20 Wednesday Mar 2019
Posted in Photography
Tags
bald eagle, brant, european starling, great blue heron, photography, postaday, ring-billed gull, snow geese
Brants.
Brant.
Snow Geese.
Great Blue Heron.
Bald Eagle.
Ring-billed Gull.
European Starling.
18 Monday Mar 2019
Posted in colonial lake, Photography
Tags
This Mallard couple had a very long landing on Colonial Lake. I took a shot, but could not pick which cropped version is the better one to show. Let me know what you think.
1. Mallards landing.
2. Mallards landing.
17 Sunday Mar 2019
Posted in colonial lake, Photography
Tags
More photos of the Bald Eagles at Colonial Lake, NJ, taken three days ago.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
About a week ago, Colonial Lake was stocked with 170 Trout. That may explain why Bald Eagles have been coming there to fish, although other lakes in New Jersey were also restocked with Trout, mainly for recreation fishing by humans.
Bald Eagle holding a trout at Colonial Lake.
For some reason, the half-eaten fish fell to the ground (I did not know that until much later when I passed by the tree the Bald Eagle was on).
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake, after half eaten fish fell to the ground.
Bald Eagle starting to fly away.
16 Saturday Mar 2019
Posted in Great Swamp, Photography
Tags
Chipmunk, cygnet, Eastern Blue Bird, Great Swamp, mute swan, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird
I took the following photos today while visiting the Great Swamp of New Jersey, on a very windy and cold day. There were not too many birds or animals around, but some may be good eye candy for the weekend.
Eastern Blue Bird.
Red-winged Blackbird.
Mute Swan Cygnet.
A Chipmunk ran across my path then took refuge in a tree hole.
Chipmunk.
14 Thursday Mar 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Two days ago I happened upon about a dozen Buffleheads involved in their annual courtship rituals at the refuge. Male Buffeheads court their future mates by a vigorous exercise of head bobbing, diving, running on water, and flying over the head of the female ducks.
Male Bufflehead.
Male Bufflehead running toward female.
Male Bufflehead flying over female.
Male Bufflehead flying over female.
Male Bufflehead trying to impress female.
Sometimes, a female Bufflehead chased a male away.
Female Bufflehead chasing after male: “Get out of my sight, you … duck!”
Male Buffleheads competing for attention from female.
Male Bufflehead: “I am the greatest!”
Female with male Buffleheads paddling fast in background.
The courtship also took place underwater, perhaps with the males trying to prove they could be good foragers. I saw them dive and spend a minute or two submerged, but unfortunately was not equipped to take photos under water.
13 Wednesday Mar 2019
Posted in Photography
White-breasted Nuthatch.
Dark-eyed Junco.
House Finch.
11 Monday Mar 2019
Posted in colonial lake, Photography
As temperatures today climbed above 50 °F (10 °C), I went to Colonial Lake to see if the birds responded to the sudden warmth after a long winter. At first I only saw seagulls and Mallard ducks, then just as I got back into the car to go home, two Bald Eagles appeared! They flew around the lake.
Bald Eagle flying at Colonial Lake.
Then they went to perch on tree branches and looked down on walkers, joggers, and photographers. Apparently, they had caught and eaten some fish and were just happy to sit up high and enjoy the scenery.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
Bald Eagle at Colonial Lake.
11 Monday Mar 2019
Posted in barnegat, Photography
Tags
Buffleheads are among the smallest ducks, one with a large head relative to the body. A small group of them was swimming near the Barnegat Lighthouse a few days ago. These ducks live mainly in North America, but may be seen in some Western European countries and Japan, but only rarely.
Female Buffleheads near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Suddenly they took off flying toward the open sea.
Female Buffleheads near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Female Buffleheads near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Female Buffleheads near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Then they began landing on the water.
Female Buffleheads near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Here are two of them swimming around, watching the humans and the other ducks and loons.
Female Buffleheads near Barnegat Lighthouse.
10 Sunday Mar 2019
Posted in barnegat, Photography
Long-tailed Ducks also breed in the Artic Coasts and winter in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic coast, although New Jersey, Delaware, and parts of Maryland are as far South as they will go. There were many of them yesterday near Barnegat Lighthouse. They swam back and forth during the time I spent there, providing many opportunities for photographs.
Male Long-tailed Duck near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Female Long-tailed Duck near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Female and male Long-tailed Ducks near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Just before I left, a male Long-tailed Duck flew around several times, at least three, calling out constantly, perhaps reminding all the other ducks that migration time was fast approaching. It was quite a show and a photographer’s dream.
