Beach sculpture.
Leaves in winter.
Female Northern Cardinal.
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Silent Sunday
20 Sunday Jan 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Category Archives: Photography
Waves
19 Saturday Jan 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
A few days ago, at Holgate I was captivated by the waves crashing on the beach and on the man-made barrier separating it from the rest of Long Beach Island.
The following photos are of the same wave as it folded and exploded under the wind.
Wave at Holgate.
Wave at Holgate.
Wave at Holgate.
Wave at Holgate.
Here are more waves assaulting the man-made barrier.
Wave crashing against barrier.
Wave crashing against barrier.
By the way, a birder reported seeing not one but two Snowy Owls at Holgate, two days after I was there!
Holgate
18 Friday Jan 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Holgate is the southern end of Long Beach Island, NJ and a part of Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. In previous years I often went there to photograph Snowy Owls, and I tried to do that again three days ago. Unfortunately surveyors were roaming Holgate that day, traipsing into dune parts that Snowy Owls frequented. As a result, even though I hiked the length of Holgate and back, there was not a single bird that day, except for one seagull.
Surveyor at Holgate.
It was cold, starting at 17°F (-8°C) and slowly climbing to above freezing. As the tide was coming in, the wind made beautiful waves.
Waves at Holgate.
Wave at Holgate.
A Herring Gull was standing on the beach. I approached it carefully, 20 steps at a time, taking a camera shot before continuing.
Herring Gull.
When I finally got too close, it flew up holding a piece of clam in its beak.
Herring Gull snatching food from beach.
Herring Gull turning right.
Herring Gull turning left.
Near the entrance to Holgate, there were a dozen surfers.
Two surfers at Holgate, one with a paddle.
Surfer almost hidden by wave.
Barrier and surfer at Holgate.
When I came home and looked at the photos on my computer, I saw some Long-tailed Ducks in several of them.
Two Long-tailed Ducks in the surf.
Wordless Wednesday
16 Wednesday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
Airplane.
Silent Sunday: House Finch
13 Sunday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
Tags
House Finch.
House Finch.
House Finch.
House Finch.
Handsome Red
12 Saturday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
This male Northern Cardinal was perched on the magnolia branches near the bird feeder. He easily outshone the other nearby birds: female Northern Cardinal, Carolina Chickadee, House Finches, White-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Juncos, and so on.
Northern Cardinal.
A scratch was needed.
Feeling better!
Ready for a feast.
Snow Geese Blue Morph
11 Friday Jan 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
blue morph, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, photography, postaday, snow goose, white morph
Snow Geese are mostly white (white morph), but some only have a white face, with the rest of their bodies dark brown and dark blue. They are not too rare, as I usually can see at least one or more in any flock of Snow Geese.
Blue morph Snow Goose amid white morph geese.
When still immature, the blue morph colors are less pronounced while the face has not turned white yet.
Juvenile blue morph Snow Geese among white morph geese.
Juvenile blue morph Snow Geese.
There were several thousands Snow Geese at the refuge while I was taking the above photos. Suddenly they shouted to one another and rose up in the sky.
Snow Geese rising up to fly.
Perhaps they were wary of some Bald Eagle, for they soon settled back on another part of the refuge.
Tundra Swan Drama
09 Wednesday Jan 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
There were about a dozen Tundra Swans at the refuge, far away from the road and apart from the larger Mute Swans which are all-year residents. As their name indicates, Tundra Swans migrate from the artic tundra to the Midlantic shore to spend their winters under warmer conditions.
As I began shooting a Tundra Swan was landing.
Tundra Swan landing. Two other Tundra Swans were agitated by the newcomer. In the background are American Black Ducks.
Landing scuffle.
Now one swan is chasing the others.
Chaser seems to have the upper hand.
Oh, oh … Resistance?
Fighting?
Victory!
Peace.
Silent Sunday
06 Sunday Jan 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
Sun rays.
Chickadee and Woodpecker
05 Saturday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
In addition to Northern Cardinals, other regular birds at our bird feeder include Carolina Chickadees and two kinds of Woodpeckers. On the same cloudy days that brightly lit the cardinals, I was able to get several good shots of these other birds.
