31 Thursday May 2018
Posted in Photography
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Gone fishing.
13 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Photography
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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
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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
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White Dogwood.
08 Tuesday May 2018
Posted in Photography
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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
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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:Â 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.
neihtn 