Great Egret Fishing

Tags

Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, great egret, photography, postaday

Around this time of the year, breeding season makes the Great Egret grow long feathers called aigrettes. Those were much in demand by women more than a hundred years ago, leading to the extermination of 95% of the Great Egret population by the end of the 19th century. Today, they are no longer an endangered species and can often be seen in wetlands in North and South America. The one pictured below was standing by itself, occasionally straightening his neck to look for fish.

Great Egret waiting for fish. Note the long plumes and the green around the eye, signs that it is prepared for the breeding season.

Great Egret moving along shore as he saw fish swimming nearby.

With his long yellow bill, he suddenly jabbed violently at the water several times.

“*##**#, missed!”

Ring-billed Gull

Tags

photography, postaday, ring-billed gull

This juvenile Ring-billed Gull flew right in front of me and I took its picture without really seeing it. When the image appeared on the monitor, it was a pleasant surprise.

Juvenile Ring-billed Gull with clam.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Half Light

Tags

photography, pjm rhododendron, postaday, weekly photo challenge

Yesterday, without knowing about this week’s photo challenge (https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/half-light/) I had shot the following pictures of a PJM Rhododendron bush that was starting to flower. The sun was very low on the horizon and only tiny rays of light managed to get through the branches.

PJM Rhododendron in waning sunlight.

PJM Rhododendron bud.

Osprey Brunch

Tags

Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, osprey, photography, postaday

Ospreys have been back at the Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge for at least two weeks already. Yesterday, I saw four nests that had been built up by them with twigs and branches. At one of them, the male Osprey was eating a fish on a perch not far from the nest where the female was incubating. By the time I got set up with my camera and tripod, he had finished eating the head and took the rest of the fish to her.

Male Osprey taking fish to female.

Male Osprey bringing fish to female in nest.

Female Osprey: “I’m going to eat this nice fish. Meanwhile you keep an eye on my eggs, won’t you?”

Female Osprey flying away with fish.

She made a wide loop, perhaps making sure that the guy with the camera was harmless enough.

She circled back to the same perch he used and started eating.

After a bite, she stopped to check on her mate:”Dear, are you watching those eggs?”

“Sure thing, honey!”

Magnolias, a Study in Pink

Tags

magnolia soulangeana, photography, postaday

We have nine Magnolia trees: pink, red, yellow, and white. The pink ones, Magnolia Soulangeana, are always the first to bloom. Here are a series of photos I took of them today in late afternoon, a half hour before sunset.

Magnolia Soulangeana.

Magnolia Soulangeana.

Magnolia Soulangeana.

Magnolia Soulangeana.

Magnolia Soulangeana.

Magnolia Soulangeana.

Daffodils, a Study in Yellow

Tags

daffodils, photography, postaday

For the past several years, I have been planting daffodils by the dozens, and even hundreds, here and there around the house. They are now starting to appear in many shades of yellow, brightening up everything, especially when sunlight illuminates them.

Daffodils.

Daffodils. A gust of wind was bending and swaying these, forcing me to bump up the ISO to increase shutter speed and freeze these trumpets.

Daffodils.

Daffodil.

Daffodil.

Chickadee

Tags

chickadee, photography, postaday

Chickadees are on the small side compared to other birds. However, they are very energetic, flying to and from the bird feeder, grabbing one seed or peanut at a time, and taking it somewhere else to eat. We have a magnolia tree about 10 ft (3 m) from our bird feeder, and that’s where many of them choose to perch and eat their loot.

Chickadee on magnolia branch.

Crocuses and Daffodils

Tags

crocus, daffodil, photography, postaday

The Spring flowers survived the cold for several nights and as of today they still proudly display their colors. Even the magnolia trees are in full bloom, this afternoon I only had enough time to photograph crocuses and daffodils.

Crocuses.

White Crocus.

White and purple Crocus.

White Crocuses.

Not to be outdone, the Daffodils, with the help of a late afternoon sun, were at their most vibrant yellow.

Daffodils.

This Daffodil stood out by itself in the shade.

Colors of Spring

Tags

crosus, daffodil, magolia, orchid, photography, postaday

It is supposed to snow tomorrow, the first day of Spring for 2016, so I hurried out to capture some shots of the flowers that are starting to bloom around our house. Who knows, they may die if it gets below freezing tonight or in the next few nights.

In years past, I’ve seen our Magnolia Soulangeana trees covered with thousands of pink blooms, and withered brown flowers the next day, after a freeze. The yellow Butterfly Magnolia tree blooms later, so its flowers are usually, but not always, safe from frost.

Magnolia Soulangeana.

Crocuses, among the earliest to flower, may also be subjected to the same fate, although some will survive as they are supposed to be quite cold hardy.

White Crocuses.

Purple Crocus.

Most of the daffodils have not opened yet, and some may even survive a light frost as they close down their flowers at night.

Daffodils.

Meanwhile, inside the house, our ever dependable Moth or Phalaenopsis Orchid has started to bloom. So worse comes to worst, we will still be able to enjoy some Spring flowers.

Moth Orchid.

Moth Orchid.

 

Masters of Flight

Tags

Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, photography, postaday, snow geese

Snow Geese migrate every year between the tundras of Alaska and Canada to as far south as Mexico. They have become very efficient flyers, taking advantage of high thermal currents to move great distances. When they are not flying, they are foraging for food and eating their way across fields and swamp lands. Here are a few shots taken last month of these birds doing what they do best, flying. They were among a flock of several thousands at the Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, and all I had to do was point the camera up and click away.