Male Downy Woodpecker.
Male Downy Woodpecker.
Red-bellied Woodpecker.
Carolina Chickadee. The eyes are often hard to discern, but here they are clearly visible.
Carolina Chickadee.
One more photo taken on January 1st, 2019.
Female Downy Woodpecker searching for food. It looks like a sunflower seed left under the bark by another bird or a squirrel.
Something Different
05 Saturday Jan 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Manahawkin, Manahawkin Bay Bridge, photography, postaday
Readers of this blog know that I am mainly a bird photographer, with infrequent landscape and flower images. Recently I went to Bonnet Island, a newly opened section of the Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. The Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge, also called Manahawkin Bay Bridge, linking mainland New Jersey to Long Beach Island goes through Bonnet Island, and it has been undergoing repairs since 2010.
The part of EBF NWR on Bonnet Island, opened since last July, looks underwhelming at this time of the year.
Bench at Bonnet Island.
One of two pavilions at Bonnet Island.
What one sees is mostly weeds and new plantings, all with different variations of the color ochre. There were a few birds or waterfowls, but they were all too far away for my lens, even with the 1.4 extender attached. As soon as I took a picture of the following hawk, it flew away.
Hawk on Bonnet Island, maybe a Red-tailed Hawk.
There were mergansers and ducks swimming in the bay waters, but they appear tiny and blurry in all the images I took. So I turned toward the bridge itself and started photographing it from different angles.
Manahawkin Bay Bridge as seen from Bonnet Island.
West end of Manahawkin Bay Bridge.
East end of Manahawkin Bay Bridge.
Traffic and construction on Manahawkin Bay Bridge.
The town of Manahawkin is a coastal community facing Long Beach Island. Manahawkin comes from a Lenape Native American word meaning “fertile land sloping into the water”.
View of Manahawkin from Bonnet Island.
View of Manahawkin from Bonnet Island.
Northern Cardinal
03 Thursday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
Today the sky was mostly cloudy and it was rather nippy outside. A lot of birds came to our bird feeder. At one time, as I walked by the patio door, I saw three bright red Northern Cardinals perched on the magnolia tree, waiting for their turn. I got my camera out and started shooting, first with the 1.4 extender attached to the lens.
Male Northern Cardinal.
Male Northern Cardinal.
Male Northern Cardinal.
Two hours later, they were still flying in and out. This time I did not use the 1.4 extender.
Male Northern Cardinal.
Male Northern Cardinal.
Female Northern Cardinal landing on a branch. Her right leg is motion blurred.
I prefer the shots taken without the 1.4 extender as they are noticeably sharper, which will come in handy with large-size prints for framing. However, the ones with the extender are really not too bad.
Happy New Year
31 Monday Dec 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
Some 2018 pictures to wish all of you a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year!
Happy New Year: Clivia Miniata in full bloom.
The following three photos show an adult Mockingbird feeding a young one, like 2018 passing the baton to 2019.
Mockingbirds.
Mockingbirds.
Mockingbirds.
Happy New Year: budding Hibiscus.
2018 Unpublished Photos
30 Sunday Dec 2018
Posted in colonial lake, Photography
Tags
american robin, blue jay, cosmos, great egret, mallard, montezuma national wildlife refuge, northern cardinal, photography, postaday
In 2018, some of my photos did not appear on this blog, normally because I didn’t want to have too many in any post. Now at year end, looking at them, some actually deserve to be shown, and here they are.
Northern Cardinal in January 2018.
Mallard mother and ducklings, May 2018.
Great Egret at Montezuma NWR, September 2018.
American Robin, November 2018.
Blue Jay, November 2018.
Cosmos brought inside, October 2018.
Long-tailed Duck
29 Saturday Dec 2018
Posted in barnegat, Photography
Long-tailed Ducks breed in the Arctic parts of Canada and Alaska, and only migrate to the coast of New Jersey in the winter. Thursday of this week, I saw several near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Female Long-tailed Duck. Only the males have a long tail.
I could not photograph a male Long-tailed Duck swimming in the water, so here’s a photo of two males taken in 2016.
