Late Afternoon at Blackwater NWR

I cannot believe it’s been over a month since my last post; it was not intended. Too many ups and downs and turn-arounds….

To try to get back in the swing of things, a much-needed fix with nature was back on the agenda. It finally happened a week ago on a warm, breezy late afternoon at Blackwater NWR.

On arrival, I was immediately rewarded with a small group of warblers, busily foraging the bushes for berries along the wildlife drive near the Marsh Edge Trail.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warblers

Pine Warbler

Pine Warblers

Another little guy flew up to a snag and perched.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Many of the residents were soaking up the last of the afternoon’s warm sun rays.

Forster’s Terns

Northern Water Snake

Great Blue Heron

Delmarva Fox Squirrel

Another Great Blue Heron
(who became an obliging photo subject when I passed him two more times)

He allowed me to get a bit closer for a brief moment.

Great Blue Heron

Here he is again about an hour later at the same perch.

There were a lot of Mallard ducks arriving to the marshes for the evening.

A male (top) and two female Mallards.

Mallard Ducks

Coming upon three Ruddy Ducks was exciting; the winter waterfowl migrants are beginning to arrive!

Ruddy Ducks

On a favorite tree perch, this Bald Eagle allowed me one photo before quickly taking flight.

Bald Eagle

I watched him as he flew over to the refuge’s Osprey platform set up with a live-stream camera that I had already passed.

Bald Eagle landing on Osprey platform set up with a live-stream camera.

Bald Eagle perched on Osprey platform set up with a live-stream camera.

Bald Eagle on an Osprey platform set up with a live-stream camera

As the sun began to set, I quickly did one more lap on the wildlife drive. The Bald Eagle was still perched on the Osprey platform, bathed in a golden glow.

Bald Eagle

Others were watching the sun’s descent as well.

Mallard Ducks

Belted Kingfisher

My Great Blue Heron buddy again

Bald Eagles
(the breeze is fluffing up their chest feathers)

It was a short and sweet visit, and it was most refreshing. Now to find time to do it again! 🙂

Tags: bald eagle, belted kingfisher, bird, birding, Blackwater, brown-headed nuthatch, Cambridge, Delmarva Fox Squirrel, eagle, Eastern Shore, flight, forsters tern, great blue heron, image, images, mallard, marsh, Maryland, nature, northern water snake, NWR, Osprey cam, photo, photographs, photography, photos, pine warbler, ruddy duck, sunset, wildlife, yellow-rumped warbler

54 thoughts on “Late Afternoon at Blackwater NWR”

Suzanne et Pierre on 10/27/2018 at 8:23 AM said:

Nice pics. I particularly like the mallards in flight… (Suzanne)

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 9:23 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Suzanne!
  
  Reply ↓
Stephen Talabac on 10/27/2018 at 8:31 AM said:

Great captures Donna. Especially liked your composition of the silhouetted belted kingfisher.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 9:24 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Steve! He looks quite content, doesn’t he?! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
brighamstephen on 10/27/2018 at 9:05 AM said:

Great post and birding location. I also had good luck at that parking lot at Marsh Edge Trail this week with both Kinglets, YR Warbler, Brown Creeper, WT Sparrow, Downy WP, and Hermit Thrush all feeding in those low shrubs.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 9:34 AM said:
  
  Thanks, I love this location as well. The parking lot was full of people so I had to capture along the asphalt drive. I’m trying to find that parking lot empty for once, lol. 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
John on 10/27/2018 at 9:22 AM said:

Excellent photos Donna! ❤️🙏🏻😎

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 9:35 AM said:
  
  Thank you, John! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
DeniseBalog on 10/27/2018 at 9:39 AM said:

Fantastic! Wow! What a wonderful day😊 The bald eagle is my very favorite 💗 Thank you for sharing your day of rest💕

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 2:21 PM said:
  
  Thank you so much Denise! It was indeed restful and rewarding. 😊
  
  Reply ↓
Jet Eliot on 10/27/2018 at 9:54 AM said:

Oh my goodness, Donna, these photos are truly outstanding. I so enjoyed seeing everyone of these peaceful moments with nature. But my two favorite photos are the Forster’s terns on the posts (brilliant and whimsical) and the silhouette of the kingfisher on the snag (poignant and artful). Always a treat to see the bald eagle too….

