27 Saturday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
A young squirrel was looking hungrily at our squirrel-proof birdfeeder.
Young squirrel.
“Please, I will only take one!”
At the refuge, a Turkey Vulture was flying in the clear blue sky.
Turkey Vulture.
After a while, it landed not too far away and I drove there to shoot many photos of it. It is not the best looking bird but it is probably the best scavenger, cleaning up the countryside of road kills and dead animals that it sees or smells from high above.
Turkey Vulture.
Turkey Vulture.
24 Wednesday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
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In the last few days, temperatures have managed to climb into the thirties and low forties, causing snow to melt everywhere around us. I was watching a birdhouse in our backyard and saw droplets of water from the snow on the roof make their way to the ground.
Snow melt.
Snow melt.
Snow melt.
18 Thursday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
As I write this, snow is falling steadily outside, with as much as 9 inches (about 23 cm) expected, and another snowstorm is forecasted for this weekend.
Recently, I saw the following Bluebird at the refuge. It came back too early and looked disappointed at the cold and bleakness of winter.
Bluebird.
Nearby, a Great Blue Heron who did not migrate offered some advice.
Great Blue Heron: “Hang in there, kid! Spring will be here before you know it!”
Bleeding Hearts from Spring 2010.
11 Thursday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
Winter Wonderland at its best!
View Original Post on my Blog Here
A few weeks ago I had the fortune of spending a week or so in Bryce Canyon National Park as a winter storm passed through and transformed the magical landscape into a pure Winter Wonderland. I’d been waiting to spend some time there and hoping to catch a good storm but this year has largely been mild in SW Utah. Finally, a series of storms promised fresh snow and it coincided with my available time. Two separate storms followed by blue skies passed through during my time there and I had a chance to hike during and after these storms among the hoodoos. The days blurred together as each day was a little better than the last.
Bryce Canyon in the Winter is really a magical place, particularly after a storm. The landscape itself is overwhelming and strange when it’s clear of snow…
View original post 212 more words
02 Tuesday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
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Snow started falling Sunday afternoon, then all day Monday, and this morning, Tuesday. Our area received 13 inches (33 cm) in all, not a record but still a lot. I went out to take the following photos as everything looked so beautiful covered in white.
Our snow covered deck.
This hibiscus bush looked so colorful just five months ago.
The woods in the back of our property.
Branch from a white pine tree.
Conifers heavy with snow.
24 Sunday Jan 2021
Posted in Photography
Northern Pintails.
23 Saturday Jan 2021
Posted in Photography
Hooded Mergansers, especially males with their fan-shaped crest, look dashing in the waters of the refuge. A few days ago, one of them was swimming by himself among several ducks.
Male Hooded Merganser.
He kept diving for food, small fish, crustaceans, mollusks, although I did not see him with any in his bill.
Male Hooded Merganser diving.
It happened to be windy that day, and when he came up strong wind gusts played freely with his crest.
Hooded Merganser.
Hooded Merganser.
Hooded Merganser.
Hooded Merganser.
Finally, the wind subsided a little, and he regained his normal looks.
Hooded Merganser.
22 Friday Jan 2021
Posted in Photography
Last December 21st I went out at night to photograph the conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn, and the moon. There were too many clouds for that, but after a few minutes the clouds cleared just enough to allow me this last photo for the year.
Moon on December 21, 2020.
Three days ago, I went out on a sunny day to the refuge for my first shoot of 2021 to be greeted by this sandpiper.
Sandpiper, January 19, 2021.
17 Sunday Jan 2021
Posted in Photography
Buffleheads are the smallest diving ducks in North America, often seen at the refuge in late fall and winter. In early December of 2020 I saw one male and two female Buffleheads there.
Buffleheads, male in between two females.
The male gave a signal and all three of them decided to take off, giving me a unique opportunity to capture them in flight.
Buffleheads in flight.
Buffleheads in flight.
Buffleheads in flight.
Buffleheads in flight.
10 Sunday Jan 2021
Posted in Photography
Common Tern.
Common Tern.
Common Tern.
Common Tern.
06 Wednesday Jan 2021
Posted in Photography
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American flag.
01 Friday Jan 2021
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Following are unpublished photos of a juvenile Bald Eagle I took on October 1st, 2019. It was cruising over the marshes hunting for fish.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
Happy New Year to everyone of you!
25 Friday Dec 2020
Posted in Photography
I took the following photos on October 1st, 2019 but did not post them as I temporarily stopped blogging to concentrate on finishing my second book. Now, more than a year later, here they are. A large group of Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets (with the black bills) was taking off at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Never had I seen so many flying together.