Flying Snow Goose.

Flying Snow Goose.

Flying Snow Goose.

A pair of Snow Geese.    

One Is Not Enough!

Tags

blue jay, chickadee, nuthatch, photography, postaday, roasted peanut, tufted titmouse

Each bird eats roasted peanuts in its own way. Here are a few examples that I have witnessed recently.

Nuthatch: “Hmm…, don’t know which one I want!”

Tufted Titmouse: “I know what I want! Whoopee!”

Chickadee: “Come here, you silly peanut!”

Blue Jay:”Peanuts, here I come!”

Blue Jay: “One is enough, you think?”

Blue Jay: “One is not enough!”

Some Backyard Birds

Tags

cardinal, dark-eyed junco, house sparrow, photography, postaday, tutfted titmouse

The May like temperatures of the last few days, reaching as high as the 80F’s (27 C) brought good light and birds to our backyard. Here are a few shots that I took a couple days ago, directly outside and not through the glass of the patio door.

Cardinal at bird feeder.

This is the same Dark-eyed Junco that had a cyst under its left wing.

House Sparrow on magnolia branch.

Tufted Titmouse on magnolia branch.

House Sparrow on deck.

Bufflehead Action Shots

Tags

buffkehead, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, photography, postaday

Buffleheads fossils have been found going back as far as half a million to two million years ago, so they have been around a long time. They are ducks that are somewhat smaller than Hooded Mergansers, but they have a large head. Male heads are mostly white, making them visible at a distance.

A month ago, when I saw them, the sky was cloudy and lighting was below average at best. There was some commotion in one of the ponds at Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. A male Bufflehead was mating with a female and was holding her under water for a few seconds at least. She finally came up for air.

Female Bufflehead getting out from under a male Bufflehead.

Female Bufflehead kicked the water to escape from the male.

Here are two shots of perhaps the same pair, taken two weeks later in the same pond. The weather had not changed: cloudy, no sun to speak of.

Male Bufflehead.

Female Bufflehead.

Long-tailed Duck

Tags

barnegat lighthouse, long-tailed duck, photography, postaday

On the inland side of Barnegat Lighthouse some thirty Long-tailed Ducks were foraging for food. They are the same size as the nearby Harlequin Ducks. They swam back and forth, diving frequently for what seemed like a long time. They are reputed to be capable of reaching depths up to 200 ft (60 m). They live near the Artic and winter on the East Coast. Only the males have the distinctive long black tail that curves upward.

Male Long-tailed Ducks.

A pair of Long-tailed Ducks. Female is on the right.

Immature male Long-tailed Duck.

Male Long-tailed Ducks.

Male Long-tailed Duck, immature male on the left.

Ocean City, MD Sunset and Sunrise

Tags

ocean city maryland, photography, postaday, sunrise, sunset

Two photos of a sunset and a sunrise in Ocean City, MD a little over two weeks ago.

Sunset as seen looking inland from Ocean City, MD across Assawoman Bay.

Sunrise over Ocean City, MD as seen from Links at Lighthouse Sound.

Sailboats

Tags

barnegat lighthouse, harlequin duck, photography, postaday

When Harlequin Ducks preen and groom themselves, they go through deliberate contortions which create peculiar sights. I thought of sailboats when I saw this duck.

Harlequin sailboat.

Moving slightly to the left, he can be seen working diligently behind his wing.

Intense preening. Must have been some itch!

Other Harlequins were even more vigorous.

Wing flapping, perhaps to shoo a rival away?

Mostly they were peaceful and just swam around, diving occasionally for food. When that happens you may be looking at Harlequins one moment, and a second later there would be nothing but water.

Two male Harlequins.

Female Harlequins are not as colorful as their male counterparts, appearing mostly brown, with some white patches.

Beautiful female Harlequin.

Handsome male Harlequin.

In a few weeks they will be going back way up North, closing this chapter on Harlequin sightings during the 2015-2016 winter season at the Barnegat Lighthouse.

Barnegat Lighthouse.

Harlequin Ducks

Tags

barnegat lighthouse, harlequin duck, photography, postaday

The waves around the jetty at Barnegat Lighthouse in New Jersey are the favorite winter playground for Harlequin Ducks that come down from Greenland and Iceland. With their unique coloring and markings these ducks stand out from all ducks and photographers don’t walk but run toward them as soon as somebody points out their location.

Last Sunday was my lucky day. There were many Harlequins in several places along the jetty, the sun was shining brightly over everything, and I was able to get some really close shots of these ducks.

Five Harlequin Ducks near Barnegat Lighthouse.

Female Harlequin Duck.

Male Harlequin Duck.

Female Harlequin Duck.

Trio of Harlequin Ducks. Female is at right.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Wet

Tags

barnegat jetty, Cee's Fun Foto Challenge, photography, postaday, ruddy turnstone

The link for Cee’s challenge is: http://ceenphotography.com/2016/02/29/cees-fun-foto-challenge-things-that-are-wet/

A flock of Ruddy Turnstones was basking in the sun at the Barnegat Lighthouse jetty at the northern tip of Long Beach Island in New Jersey.  I took a few pictures of them, and of one in particular that was shaking off water perhaps coming from a wave that got too close.

A female Ruddy Turnstone with a few drops of water on her back.

Suddenly, she twirled her head, sending water in a spiral around her head. You need to click on the image to view it in full size and see the spiral of water droplets.

All done, no more wetness in less than a second.