Male Long-tailed Ducks, immature in background and mature at center.
This past Thursday, there was a male that took off from the water as shown in the following flight shots.
Male Long-tailed Duck taking off.
Male Long-tailed Duck taking off. Noe the long tail in the back.
Male Long-tailed Duck taking off.
Male Long-tailed Duck flying.
These ducks are about half the size of Common Eiders, and their take off is shorter and quicker. Although there are no estimates of their current population, they are classified as Common Bird in Steep Decline as of 2014.
Common Eider Flight
28 Friday Dec 2018
Posted in barnegat, Photography
Since they are so big, Common Eiders take a long time to get airborne and fly, like Cormorants and Swans. Yesterday, one immature Common Eider put on quite a show.
Immature male Common Eider.
Immature Common Eider trying to take off.
Immature Common Eider trying to take off.
Immature Common Eider becoming airborne.
Immature Common Eider flying.
Common Eider
28 Friday Dec 2018
Posted in barnegat, Photography
In late fall, Common Eiders appear as far South as the coast of New Jersey. Yesterday several dozens of them were swimming along the jetty at Barnegat Lighthouse. They are the largest ducks, weighing from 2.5 to almost 7 lbs (1.1 to 3 kg).
Barnegat Lighthouse as seen from jetty.
It is not breeding season yet, so the males are not showing their distinctive and handsome colors.
Male Common Eider.
Female Common Eider.
Female Common Eider and two males.
There was some kind of hunting going on and I often heard sounds of gunfire coming from the other side of the bay. An immature Common Eider was sitting on a rock right next to the jetty. It would not move even as I came very close to it. A fellow photographer said that it may have been wounded by a shotgun pellet, could not move, and would probably die eventually.
Immature Common Eider, wounded perhaps.
In the 19th century, hunting almost wiped out this species in the Atlantic. However, their population has rebounded and Common Eiders are not on the list of endangered species.
Taking Photos with an Extender
24 Monday Dec 2018
Posted in colonial lake, EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
colonial lake, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, extender, great blue heron, mallard, photography, postaday, snow geese
One of the must-have equipment for wildlife photography in general, and bird photography in particular, is to have a telephoto lens powerful enough to capture subjects with sufficient details and sharpness, without having to come too close to them. Since most of us can’t afford super telephoto lenses, also called second-mortgage lenses, some of us resort to using an extender, which is much less expensive, to increase the reach of our lenses. With a 1.4 extender, a 400 mm lens will be equivalent to a 560 mm lens.
I have had such an extender for two years, but almost never used it because the results had been disappointing especially in terms of sharpness. Finally, looking at photos posted by Jerry from Quiet Solo Pursuits here on WordPress, I decided to give it a try with the Canon 5D Mark IV that I have been using since last year.
Following are some of the shots I took yesterday at the refuge and at Colonial Lake under a bright sun with the 100-400 mm lens and a 1.4 extender.
Great Blue Heron shaking a fish.
Great Blue Heron in “flasher” pose facing the sun to warm itself up.
Mallard in flight.
Mallard in flight.
Female Mallard.
Snow Goose.
Snow Geese.
Snow Geese.
Some Favorites of 2018
22 Saturday Dec 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
Black-crowned Night Heron, golden retriever, gosling, great blue heron, great sand dunes national park, lotus, northern cardinal, osprey, photography, postaday, squirrel
The following photos are some of the favorites that you, my WordPress readers, have either liked the posts where they were posted in, clicked on their images to see them in larger size, or mentioned them in your comments.
Northern Cardinal, June 2018.
White Lotus, August 2018.
Ospreys, June 2018.
Goslings, May 2018.
Black-crowned Night-Heron, August 2018.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, October 2015.
Great Blue Heron, December 2018.
Squirrel, October 2018.
Jackie, the Golden Retriever, and frisbee, April 2018.
Oversized Bills
20 Thursday Dec 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
At this time of the year, I often see Northern Shovelers at the refuge. From afar they look like Mallard ducks, but with longer, oversized bills. They dabble back and forth with those bills to catch crustaceans and seeds from the marsh.