Flying Egrets.
Flying Egrets.
Flying Egrets.
Flying Egrets.
22 Tuesday Dec 2020
Posted in Photography
The Siege of An Loc is the story of the defense of An Loc in 1972 during the Vietnam War. It is also a love story between a South Vietnamese soldier, Trung, and Ly, a student, daughter of a rubber plantation owner. As Trung struggles to defend his country, he finds himself falling for the beautiful Ly, but do they have a chance for happiness in the midst of war? We also see the evil of communism especially personified in the one of the characters, and two brothers are reunited, one from North Vietnam and one from South Vietnam.
I learned so much about the Vietnam War from this book. When I was in grade school and high school in the U.S. in the 70s and 80s, they didn’t teach us much about it. I just knew my uncle died in this war at the age of 20, and I…
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19 Saturday Dec 2020
Posted in Photography
Princeton University Lewis Center for the Arts was completed in 2017. Since that time, I have been meaning to go there and photograph it, but because it was so close to home, guess what, it took me three years to finally do it. The following photos show what it looked like in early afternoon last Sunday.
Lewis Center for the Arts: Wallace Dance Building and Theater.
Lewis Center for the Arts: Wallace Dance Building.
Lewis Center for the Arts: Administrative Building.
Lewis Center for the Arts: Administrative Building.
Lewis Center for the Arts: inner plaza.
Lewis Center for the Arts: Administrative Building and Music Building on the right. In the Music Building you can see some individual practice rooms that are suspended and acoustically isolated from one another.
Lewis Center for the Arts: side of Theater Building.
I did not go inside any of the buildings which were built with esoteric materials including 21-million-year-old Lecce Stone from Italy. I would have liked to see how geothermal wells have been used to heat and cool the complex, but maybe another time. This new art center took $330 million dollar to build, including costs associated with relocating the Dinky train station and a WaWa convenience store pictured below.
Dinky train station and Wawa store.
06 Sunday Dec 2020
Posted in Photography
Starlings standing in Osprey nest: “No evidence whatsoever that we stole this nest!”
05 Saturday Dec 2020
Posted in Photography
This week has been rainy with only one sunny day in the middle. I drove to the refuge and by the time I arrived the sun was out but the clouds were many. The Great Blue Heron that used to stand by a sluice gate was now standing by the water.
Sunning Great Blue Heron.
There was a flash of white among the dried reeds. A Great Egret took off as soon as it saw me, but I managed to take a few shots of it flying away.
Great Egret taking off.
Great Egret in flight.
Great Egret in flight.
Toward the end of Wildlife Drive one tree still had its leaves on.
Autumn scene at Edwin B. Fosrsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
02 Wednesday Dec 2020
Posted in Photography
Christmas Cactus.
29 Sunday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
Snow Geese fly south in the Fall, and a week ago some passed by the refuge. There were only a few hundred of them, not as many as during Spring migration.
Snow Geese flying south.
Snow Geese, a closer look.
There was a group of about ten Snow Geese flying in apparent perfect formation.
Snow Geese flying in perfect formation.
But, somehow something happened.
Note one head pointing downward. “Oops, I dropped my lunch.”
25 Wednesday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
I took the following pictures a while ago but did not post them. Today I just saw the following post from Cathy and decided this would be a good time to do so: https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com/2020/11/25/a-week-of-flowers-day-four-25th-november-2020/
End of summer Cosmos.
End of summer Cosmos.
Two bees and goldenrod.
Summer scene with hibiscus, purple perilla, flowering plantain, and dried allium.
23 Monday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
Overheard a pair of Northern Shovelers foraging for food:
Female Northern Shoveler in foreground: “Uh-oh dear, we forgot to wear our Covid masks!”
22 Sunday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
All this time I have shown you the birds and animals at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Yesterday, I shot the following photos so you can see what the refuge actually looks like at least in the fall when the green has given way to brown and sepia. The same juvenile Bald Eagle from last week was also there, ruling over the fall landscape.
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Dabbling ducks in the distance.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
18 Wednesday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
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This is a close-up of a Star Magnolia in our backyard. I took the photo in March of this year. As the Covid-19 pandemic was starting and lockdowns were imposed, I just could not feel like posting the image then.
This is my response to Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge at:
https://ceenphotography.com/20
Star Magnolia.
16 Monday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
Two monochrome views of a Lesser Yellow Legs at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge on November 7, 2020.
Lesser Yellow Legs.
Lesser Yellow Legs.
14 Saturday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
Tags
american avocet, common grackle, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, european starling, great blue heron, mute swan, photography, postaday
Some different interpretations of “The Eyes Have It”:
American Avocet.
