Time For Seasons To Change – We Are Ready!
It was a nice past week with some feather friends keeping our community’s backyard and skies still active as migrations continue back north and our seasons change from winter to spring. Which I think we are ALL ready for! Think Osprey!!
Our visitors were the same and as usual, with the gulls taking their turns perching on our osprey nest. I watched this next fella go through a stretching session, it was a bit comical. Here’s his best stretch!
Ring-Billed Gull
From another day, this next one was down below me on a light along our walking path. We watched each other.
Ring-Billed Gull
Ring-Billed Gull
And a final shot of another gull on yet another day on the rocks below our osprey nest, reflecting in the waters.
The Canada geese still stay most evenings up in Marshy Creek and head out in the morning to venture off for the day, maybe to return back that evening or not, as the migration flocks are on the move. Here’s two different mornings as they moved on out….
Canada Geese
Canada Geese
Other bird activity is constant in the skies if you can take the time to watch and listen. Three times I watched with binoculars 2 adult and 2 juvenile eagles flying around or perching in the trees over at CBEC. Not close enough for any great photographs, but a joy to watch. And while watching them or the skies in general, I tried to capture the next few birds that passed on by a bit closer to me. A Great blue heron….
Great Blue Heron
a turkey vulture….we have a few of them on occasion….
Turkey Vulture
and tundra swans who are also abundant along the banks of Kent Island and CBEC for the evenings/mornings.
Tundra Swan
Tundra Swan
And of course, we have the mallards. They feel safe here and do get some great feedings, so it is real unusual to not have at least a pair around.
Male and Female Mallards
Male Mallard
One day at low tide, we had a group of eight mallards feeding with bottoms up. Almost got all eight in one shot!
1 Male & 3 Female Mallards - Bottoms Up!
2 Male & 4 Female Mallards - Bottoms Up!
The mallards are in full swing on mating. Got some before/beginning shots and then the end male strut & victory lap.
Male and Female Mallard Mating
Male and Female Mallard Mating
Male and Female Mallard Mating
Male and Female Mallard Mating
Male and Female Mallard Mating
Mallard Mating Complete - Male Struts
Mallard Mating Complete - Male Circles Female in Victory Lap
Mallard Mating Complete - Male Circles Female in Victory Lap
The biggest treat for me this past week was coming home and finding a raft of American coots out on Marshy Creek. We haven’t had these ducks visit this winter as they have in the past. As I captured some shots, the raft started heading towards me, so perfect!
American Coots
After a few photos, the coots about-faced and went back towards more of the center of Marshy Creek and mixed in with a small group of scaup, diving and feeding together as the sun set.
American Coots and Scaup
I heard this little guy below me on the ground one late afternoon, then I found him, he blended in really well with the grass. I think it is an American tree sparrow, please correct me if I am wrong! I’m really green on identifying ‘land’ birds but I’m attempting to learn and expand my bird ID knowledge. 🙂
American Tree Sparrow?
We had a few beautiful sunrises and sunsets, I enjoyed most enroute to/from work. On February 17th, I made it home in time but the sunset wasn’t so spectacular in a wide angle shot; however it became a soft orange sunset with my telephoto lens.
Sunset - February 17, 2012
Made it home again last night in time and captured this awesome cloud-filled sunset.
Sunset - February 23, 2012
I’ve been working on my Oliver & Olivia 2011 review to post, looking them over really has me excited on their soon arrival. There has already been a confirmed osprey sighting in the Williamsburg, Virginia vicinity! Cool!
Thanks for stopping!
The first gull looks like he is doing a yoga pose, and those upside down duck shots are adorable!!! Beautiful post Donna! Margie
Yoga, that it’s, he did do a lot of stretching and holding, lol. Couldn’t help shooting the duck butts, they were funny!
Reblogged this on perubahan10.
Great collection of photos, Donna. I saw my first Osprey of the spring today, in flight with a fish in it’s beak. I will probably post it soon. But I will be in the Big Bend area of Texas all week so it will probably next weekend. Unless I get a chance tomorrow. I’ll just make you watch for it. 🙂
Thanks Bob, have a great trip, can’t wait to see what you find in the Big Bend area. Love following your blog, but WILL keep my eye out for that osprey shot! 🙂
Great shots! And I think I’m lucky as far as the number of species of birds around here, it’s nothing compared to what you photograph.
Thanks, we are BOTH very fortunate QSP, I enjoy your photos just as much and from your side of the world!
Another wonderful gallery of pictures. I particularly like ‘Up Tails All’.
Thanks Tootlepedal!
The sunset pictures are gorgeous! And I love the “Bottoms Up” pictures–so cute!!
Thanks Jennifer for your nice comments!
Nice photos, as usually. 🙂
Thanks Cornel!
I LOVE that sunset..magnificient!!! Gulls do have an attitude and won’t budge if they think you have a tidbit for them..LOL! for the bottoms up..great shot..:-))
LOL I’ve been tempted to toss bread or cheerios to them when they fly past me at my eye level, but it’d be chaos I know! Two quickly turns into 15 lol. Thanks for your comments Ed!
Try a whole bag of bread at once, I did that once and it almost turned into a Far Side cartoon..;-)
Fantastic post … I really love the very last picture. The high sirus clouds and all the contrails made for an unusualy wonderful sunset. I love the raft of Coots too … I’ve seen rafts here in Florida where there may be a couple of thousand and it’s amazing how close they can stay together. Thank you for all your wonderful comments on my blog and keep up the great work here! Tom
It is cool to watch rafts of ducks work continuously to stay together so close, I don’t know how they do it. Thanks Tom for your comments, I love your Florida birds and adventures too!
WOW! Amazing series, LOVE the gull photos!
Thanks Sheila!
enjoyed these all. lol with those duck tails up and out of the water.. heheehheee.. ; )
Duck butts! LOL They’re a dime a dozen around here, but it’s still fun to photograph them when they’re being funny.