Northern Shovelers, female and male.
Female Northern Shoveler. Note comb-like filters at the edge of her bill.
Female Northern Shoveler preening.
Male Northern Shoveler.
Male Northern Shovelers.
Flocks of Northern Shovelers are known to swim in circle to corral food and make it easier for them to catch. However, I saw this band early in the morning and many were still sleeping.
Female Northern Shoveler sleeping: “Call me back in an hour.”
Wordless Wednesday
19 Wednesday Dec 2018
Posted in Photography
American Goldfinch.
American Goldfinch.
American Goldfinch.
Silent Sunday
16 Sunday Dec 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Great Blue Heron fishing.
Great Blue Heron fishing.
Great Blue Heron fishing.
Great Blue Heron swallowing fish.
Great Blue Heron.
Peregrine Falcon, Snow Geese
15 Saturday Dec 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
atlantic city, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, peregrine falcon, photography, postaday, snow geese
Now that the Ospreys have migrated South, their nests are being taken over by squatters, temporary ones anyway . One of them is a Peregrine Falcon that I saw perched on a nest.
Peregrine Falcon sitting on Osprey nest.
Peregrine Falcon checking out photographer.
This is the season for Snow Geese migration, and there were many thousands of them at the refuge.
Snow Geese at Edwin B Forsythe.
Snow Geese at Edwin B Forsythe NWR.
Snow Geese at Edwin B Forsythe NWR.
Snow Geese lifting off, with the skyline of Atlantic City in the background.
Great Blue Heron Flying
15 Saturday Dec 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Friday morning, a Great Blue Heron was standing in the water at the refuge, looking left then right. As the light was near perfect, I started to photograph it. When it decided to take off and fly away, I just kept pressing the shutter.
Great Blue Heron standing in water at Edwin B Forsythe NWR.
Great Blue Heron at start of flight.
Great Blue Heron flying.
Great Blue Heron flying and turning.
Great Blue Heron flying and turning.
Great Blue Heron flying.
Great Blue Heron in classic flying pose.
Buffleheads 2018
13 Thursday Dec 2018
Posted in colonial lake, EBF Refuge, Photography
Buffleheads are the smallest diving ducks, no larger than 16 in (40 cm) in length. They are a joy to see as they appear to be constantly smiling and moving about, bobbing, and diving to find food. They swallow their catch of crustaceans (shrimps) and mollusks under water, and I have yet to see a photo of one Bufflehead holding food in its short, smily bill.
In past years I usually had a hard time taking good pictures of them, especially the male ones, because their eyes are often lost in the dark patches around their heads. This year sunlight was with me, most of the time, as you can see in the following photos.
Female Buffleheads at Colonial Lake.
Female Bufflehead at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR.
Female Bufflehead at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR.
Female Bufflehead at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR.
Male Bufflehead at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR.
Male Bufflehead beginning to dive.
Male Bufflehead approaching female who just dove.
Male Bufflehead and his harem.
Female Bufflehead angling for photo.
Female Bufflehead and Canada Geese.
Hooded Merganser 2018
12 Wednesday Dec 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Hooded Mergansers are small ducks that are seen in the fall and winter at the Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. The male ones have a prominent crest (hood) in black and white, making them stand out from other ducks. This year there seems to be many Hooded Mergansers, male and female, and I had no problem shooting the following photos.
Male Hooded Merganser.
Female Hooded Merganser.
Hooded Margansers. The male was just coming out of a dive.
As I was taking a shot, one Hooded Merganser decided to fly. I missed capturing that take-off.
Hooded Mergansers.
The following day, almost at the same place, I was chatting with a fellow photographer when a male Hooded Merganser decided to fly.
Male Hooded Merganser starting flight.
After about a minute, I saw him, accompanied by a female, flying overhead.
Hooded Mergansers flying.
Hooded Margansers flying.
Flying Lessons
09 Sunday Dec 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Several young Bald Eagles were flying around a small island in the middle of the marsh. Some attempted to catch a fish but failed.
Young Bald Eagle.
Young Bald Eagle.
Young Bald Eagle.
The one above landed on the island where a mature Bald Eagle was watching everything.
