Soaring Eagles
After returning from Florida, I was delighted to capture more of our Eagles soaring past my third floor balcony.
Adult American Bald Eagle
Juvenile American Bald Eagle
Juvenile American Bald Eagle
This next photo was taken around sunset where an Eagle caused a flight-frenzy with some of the ducks as he flew in and landed on Lippincott’s Channel Marker in Marshy Creek.
I was thrilled with the next series of shots, me capturing an Eagle capturing a fish.
I took the next and last series from my balcony on the parking lot side of our building of an Eagle approaching to fly between ours and another building.
Because I was able to stay locked on him, you’ll see him in focus in the third photo as he flew behind the tree branches. I thought this was pretty cool!
Would you believe I then hurriedly walked…..ok, I admit, I ran through my home to the waterside hoping to capture him as he flew through? This next photo proves the Eagle can fly faster than I can run, he was gone!
Eagles soar because they always focus on their goal.
Dare to soar this week, my friend!
Brown Pelicans
From the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and all coastal points south all the way to Florida, you can usually sight one or more Brown Pelicans in flight or diving in the water for food. Visit boat ramp or fishing pier areas and photo opportunities can increase considerably. This was such the case during my recent trip to Florida.
At one end of the area at a boat ramp, a fisherman was cleaning his fish while a group of adult Brown Pelicans patiently waited on the rocks and in the water.
There were a few juveniles but they were further away in the water, watching but not participating.
Every so often, the fisherman would toss a handful of fish scraps to the adults, causing a beak frenzy!
I was relieved the fisherman finished rather quickly. It looked like one pelican could puncture another’s pouch so easily!
Down at the other end of the park area, there was a fishing pier and a couple blocks of concrete in the water beside it where I found Brown Pelicans perched. These guys made it too easy to get some great shots. 🙂
I even got lucky to have one fly in for a landing to join another one. That’s a seven foot wingspan!
Side by side now!
After these shots, I started back up to the truck and had to walk past this fella again and quickly snapped this head-on shot.
As docile as Brown Pelicans are, they do offer wonderful portrait poses with those long grinning beaks. Makes you wonder just what are they thinking.
For today, be a pelican…..not a pelican’t!
Two Artistic Renditions of My Great Blue Heron
I have again been privileged to have one of my photographs recreated artistically by Sharon Mann of Sharon Mann Illustrations. She previously drew and painted one of my Sandhill Cranes. This time she created two renderings of a Great Blue Heron I had photographed landing on a tree, one done as a collage and one as a watercolor & posterization in Photoshop.
My photo from a previous post:
![[000513]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000513-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
Sharon’s first rendition, recreated as a paper collage:
Sharon’s second rendition recreated as a watercolor and posterization in Photoshop:
© Sharon Mann
If you visit Sharon’s blog here, you can get further information on how she did these whimsically fantastic designs. Thanks again, Sharon, for loving one of my photos enough to want to recreate! 🙂
To all, so sorry for my absence, it’s been hard to find ‘free’ time to blog and visit, I apologize!
And…..Have A Great Day, Be Happy!
Great Egret Take-Off
While in Florida, I had a gorgeous Great Egret land directly in front of me while I was sitting in my golf cart (bird-mobile as my hubby calls it) watching and photographing other birds in the trees.
I guess this Great Egret wanted to be sure I took his photo as well!
I stayed seated in my cart and turned my lens on him as he slowly strutted back and forth in front of me for about two minutes, pretending as if he didn’t see me.
Then just as suddenly, he said, “I’m outta here!”
And then he was gone. That was one quick photo session!
Now this is interesting, why would he land right in front of me in this bold & bright cart?
Donna’s “Bird-Mobile”
Remember I’ve mentioned I’d been riding around in my golf cart in the campground taking all those photos I’ve been posting. You’d surely think all those Florida birds wouldn’t come even close to me and all those bright colors on my cart, wouldn’t you? I’m thinking, like them all, this Great Egret had a thing for Jimmy Buffet. 🙂
Be yourself, be pleasant, play hard and have no regrets.