Common Grackle.
Great Blue Heron.
European Starling.
Mute Swan.
08 Sunday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
Lesser Yellow Legs.
Lesser Yellow Legs.
Lesser Yellow Legs.
Lesser Yellow Legs.
07 Saturday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
At the end of my drive through the refuge today, I saw a Painted Turtle ahead, in the middle of the road! I got out and took these two photos.
Painted Turtle.
Painted Turtle.
After that I moved the turtle gently to the side of the road. Still, it withdrew inside its shell as soon as I touched it.
Painted Turtles are small creatures and have been around for 15 million years. Today was very warm, 76 °F or 24 °C, which may explain why this turtle came out and tried to cross the road. When it gets colder, they will go into deep hibernation.
04 Wednesday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
Northern Shovelers.
Northern Shovelers.
Northern Shoveler.
02 Monday Nov 2020
Posted in Photography
Yesterday was cloudy and cool, ending up with heavy rain. Only a few people showed up at the refuge while the birds were even more scarce. I got some lucky shots of a juvenile Bald Eagle before it flew away from its perch. It is probably between two and three years old.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
Two other cars stopped by and it finally had enough of the photography sessions.
Juvenile Bald Eagle. Atlantic City in the background.
31 Saturday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
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Two contributions to a spooky Halloween:
Abandoned house in southern New Jersey.
Abandoned car at the entrance to Great Basin National Park in Nevada.
31 Saturday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
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Last night was the last of three nights during which the Moon and planet Mars appeared close together in the night sky. The first two nights (October 28 and 29) were cloudy and rainy, but last night around 9 PM the full moon and Mars were clearly visible.
Moon on October 30, 2020.
The red planet, however, was too far to the side for my lens to photograph it together with the Moon. It was reddish and of course not as bright as our Moon. I tried to take some shots, but I could not get a fix on it.
Mars with a shaky camera, October 30, 2020.
Mars will remain bright until the end of 2020 and I will try to get a better picture with a tripod next time.
25 Sunday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
Male Harlequin Duck.
Harlequin Ducks.
Non-breeding Male Harlequin Duck.
Harlequin Ducks.
24 Saturday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
Tags
great egret, herring gull, long-tailed duck, monarch butterfly, Northern Shoveler, photography, postaday
I took the photos below at different times of this year, from January 1st on.
Herring Gull.
Long-tailed Duck.
Great Egret.
Northern Shovelers.
Monarch Butterfly.
18 Sunday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
Forster’s Terns.
Forster’s Terns.
17 Saturday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
I took the following photos of Ruddy Turnstones in January of this year near the Barnegat Lighthouse, but only now have I found the time to post them here.
Several groups of these birds were congregating on rocks covered with seaweed. Some slept, others were starting to look for food, but none cared the least about a photographer getting right above them. The early sun was shining bright, making it appear as if I was using a flash.
Ruddy Turnstones on top of seaweed.
Ruddy Turnstones, with one apparently yawning.
Ruddy Turnstone drill sergeant: “Up, everybody up!”
Ruddy Turnstone looking for something to eat.
Ruddy Turnstone looking for food.
Ruddy Turnstone pulling up seaweed.
11 Sunday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
Female Northern Cardinal.
08 Thursday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
Tags
Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, european starling, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird
Starting in late summer, when you drive on Wildlife Drive, flocks of birds often fly in and out of both sides of the road in front of you. There could be hundreds of them, and they are mostly Red-winged Blackbirds, European Starlings, and sparrows, sometimes mixed together. The moment you stop your car to look closer, the birds land and disappear in the dried reed and grasses. Last week I stopped long enough to find them and take some photos.
Dried reed. Deceiving, right? The birds were there.
Male Red-winged Blackbird.
Female Red-winged Blackbird.
Female Red-winged Blackbird eating a fruit.
Male Red-winged Blackbird.
Male Red-winged Blackbird.
Finally, a European Starling perched above the reeds, on a road sign.
European Starling.
06 Tuesday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
It was high tide again, and this Laughing Gull came out of the marsh water with a very nice catch:
Laughing Gull with fish.
It played with the fish for a long minute then got ready to swallow it.
Laughing Gull just before swallowing fish.
04 Sunday Oct 2020
Posted in Photography
Great Egret.
29 Tuesday Sep 2020
Posted in Photography
Several Mute Swans were swimming and feeding in one of the fresh water pools at the refuge.
Mute Swan.
Mute Swan.
In a more secluded pool, a cygnet was swimming by itself.
Mute Swan Cygnet.