Young Bald Eagle landing on island.
For several minutes the older Bald Eagle seemed to be calling to the new arrival.
Young Bald Eagle landing. Note the older Bald Eagle calling.
After the young one landed and stood to the side, the mature Bald Eagle kept calling, perhaps telling the younger one to fly again and go catch some fish.
Mature Bald Eagle: “Go catch some fish!”
Finally the younger Bald Eagle had to take off again.
Young Bald Eagle resumed flying.
Bald Eagle Courtship
08 Saturday Dec 2018
Posted in Photography
Yesterday at the refuge, a pair of Bald Eagles were flying in a courtship ritual that was dramatic, fast, and hard to catch for my camera. They were alternatively soaring to the sky and plunging toward the marsh at high speed. Often they were too far from where I was, and I could only get good focus on about half of the shots. The following photos will give you an idea of what took place.
Bald Eagle flying in courtship ritual.
Bald Eagle flying in courtship ritual.
Bald Eagle flying in courtship ritual.
Bald Eagle flying in courtship ritual.
Two Bald Eagles flying in courtship ritual.
Two Bald Eagles flying in courtship ritual.
Two Bald Eagles flying in courtship ritual.
Great Blue Heron and Willet
08 Saturday Dec 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
A Great Blue Heron held in its bill a small fish that it had caught. A Willet had just caught a bigger fish, and flew up right in front of the heron. I was too far and actually did not see this small drama until I got home and displayed the image on my computer monitor. It looks like the Willet was bragging about its catch, and the heron was by no means happy.
Great Blue Heron and Willet.
Here’s a closer look.
Great Blue Heron and Willet.
Red Amaryllis
01 Saturday Dec 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
As of today, the Amaryllis I have been photographing for the past two weeks has opened six of its eight flower buds. Here are some close up of these brilliant red flowers. As the blooms grow larger, it is more difficult to capture all of them in one frame. I am already standing in another room to take the following shots.
Amaryllis.
Amaryllis.
Amaryllis.
Silent Sunday
25 Sunday Nov 2018
Posted in Photography
Tags
Amaryllis.
Amaryllis.
Amaryllis.
Birds in Autumn
24 Saturday Nov 2018
Posted in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
american goldfinch, bald eagle, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, canada geese, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird
The American Goldfinch stands out with its bright yellow coloring in Spring and Summer. The rest of the year, when they are not breeding, their colors are more subdued, even drab, although they still remain very cute.
American Goldfinch.
American Goldfinch.
Another ubiquitous bird is the Red-winged Blackbird.
Red-winged Blackbird at Edwin B Forsythe NWR..
The female Red-winged Blackbird does not have that red and yellow patch on her wings.
Female Red-winged Blackbird at Edwin B Forsythe NWR..
In the fall, Red-winged Blackbirds often join with European Starlings to form flocks of birds that roam through refuges, importuning even Bald Eagles.
Bald Eagle at Blackwater NWR being buzzed by Red-winged Blackbird.
The smaller birds temporarily took over a favorite perch of the Bald Eagles at Blackwater NWR.
Red -winged Blackbirds swarming a Bald Eagle favorite tree.
Finallly, many flocks of Canada Geese flew over the non-migrating Bald Eagle.
Canada Geese flying over Bald Eagle at Blackwater NWR.
Canada Geese at Blackwater NWR.
Tundra Swans, Bald Eagles at Blackwater NWR
23 Friday Nov 2018
Posted in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Photography
Just before Thanksgiving, I went to look for Tundra Swans and Bald Eagles to photograph. I drove first to Maryland’s Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, a place that is threatened with closure for lack of funding. At the present time, there is only one employee left at Eastern Neck. He told me Tundra Swans have started arriving, but only a few have, and they were staying far from the refuge coastline.
Next I went on to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, MD. From the Visitor Center, I could see four Tundra Swans , but it was not easy to photograph them as they were too far. The following photo shows one of them waking up from a midday nap, stretching a wing and a leg. I hope to have better images in late December or next January as the swans arrive in greater numbers at Eastern Neck NWR.
Tundra Swan among Canada Geese at Blackwater NWR.