– Quote by Jimmy Buffet
Enjoy your weekend! I won’t be able to post again until next week, so I wish those that celebrate, a very Happy Easter. Be safe on the roads if you’re traveling!
Ring-necked Ducks
As others do, I have a few locations I venture to on occasion, just to see “who might be there today”. One such place is a man-made construction ‘drainage pond’ behind Walmarts in Middletown, Delaware.
I can see this small pond from a distance on my way to my office, but close enough to spot any visitors. I noticed a flock of ducks there last week, they looked like Scaup. Ok, cool I thought, making note to brain to take camera next day as I hurried to the office.
The next day with my camera along for the ride, I was happy to find them there again. I drove to the back of Walmarts, snuck out of my car, hunkered down, and made my way to the pine trees that lined the pond for camouflage.
Although I was well-hidden and in dark clothing, I could tell the ducks knew I was there. Darn, I even made sure to shut my car door quietly without making a noise!
But wait a minute. These were not Scaup as I had thought yesterday. What I had found was a small flock, about a couple dozen, of Ring-necked Ducks. A new lifer for me, and of all places, found right behind a Walmarts!
Of all the diving duck species, the Ring-necked Duck is the one most likely to drop into small ponds as they migrate North for the summer. Lucky for me this day!
I had to crop tight on the next photo but I wanted to share the artistic beauty of the Ring-necked Duck’s beak.
I photographed through the branches, but I’m afraid the shutter noise gave them the ultimate fright and most of them turned around and took flight.
A few hung back, but I returned to my car and left in hopes the ones in flight would return. The next day they were there again. And I also found another photographer out of her car with her long lens doing just as I had done. Seems someone else also knows how special this little pond can be with birds ops. 🙂
Enjoy your day! Be happy!
Great Blue Herons
I was fortunate to be close enough to a Great Blue Heron in Florida to get a nice close-up. Seems this one has a couple ‘battle scars’.
At the height of 3-4 feet, wingspan of 5-6 feet, and weighing less than six pounds, it’s amazing to watch all that lankiness of the Great Blue Heron come together into a graceful landing most every time. This one I captured in Florida landing in a tree made it seem so easy!
![[000525]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000525-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
They are equally graceful in flight.
![[000605]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000605-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
I am lucky to enjoy Great Blue Herons year-round along the Chesapeake Bay. A few days ago, I captured this one on a graceful take-off.
The next one was just off the right of my balcony, down at the riprap. A delight for me on that chilly, dreary day.
I did say how graceful the Great Blue Heron’s landings can be, but on occasion….well….they are just a bit off….. and provide us a chuckle.
Hey, we all have one of those days!
Enjoy your day! Be happy!
Osprey Nests on Rt 50 Grasonville
For the past several years, I have posted photos and info on our local famous Osprey that occupy nests along the Rt. 50 corridor here in Grasonville, Maryland. It started, of course, with one pair and one nest. Last year, there were four pairs and four nests.
The Rt. 50 corridor is six lanes wide. The first nest that was built years ago is smack dab in the middle of this fast-pace traffic area where thousands of vehicles pass through daily. Summer time on the weekends, it’s probably ten-fold! I can attest watching the young fledge above all that traffic each season is also nerve-wracking.
The first Osprey to arrive back this season was to the primary first nest. From my past photos, it looks to be the female; she arrived February 28th thanks to the sighting by my local blog follower, Tammy, much earlier than I’ve ever documented. Seems this Osprey wanted to ensure home was hers and not anyone elses!
Between this Osprey and to the right, underneath is a three-lane highway.
Here’s the traffic whizzing by both directions while our Osprey keeps tabs on her home.
So far, I have not seen the mate arrive. 😦
So this Osprey patiently watches…..
And patiently sits……
Waiting for the return of her mate.