Male Long-tailed Duck flying and calling near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Male Long-tailed Duck flying and calling near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Male Long-tailed Duck flying and calling near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Male Long-tailed Duck flying and calling near Barnegat Lighthouse.
10 Sunday Mar 2019
Posted in barnegat, Photography
A Brant is a relatively small goose that breeds on the Artic coasts of Western Siberia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. In late fall, they migrate to Western Europe from Siberia. In North America, they fly down from Alaska and the upper reaches of Canada to the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, at times making non-stop flights that could be as long as 1,000 miles (1,600 km) or more. While the Pacific and European Brants have black bellies, the Atlantic Brants that I see have white ones.
Atlantic Brant.
Atlantic Brants near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Yesterday, as temperatures climbed to the 50’s (10 °C) I went to Barnegat Lighthouse State Park where the Brants put on quite a show in preparation for their impending flight back to their breeding grounds.
Atlantic Brant near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Atlantic Brants near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Atlantic Brants near Barnegat Lighthouse.
Atlantic Brants landing on water near Barnegat Lighthouse.
06 Wednesday Mar 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Mallards.
Mute Swan.
04 Monday Mar 2019
Posted in Photography
Overnight wet and heavy snow fell in our area, bending and sometimes breaking the branches of some trees. Many birds came to our feeder, among them a pretty female Downy Woodpecker that looked for insects on a nearby magnolia tree. Here is a shot of her, rendered in monochrome for this Monday.
Female Downy Woodpecker.
02 Saturday Mar 2019
Posted in Photography
Three years ago, when IÂ went to bring Jackie, the Golden Retriever, home, I saw a farm in South Jersey that raised miniature horses. Going through the photos I took at the time, there are some that have not been published yet, and one, the last one below, that can be republished.
Miniature horse.
Miniature horse with dangling barbed wire.
Miniature horse.
Miniature horses.
27 Wednesday Feb 2019
Posted in Photography
I have been twice to Monument Valley, a famous place used as the backdrop for many Western movies made by John Ford. It lies within the Navajo Nation, on the border of Utah and Arizona.
We got there one late afternoon in June, with the setting sun creating a wonder of light and shadows on the iconic buttes and the surrounding desolate landscape.
Sunset over Monument Valley in June 2013.
24 Sunday Feb 2019
Posted in Photography
Tags
This young House Finch appeared at our feeder four years ago. It must have found a good source of red pigment in its food, since it was easily the reddest one I had ever seen.
House Finch.
House Finch.
23 Saturday Feb 2019
Posted in Photography
While I was taking photos of Niagara Falls in June 2011, several Cormorants photo bombed the falls. I took the shot anyway.
Cormorants at Niagara Falls.
22 Friday Feb 2019
Posted in Photography
The Wright Brothers flew their airplane successfully on December 17, 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in the Outer Banks. Today there is a Wright Brothers National Memorial at the spot, with a visitor center, a monument, and sculptures of their bi-plane and that historic moment.
Replica of first bi-plane. Orville Wright was the pilot.
Replica of first bi-plane and first flight moment. Wilbur Wright behind the bi-plane.
The two brothers each flew their bi-plane twice that day. Their final flight covered 852 ft (260 m) before the bi-plane struck the ground and broke part of its frame.
We visited this place almost five years ago. We arrived too early, before the visitor center was open. But it was a beautiful day for photography.
20 Wednesday Feb 2019
Posted in Photography
Tufted Titmouse.
16 Saturday Feb 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
carolina chickadee, dark-eyed junco, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, great blue heron, photography, postaday
The flu has forced me to stay home these past two weeks and I have not gone out to take any picture, or visited your posts as often as before. The following photos are the results of my editing of recent shots of backyard birds that show some different views of the two most common visitors to our feeder in the winter.
Dark-eyed Junco.
Carolina Chickadee.
About two weeks ago, I also caught a Great Blue Heron jumping around a pond, probably on a fishing expedition.
Great Blue Heron.
Great Blue Heron.
Great Blue Heron.
Great Blue Heron.
Great Blue Heron.
11 Monday Feb 2019
Posted in Photography
Tags
Gray Jay.
10 Sunday Feb 2019
Posted in Photography
About this time of the year, our Orchids are blooming and a Calamondin Orange plant is showing off with a few colorful fruit, which are not sweet at all. Here are some shots I took yesterday inside the house under natural light.
White Orchid.
White Orchid.
White Orchid bud.
Calamondin Orange.
09 Saturday Feb 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
There were two male Hooded Merganser at the refuge cruising around on a patch of water amid the ice, looking for food. They swam, dove, and came up for air. These small ducks are specific to North America, with the males very noticeable because of their black and white hood.