Blackwater NWR is famous for its Bald Eagles, with some staying there all year round. This is one pair that could be seen from Wildlife Drive.
Bald Eagles at Blackwater NWR.
After watching that pair, I drove around Wildlife Drive for a second time, and found another pair, unless it was the same one above that moved to a different location. This couple was perched on a dead tree sticking out of the water.
Bald Eagles at Blackwater NWR. “Not so loud, dear!”
One of the eagles kept calling out for several minutes.
Bald Eagles at Blackwater NWR. “I will be as loud as I want!”
Finally, the one that was calling flew off.
Bald Eagle flying at Blackwater NWR.
It went in circle, looping around several times, putting on a majestic show for the visitor photographer.
Bald Eagle flying at Blackwater NWR.
Bald Eagle flying at Blackwater NWR.
Then it landed back to its perch on the dead tree.
Bald Eagle flying at Blackwater NWR.
Bald Eagle landing on perch Blackwater NWR. Note the other bird that remained at its position.
Bald Eagle landing on perch at Blackwater NWR.
Bald Eagle back on perch at Blackwater NWR.
Winter Flowers
23 Friday Nov 2018
Posted in Photography
Amaryllis and Christmas Cactus are flowers that we grow inside the house. They start blooming around Thanksgiving, giving much needed color to combat the drabness of winter.
Christmas Cactus flower bud.
Amaryllis starting to bloom.
Amaryllis flower bud.
Amaryllis.
Monochrome Monday
19 Monday Nov 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
cormorant, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, great blue heron, great egret, photography, postaday
These are some shots I have taken earlier this year, rendered in monochrome.
Great Blue Heron.
Cormorant.
Great Egret.
Silent Sunday
18 Sunday Nov 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Laughing Gull.
Lesser Yellow Legs.
Forster’s Tern.
Autumn Scenes
10 Saturday Nov 2018
Posted in Acadia National Park, Photography
Some more shots of autumn scenes around Acadia National Park.
Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park.
Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park.
These photos were taken a month ago. By now, Acadia probably looks bleak, like the frozen ferns in the following shots.
Ferns at Pretty Marsh Picnic Area, Acadia National Park.
Ferns at Pretty Marsh Picnic Area, Acadia National Park.
Boulders
06 Tuesday Nov 2018
Posted in Acadia National Park, Photography
It has been raining all day, heavy at times. A remedy for that is the following shots taken in Acadia National Park only three weeks ago. It was cloudy and rainy too, but autumn colors were still vivid, and there were some interesting boulders.
View from top of South Bubble.
The famous rock on top of South Bubble mountain.
Another boulder near the above one.
Another boulder in the same area of South Bubble mountain.
Big boulder near Pretty Marsh Picnic Area in Acadia National Park.
Autumn scene near Bass Harbor, ME.
Birds in Flight
03 Saturday Nov 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
You won’t believe how many times I have missed capturing, or badly captured, birds in flight. Two days ago, at the refuge, I finally was able to get several good shots of a Great Blue Heron as it took off from the marsh.
Great Blue Heron in flight.
Great Blue Heron in flight.
Great Blue Heron in flight.
On the same day, a Great Egret also put on a good show.
Great Egret in flight.
Great Blue Heron in flight.
Great Blue Heron in flight.
Juvenile Peregrine Falcon
03 Saturday Nov 2018
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
The Ospreys have migrated from the refuge to warmer places down South, leaving their nests empty. A juvenile Peregrine Falcon was preening and posing in one of the nests for about five minutes, enough time for the following shots.
Juvenile Peregrine Falcon.
It was banded on both feet, however I could not make out what the letters or numbers were. Peregrine Falcons are no longer on the endangered species list, but people are still very keen on helping it make a come back after it became almost extinct between 1950 and 1970.
Juvenile Peregrine Falcon preening.
“Yeah, did you see me do the scratch?”
Juvenile Peregrine Falcon.
Juvenile Peregrine Falcon getting ready to fly.
Unfortunately a flock of Sanderlings distracted me for a minute, and when I looked back at the nest the Peregrine Falcon was no longer there.
