house.
Pink Lotus.
White and Pink Lotus.
Pink Lotus.
16 Wednesday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
For many years I wondered what kind of bird sounded like a cat mewing in our backyard. It could have been flying among the tree branches, but it wasn’t until last week at Colonial Lake that one stopped long enough to pose for a few photos.
Gray Catbird.
Gray Catbird.
Gray Catbird.
14 Monday May 2018
Posted in Photography
The American Robin shown below was making so much noise and movement that I had to take its picture.
American Robin, excited and shouting.
The target for its cries was another Robin, who watched it very nonchalantly.
American Robin, cool and relaxed.
Here are the two of them in one photo.
Two Robins.
Perhaps the shouting Robin was a juvenile clamoring for food, and the older bird did nothing, as a way of telling the younger one to go find its own worm. Just my guess.
13 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
Gone fishing.
13 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
This Mallard had 12 ducklings following along it on a sunny morning near Colonial Lake..
Mallard and 12 ducklings.
I have more photos, but uploading them to WordPress has been very iffy lately, so the above will have to do for this Mother’s Day.
12 Saturday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Humans often indulge in the luxury of sleeping in late on weekends, if they can. A few days ago at Colonial Lake, some Goslings were sound asleep on the bank of Colonial Lake around 9 AM.
Sleeping Goslings.
Sleeping Goslings.
Sleeping Goslings guarded by parents.
11 Friday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
Blooming from mid Spring on, Dogwoods put their special imprint on nature’s beauty. I try not to miss taking their photos every year, and I don’t have to go far for them.
White Dogwood in backyard.
Pink Dogwood at Colonial Lake.
09 Wednesday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
White Dogwood.
08 Tuesday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
This morning a Bald Eagle stood on the same branch at Colonial Lake in Lawrenceville, NJ for at least an hour, probably digesting its breakfast as people took turns photographing it. Lighting was ideal, and the bird let us come as close as we wanted.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake looking at photographer.
08 Tuesday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Our Paw Paw (Asimina Triloba) trees are loaded with flowers this year, even before any leaf appeared. Here are some shots of the flowers, which promise a bountiful harvest of Paw Paw fruit, also known as Quaker Delight or Hillbilly Mango, in the fall.
Paw Paw flowers.
Paw Paw flowers.
Paw Paw flowers.
Paw Paw flower.
06 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
Jane Magnolia.
Jane Magnolia.
Jane Magnolia.
Jane Magnolia.
05 Saturday May 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
The following pair of Forster’s Terns were unconcerned by my presence as I parked close to the guardrail where they were perched. They seemed busy deciding when to plunge into the marsh water to look for fish.
“Lots of fish down there! High tide is bringing them into the marsh.”
“Here we go, 1, 2, …3”
“I can’t do it!”
“Sure you can! Go!”
Forster’s Tern hovered before coming back to the guardrail.
“Again!”
Flight.
Landing.
Standing.
04 Friday May 2018
Posted in Photography, Weekly Photo Challenge
The link for this challenge is: https://ceenphotography.com/2018/05/03/cees-bw-challenge-close-ups/
Yesterday, this tree trunk drew my attention as I was looking for birds near Barnegat Light House.
Tree trunk.
04 Friday May 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Conversations between Canada Goose goslings at the refuge in yesterday’s 90°F (32°C).
“Mommy said we should be eating veggies!”
“Here are some!”
“Look at her chewing that grass!”
“She’s right, it’s yummy!”
“Mommy is always right!”
Canada Goose and goslings.
29 Sunday Apr 2018
Posted in Photography, Weekly Photo Challenge
Tags
bridge to nowhere, kootenai falls, photography, postaday, power lines, starling, weekly photo challenge
The URL for this challenge is: https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/lines-2018/
Here are my interpretations of it:
Starlings on power lines.
Bridge to nowhere, in South Jersey.
Railroad tracks near Kootenai Falls, MT.
28 Saturday Apr 2018
Posted in Photography
Spring is a frenetic time for birds as it is their breeding season and they are very busy courting, building up their nests and their bodies for the rigor of incubating, and in general preparing for the arrival of the next generation. Last Saturday I took the following shots of a variety of birds carrying out those spring activities.
Flying tissue: a female Northern Cardinal ferrying a piece of tissue toward her nest.
Eastern Phoebe between trilling to attract mate. Updated after Eliza’s comment below.
House Wren taking over Bluebird birdhouse.
Snowy Egret caught first fish.
Snowy Egret caught second fish.
Snowy Egret caught third fish.
27 Friday Apr 2018
Posted in Photography
It’s amazing how a few days of sunshine and warmer temperatures brought forth the beauty of Spring as flowers rival one another to bloom and display their colors. I took the following shots over two different mornings around our house.
Daffodils.
Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra Spectabilis) “Alba”.
Magnolia Soulangiana.
Jane Magnolia.
Jane Magnolia.
Jane Magnolia.
25 Wednesday Apr 2018
Posted in Photography
Butterfly Magnolia.
24 Tuesday Apr 2018
Posted in Photography
The Eastern Bluebird is one of the prettiest birds with its vivid blue and rusty colors, at least for the males. As usual for birds, the females are gray and not as noticeable in the wild. It’s a bird I have not been able to photograph successfully until now, despite putting out four Bluebird houses around our backyard. House Wrens usually end up taking over those birdhouses and I have not yet found a way to discourage them from doing so.
Today, I was photographing some yellow Magnolia flowers when a male Eastern Bluebird flew by and perched not more than 10 feet (3 m) from me. It stayed there for a while, perhaps checking out a nearby birdhouse, and allowed me to take the following photos.
Male Eastern Bluebird.
Male Eastern Bluebird.
Male Eastern Bluebird.
Male Eastern Bluebird.
22 Sunday Apr 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
I haven’t taught my Golden Retriever, Jackie, too many tricks, but one game she loves to play is frisbee. Neither she or I are very good at it. However, over the past few days warm and sunny weather has allowed us to play a few games of frisbee as you can see below.
Jackie missing the frisbee.
Jackie bringing the frisbee back.
Jackie accelerating with frisbee in her mouth.
20 Friday Apr 2018
Posted in Photography, Weekly Photo Challenge
The URL for this challenge is: https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/prolific/
This week we were gifted a Natal Lily (Clivia Miniata) with bright orange blooms which immediately brightened our living room. The plant originates from South Africa and is reputed to be a prolific bloomer as well as a nearly indestructible house plant in our temperate climate. It belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family, so it is related to the better known Amaryllis flowers. However, it is much sturdier and requires less care. Even benign neglect, especially as far as watering, would do.
Here are some photos I took of this new plant as soon as the sun made its appearance inside our house.
Clivia Miniata (Natal Lily).
Clivia Miniata (Natal Lily).
Clivia Miniata (Natal Lily).
Clivia Miniata (Natal Lily).
Clivia Miniata (Natal Lily).
Clivia Miniata (Natal Lily).