Male Hooded Mergansers at Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
Male Hooded Merganser.
Two Hooded Mergansers, one diving.
Male Hooded Merganser plunging into icy water.
In the water, Hooded Mergansers hunt for food by sight. They have an extra eyelid, a nictitating (blinking) membrane, that they can deploy to protect their eyes, somewhat like humans who use goggles when swimming underwater. You can see it in the following shot.
Hooded Merganser with extra eyelid showing.
They can also adjust the refractive property of their eyes to improve their vision under water.
Very wet Hooded Merganser emerging from dive.
06 Wednesday Feb 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Mute Swans.
Mute Swans.
Mute Swan.
04 Monday Feb 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, fort hancock, photography, postaday, sanderling, sandy hook, sandy hook lighthouse
As temperatures slowly climbed above freezing, I ventured out yesterday to view scenes of the wintry landscape left by that Polar Vortex storm everyone was talking about last week. I was hoping that a thaw would be in full force, but everything still looked cold and encrusted in ice. The first place I went to was Sandy Hook, a barrier island in New Jersey facing New York City across Raritan Bay.
View of Sandy Hook Bay.
View of Sandy Hook shoreline, with an empty Osprey nest on the right.
View of Sandy Hook shoreline.
There were hardly any bird, just a few lonely gulls and three Sanderlings.
Sanderlings.
I drove around the old Fort Hancock, an abandoned Army fort, at the tip of Sandy Hook island.
Sandy Hook Lighthouse. It is the oldest working lighthouse in the United States.
There were some antique cannons, the biggest one shown below, and two Cold War era missiles.
Old cannon a Fort Hancock.
Cold War era missiles.
Leaving Sandy Hook I went to my familiar haunt, the Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. All the ponds there were frozen as well, and snow had fallen the previous day.
Winter scene at Edwin B Forsythe NWR.
Another view of winter scene at Edwin B Forsythe NWR.
02 Saturday Feb 2019
Posted in Photography
Tags
american goldfinch, caroline chickadee, northern cardinal, photography, postaday, white-breasted nuthatch
Even though temperatures plunged and the wind was fierce, our area only got a dusting of snow. I filled the bird feeder beforehand, and for the past two days bird traffic picked up significantly, even while snow was falling. All the birds looked fluffier and bigger than in warmer months.
American Goldfinch.
Female Northern Cardinal, with Junco and Sparrow in background.
Male Northern Cardinal during a squall.
Male Northern Cardinal, in a moment of temporary calm.
Carolina Chickadee.
White-breasted Nuthatch.
30 Wednesday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
Tags
brickhead, Fallingwater, Faustino Aizkorbe, frank lloyd wright, James Tyler, photography, postaday, purdue university, Transformation
Fallingwater at Mill Run, PA by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Brickhead at Purdue University by James Tyler.
Transformation at Purdue University by Faustino Aizkorbe.
27 Sunday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
Tags
barnegat lighthouse state park, brant, canada geese, colonial lake, great black-backed gull, long-tailed duck, photography, postaday, ring-billed gull
Male Long-tailed Duck.
Male Long-tailed Duck.
Male Long-tailed Duck.
Great Black-backed Gull.
Brants.
Canada Geese.
Ring-billed Gull.
Ring-billed Gull.
23 Wednesday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
Ring-billed Gull.
Ring-billed Gull.
Ring-billed Gull.
Ring-billed Gull.
22 Tuesday Jan 2019
Posted in colonial lake, Photography
Tags
Today, following the example of Eliza Waters (https://elizawaters.com/2019/01/21/brrrr/), I went to Colonial Lake close to home to photograph ice formations. The lake is man-made, capturing water coming from Shabakunk Creek, damming it, then releasing it further downstream back into the same creek.
It was around 20 °F (-6 °C), the lake was completely iced over, but the water underneath had to flow along its usual path.
Volcano on ice?
Ice bells.
Ice cold water.
Ice cover around trees.
Water and ice.
More ice than water.
Shriveled remnant of autumn.
There was a Great Blue Heron nearby, wondering what all the fuss was about.
Great Blue Heron resting.
20 Sunday Jan 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Beach sculpture.
Leaves in winter.
Female Northern Cardinal.
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!
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.
16 Wednesday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
Airplane.
13 Sunday Jan 2019
Posted in Photography
Tags
House Finch.
House Finch.
House Finch.
House Finch.
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.
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.
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.
06 Sunday Jan 2019
Posted in EBF Refuge, Photography
Tags
Sun rays.
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.
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.