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 2:30 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much, Jet! It certainly gave me great peace as well, I was so grateful for so many nice species to capture in the golden light. Ah, nature is golden! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
Susan Hale on 10/27/2018 at 10:18 AM said:

Donna, these are all beautiful! I’m sure this was the best ‘therapy’ you could have hoped for. I love them all but think my favorite is the one at the top – surely it must be called “On Golden Pond”. Thank you for sharing!

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 2:36 PM said:
  
  Thank you so much, Susan! It was a wonderful adventure and I’m trying to figure out when I can go again. 🙂 I’ve been missing you all at the photo club outings and meetings, really sorry I missed your slide presentation, I know it was awesome just by knowing your work!
  
  Reply ↓
Tiny on 10/27/2018 at 10:20 AM said:

What a beautiful series of birds, Donna! Loved the Bald Eagle pics, in particular and the terns made me smile 🙂

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 2:39 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much, Helen! It was a wonderful couple hours being with nature, the wildlife all seemed happy and content. Such a good feeling! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
Ellen Jennings on 10/27/2018 at 10:22 AM said:

A marvelous nature fix, Donna! Love the mallards in flight image.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 3:11 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much, Ellen, it was! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
David on 10/27/2018 at 10:24 AM said:

Very nice series of photos. Happy to see you posting. Was starting to worry that Forence’s wrath or aftermath had reached up into your area. Like everyone else I think the kingfisher silhouette is a fantastic photo. I was also impressed by how you got the male and two female mallards stack up like they did for your shot.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 3:17 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much, David! No, just business & personal stuff that was too much at once. All getting better now! I have the Eagle that took flight over to the Osprey platform to thank for the Mallards stack shot, lol. He scared the incoming flock actually towards me, they were circling while trying to keep away from him. I took quite a few shots of that threesome and that was the shot I liked the best. Don’t you love it when nature cooperates?!! 😉
  
  Reply ↓
creatingmindblog on 10/27/2018 at 11:15 AM said:

Really beautiful photos of birds! I especially like the three flying ducks! 🙂

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 3:18 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much! Looks like that male was a lucky duck with two females! 😉
  
  Reply ↓
H.J. for avian101 on 10/27/2018 at 12:34 PM said:

I’m glad to hear from you Donna! You gallery of birds is a winner as always! Take care my friend! 🙂

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 3:21 PM said:
  
  Thank you so much, HJ! Take care as well, my friend! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
blhphotoblog on 10/27/2018 at 1:59 PM said:

Great to see you back Donna and with a lovely collection of images!

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 3:23 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much, Brian! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
Gunta on 10/27/2018 at 2:52 PM said:

Marvelous captures, Donna. I think I appreciate the little twitchy birds the most, knowing how hard it is to catch them sitting still. I’ve tried, but never seem to get catch them. Takes me far too long to locate them with the longer lens and then focus. I truly admire your skill in getting such great shots of those guys!

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 3:37 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much, Gunta! I do get excited when I’ve been able to get the shot of the little guys, they like to play peek-a-boo. It took quite a few shots to get those I shared, lol. I went back to that area again when I lapped the refuge’s drive and they were gone. I was disappointed!
  
