Rookery at Ocean City 3

Tags

Black-crowned Night Heron, Ocean City Welcome Center, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird, rookery

Black-crowned Night Herons are a major presence at  the rookery next to the Welcome Center at Ocean City, NJ. These birds hunt for their food starting at dusk, and their eyes are one of their most noticeable features.

Black-crowned Night Heron.

Immature Black-crowned Night Heron.

Despite their size these Herons are easily intimidated by the Red-winged Blackbird, a fierce defender of its territory. I saw a Blackbird chase a Heron into a tree.

Red-winged Blackbird and Black-crowned Night Heron.

Pursued by the Blackbird, the Heron tried to hide among the branches. Unfortunately, too many leaves shielded the small Blackbird from the camera.

Black-crowned Night Heron very wary of Red-winged Blackbird.

Black-crowned Night Heron.

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Red-winged Blackbird

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Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird

Red-winged Blackbirds are everywhere at the refuge, with the male birds sporting red and yellow shoulder badges. This time of the year the males fly to find high perches from which they belt out their incessant songs. They show no fear of cars and humans, and are easy to photograh.

Red-winged Blackbird.

Red-winged Blackbird singing.

Young Red-winged Blackbird.

Red-winged Blackbird.

Bird Diversity

Tags

black skimmer, peacock, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, snowy egret

Going through some unpublished photos I took over the last few months, I am struck by the many different kinds of birds that live in our small part of New Jersey. Here’s how diversity looks among birds.

Juvenile Red-winged Blackbird.

Black Skimmer.

Snow Geese. They are not all white.

Peacock.

Snowy Egret.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Waiting

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blue jay, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird, weekly photo challenge

The link for this challenge is: https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/waiting-2017/

Blue Jay waiting.

Juvenile Red-winged Blackbird waiting.

Flying Lesson

Tags

photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird

Daddy Red-winged Blackbird: “Sonny, here’s how you begin. Lift your wings and start flapping them.”

Juvenile Red-winged Blackbird: “No, I won’t do that! I just want food!”

Red-Winged Blackbird

Tags

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird

The male Red-winged Blackbird is easily recognized by his red and yellow shoulder patches and his propensity to sing for any reason from the top of reeds or bushes. I saw the one pictured below at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland more than a week ago. He was not shy, stood his ground, and continued serenading even as my car came nearer to him.

Red-winged Blackbird.

Red-winged Blackbird.

Red-winged Blackbird.

Red-winged Blackbird.

Dive-Bombing

Tags

Black-crowned Night Heron, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird

Going through my files from this past June, I found the following series showing a Red-winged Blackbird dive-bombing a Black-crowned Night Heron that had strayed too close to its nest. This all happened in less than a minute near the Ocean City Welcome Center in New Jersey.

Red-winged Blackbird dive-bombing Black-crowned Night Heron.

Red-winged Blackbird lifting up for another dive!

Red-winged Blackbird chasing Black-crowned Night Heron.

Black-crowned Night Heron landing. Note gap on its back.

Black-crowned Night Heron: “OMG, what was that?!”

Avian Aria

Tags

Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird

The Red-winged Blackbird, an ubiquitous bird in North America, likes to sing. The other day I saw and heard one belting out a famous aria.

Red-winged Blackbird tenor coming on stage. He looked right.

He looked left. Female blackbirds were getting their handkerchiefs ready.

He started the aria: “E lucevan le stelle …”

He paused briefly. Female blackbirds were sobbing.

He then sang the most beautiful notes: “O! dolci baci, o languide carezze, mentr’io fremente le belle forme disciogliea dai veli!”

My apologies to Puccini and any opera lover that I may have offended. If you want to hear a human tenor sing E lucevan le stelle from Tosca, here’s the best:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mX7ugJ5NM8

2014 Photos: Odds and Ends – 2

Tags

mourning dove, photography, postaday, red-winged blackbird, skunk

Last September, flocks of red-winged blackbirds were swooping up and down around me at the Abbott Marshlands. A few landed close by and I took the following shot of a juvenile blackbird. Note the more mature bird with more brilliant coloring beyond it.

Juvenile red-winged blackbird

Many mourning doves live in our area, and here are two examples.

Mourning dove

Mourning dove gathering materials for nest

In early October, I was hiking at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge when a skunk crossed the road and scurried toward me, coming as close as 30 ft. Uh, oh! I stopped and squeezed a few shots, including the one below. Fortunately, the skunk went back into the bushes and did not spray anything. However, it was an omen. The following day, I was told that my job had been eliminated.

Skunk