photoartflightGreat Egret Flying In
Posted on December 17, 2019
The featured image is a Great Egret flying in and landing on the branches that were in the water at a small nature area in Northern NJ. I used to photograph there years ago and since have moved from that area. I was going through images and decided to use these in my blog. As I was working on these images, I liked the reflections in the very still, calm water, giving a smooth mirror image without any small ripples or waves. All images were with a Canon 400mm DO lens.
Later that morning the water started to have a few waves. The Egret stayed for quite a while and seemed content to stay on the branches.
Pair Of Wood Ducks
Posted on June 23, 2018
I saw this pair of Wood Ducks at a local park. Usually Wood Ducks are swimming around the lake or on the shore. So it was different to see them balancing on these branches that were in the water. They are definitely colorful ducks!
Mute Swan Swim By
Posted on June 13, 2018
Mute Swans are some of my favorite birds to photograph. They seem sort of expressive in their postures and movement. Plus they are a big subject so easier to see and fill the frame to get a nice image. Plus they do not seem to shy away from you and tend to come right up to where you are shooting. But you can see they keep an eye on you. You just have to make sure you do not blow out the highlights and lose detail in the feathers. Also their wings make a really cool sound when they fly by you!
Flaps Down For Landing
Posted on July 7, 2017
This Great Egret flew across the lake heading for the pile of sticks in the water. As it was landing it’s wings flared out and reminded me of private aviation flying, flaps down. I liked the wing position and angle of the landing Egret.
Christmas Great Blue Heron
Posted on December 26, 2015
I went to our local Wildlife Refuge on Christmas morning to photograph some ducks that have been there. But I was surprised to see this Great Blue Heron that was close by. Sometimes one does stay over the winter, but there have not been any around for quite a while. This one kept going almost completely under the water and splashing around for probably 2o minutes. I have never seen them go that deep in the water. Where it was splashing around was not deep so if it were standing upright the entire body would be above the water. When it was really splashing around you could see the membrane that covers the eye. It was fun to watch and photograph.
Black-Crowned Night-Heron Sitting in the Shade
Posted on July 26, 2015
I was at the Celery Farm Natural Area a week ago trying to find some interesting birds for the blog. Nothing interesting, a lot of Canada Geese and a few ducks really far out. Right before I left this Black-crowned Night-Heron flew in. It was on a small mound in the water, under heavy shade with dabbled sunlight showing through. It was at least an interesting subject, but in poor light so I shot a bunch of different exposures and got this one. Heavily cropped, but a bird to put on the blog.
Osprey Fishing Sequence
Posted on November 22, 2014
I was going through some older files and found this Osprey fishing sequence from The Celery Farm Natural Area a few years ago. I thought it was an interesting way to show how an Osprey fishes for its meals.
Immature Little Blue Heron
Posted on November 13, 2014
I was photographing a Great Egret by some sticks in the water. Then I noticed the other white bird was an Immature Little Blue Heron. It was fun to see there because you do not see too many in New Jersey, especially in Northern NJ..
Cormorant’s Disappointing Meal
Posted on November 9, 2014
I was at the Celery Farm this morning and a Cormorant was working the area for a meal. He kept diving and then coming up with nothing. He was fairly far out when he dove down to try again. Right after he dove a Gull landed nearby. When he surfaced with a large fish, it was right under the Gull. The startled Cormorant dropped his fish and then went after the gull. It happened so quickly I did not get a sharp shot. Then both went on their separate ways. The cormorant came closer as he was diving and fishing. Closeup, he surfaced with his new meal. Unfortunately it was a leaf.
Cormorant surfacing and dropping fish
Cormorant’s Tasty Meal
Osprey Flyby
Posted on October 6, 2014
I thought Ospreys had left our area because of the colder weather, but I was surprised to see this female Osprey fly in. It circled for quite a few passes, looking for a meal, but eventually moved on. They are always fun to watch fly and glide by.
Female Osprey circling looking for meal. Canon EOS 1D MkIV, Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO, f/7.1, 1/1000 sec, +0.67 exposure compensation, ISO 320.