  Reply ↓
neihtn2012 on 10/27/2018 at 3:58 PM said:

A beautiful collection of photos of those birds from the smallest to the biggest! Thank you for sharing.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 8:31 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Hien, it was a blessed few hours at the refuge! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
tootlepedal on 10/27/2018 at 4:01 PM said:

You certainly made the most of your short trip. Lovely pictures and glorious light.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 8:33 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much, Tom! It was time well spent for me. 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
Ingrid on 10/27/2018 at 4:03 PM said:

Wonderful images as always! Hope everything is resolved and you’re able to make plans for the future. Email me if you feel like it 😊

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 8:34 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Ingrid! Nothing as yet, but I am trying to be hopeful. I want our life back!! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
Chris Riley on 10/27/2018 at 6:10 PM said:

Gorgeous photos Donna. Particularly like the terns on the white posts.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 8:39 PM said:
  
  Thank you so much, Chris! I photographed the terns at several angles with their leading posts. They did not mind! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
Eliza Waters on 10/27/2018 at 8:03 PM said:

Beautiful shots, Donna. I esp. liked the silhouettes and the terns on the posts – a great shot!

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 8:50 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much, Eliza! I really had a great time seeing nature happy and content. Those terns were most obliging! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
thelocalsandbeyondii on 10/27/2018 at 8:33 PM said:

Mallards in flight! The ones around here don’t fly – or at least, I’ve never seem them off the ground/water.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 8:58 PM said:
  
  Oh my there were so many Mallards in flight! The Eagle was making it better for me if I dare say. I took a series of shots of them but didn’t want to overload my post, lol.
  
  Reply ↓
Steve Schwartzman on 10/27/2018 at 8:38 PM said:

How considerate of the terns to line up on all those posts for you.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/27/2018 at 8:58 PM said:
  
  I thought so! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
montucky on 10/27/2018 at 10:37 PM said:

What a nice array of birds! I loved the photo of the Terns!

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/28/2018 at 8:10 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Terry! Those Terns have become a favorite on the post! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
aussiebirder on 10/28/2018 at 1:47 AM said:

Beautiful captures Donna as always! I love your tiny warblers, and that great flight shot of the Mallards. You certainly had a great return to nature at Blackwater, looks a great place to go birding. Lovely capture of the Mallards speculum also. Enjoy your weekend!

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/28/2018 at 8:30 AM said:
  
  Thank you so much, Ashley! It was an awesome outing, full of beautiful gifts. Besides being on the North America migration fly-way, the refuge has three major habitats (forest, marsh and shallow water) so the plant and animal diversity is phenomenal. If I could, I’d go to this refuge every day. 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
belindagroverphotography on 10/28/2018 at 12:53 PM said:

Lovely shots Donna! Nice to see you back!

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/28/2018 at 6:00 PM said:
  
  Thank you Belinda!
  
  Reply ↓
quietsolopursuits on 10/28/2018 at 2:25 PM said:

You’ve packed this post with some many excellent and beautiful images that I’m not going to attempt to pick a favorite from among them! I’d say that Blackwater NWR is a great place to get a nature fix when some one needs one, I wish that I lived close to such an area.

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/28/2018 at 6:14 PM said:
  
  Thank you very much, Jerry! Blackwater is pretty awesome, I’ve loved this refuge for many years. I wish I could go there every day! By golly, I should! lol Boy, that’d go over well with the hubby… hee hee
  
  Reply ↓
tanjabrittonwriter on 10/28/2018 at 2:26 PM said:

Welcome back, Donna, and thank you for sharing your beautiful impressions. I hope you can get out again soon. Nature is such balm for the soul. 😊

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 10/28/2018 at 6:21 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Tanja! I did get to go to the refuge again today, yay! It was another soul refreshment time. I haven’t even downloaded my cards yet, so I don’t know for sure what I got; but for some reason, that’s not so important as was being there to see and breath it all in. Your last sentence says it perfectly! 🙂
  
  Reply ↓
Birder's Journey on 11/02/2018 at 6:47 AM said:

Great views of your outing, Donna!

Reply ↓
- bayphotosbydonna on 11/02/2018 at 3:06 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Carol!
  
  Reply ↓