UPDATE: The mate to the above nest has returned! I saw the mate the morning of March 23 resting on the nest, looking a bit haggard from the long trip back. I’ll try to get photos soon. 🙂
I’ve seen one additional Osprey returned to one of the other four nests at Exit 45B but haven’t caught the Osprey with my camera. The following is from last year of this next location.
It’s exciting to see the season begin for the Rt. 50 Osprey families where so many of us see them on a daily basis as we run up and down the highway. Let’s hope more were successful in their migration over the winter and return for our enjoyment!
More of My Florida Birds
I know I’ve become a ‘broken record’ expressing how much fun I had with Florida’s bird paradise. I am still in awe as I review my photos of the constant photo ops that were readily available. If you didn’t have your camera with you at all times, you would surely miss an opportunity. I know I did, and I was literally bummed at those times.
Here’s a few more I wanted to share from last month.
![[000311]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000311-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
Anhinga in flight
![[000312]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000312-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
Anhinga
Mourning Dove
Bluegray Gnatcatcher
Bluegray Gnatcatcher – Hey cutie!
![[000840]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000840-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
The pair of Sandhill Cranes returned to our campground which I was thrilled!
![[000889]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000889-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
Sandhill Cranes
Little Blue Heron
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
Caspian Tern
Crested Caracara Fly-By
Crested Caracara (I saw my first one as a new lifer at Okeechobee Water Treatment)
Gray Catbird
![[000587]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000587-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
Great Egret
![[000166]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000166-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
Tri-colored Heron
Northern Mockingbird
![[000352]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000352-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
Common Gallinule
American Coot
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-rumped Warbler
The following are three more “lifers” to my bird list. In all on my Florida trip, I added 17 “lifers”. It was exciting and shows I need to do more traveling to see new birds in other regions. 🙂
![[000090]-1 21516](https://bayphotosbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/000090-1-21516.jpg?w=774)
Palm Warbler (new lifer)
Prairie Warbler (new lifer)
Black Skimmers (new lifer)
Black Skimmer
I hope your weekend’s going well.
Be happy!
Spring is Singing and Springing
Returning home, it was super-nice to find Spring arriving around the Kent Narrows Chesapeake Bay area. My four signs of Spring are robins, osprey, daffodils, and crocus. I saw all four the very next morning on my way to the office. 🙂
American Robin
American Robin
Daffodil
Crocus
Osprey on Rt. 50 Sign Overhang in middle of two 3-lane highways
Patiently waiting for his/her mate since 2/28/16 (sighted by blogger friend Tammy!)
I also found Marshy Creek full of ducks. Lots and lots of ducks!
Ducks resting and eating in Marshy Creek
That’s a lot of ducks!
They were gone the next day probably migrating North.
And finally a welcome back from an American Eagle doing a fly-by.
American Bald Eagle
I hope Spring is singing and springing where you live! 🙂
A Styling Wood Stork Rendition
So sorry for my absence! After leaving Florida, we stopped in South Carolina for a week, took a break from blogging to enjoy our last days, the long travel home, then once home….WOW….everything/everyone wants your attention, my office network had a data crash, I spent couple long days trying to restore files, yada yada yada….
Only a few recent files were lost, I was very lucky.
Don’t you hate to return from a vacation and jump back into reality?!! 😲 Hobbies always go to the wayside…..Enough of that!
A few days ago, my wonderful blogger friend, Laura at CreateArtEveryDay.com once again selected one of my close-up faces for her 100 Face Challenge she began in January.
Meet my Wood Stork taken in Florida a few weeks ago….
followed by Laura’s #55 Face Challenge Wood Stork artistic rendition!
© Laura @ CreateArtEveryDay.com
Isn’t he lovely! I can’t get over how awesome Laura can draw eyes, capturing the light, giving the subject life and personality. Laura created this rendition using Neocolors. On her blog, she explains what medium she uses on each drawing she creates, in addition to mixing it up on her blog with other works of art. I love her flair, her inspiration to others, and her style of making you smile. Check out her blog to add a smile to your day!
Thank you again, Laura, for inspiring me with a selection of one of my photos! What an honor!
Bay Photos by Donna 