Monthly Archives: July 2021

Birds are my favorite and most common subjects but I do take pictures of other animals and even some plants while I am out with my camera. Here’s a few samples. I really should consider taking more photos of dragonflies and damselflies. Some are quite colorful. This is an Ebony Jewelwing. Painted Turtles sun themselvesContinue reading “No Feathers”

Shorebirds continue to migrate through the coastal marshes and beaches. I photographed seven different species in one location. And I would not be surprised if I missed a species or two. Some species look very much alike. Also, these are very active birds that move around a lot. The smallest sandpipers that we see areContinue reading “Shorebirds and Friends”

I have been trying to spot a Scarlet Tanager all season and finally spotted not one, but two. The males are a vivid red with black wings and tail. I think they are even brighter red than Cardinals. Here are some other recent sightings. This Northern Flicker, a large woodpecker, was looking for his favoriteContinue reading “Successful Capture”

It was a cloudy day but I got a chance to photograph some shorebirds. I’ve been seeing lots of Piping Plovers since they nest on the Parker River NWR. Now other shorebirds are migrating through the area after breeding in northern Canada. But before I get to the pictures, I have a tern picture toContinue reading “Shorebirds”

Life can be tough sometimes. Courtship has an unhappy ending on occasion. Least Tern courtship is initiated by the male bringing a fish to the female that has caught his eye. Romance ensues if she is impressed by him and his gift. But it is a sad day for this male when she rejects hisContinue reading “Rejected”

Breeding season is in full swing and we have spotted several mother Mallards with their broods. Mallards lay 12-13 eggs and we are seeing some mothers with 7-9 ducklings in tow. There will be some attrition to predators, including large fish. But the large number of offspring ensures that there will be plenty of newContinue reading “New Ducks and Swallows”

June ended with a long heat wave but I was able to find some bird activity, even with temperatures passing 90F (32C) before the morning was over. We watched a Willet chase a Killdeer (top photo) on an access road to a kayak launch. I am not sure what the row was about. Then theContinue reading “Closing out June”