Osprey Sighting ——– Rt 50/301 Grasonville Maryland

WOOHOO!  That’s the excitement I felt when I spotted my first Osprey of the season this morning in our area on my way in to work.  🙂    He/she was perched on top of the Rt 50/301 Exit 44A Chester River Beach overhead sign that is also supporting an Osprey nest that has been active for several years.  We have several active Osprey nests built along this highway corridor that I post on occasion each season.

Thank goodness I had my camera, I wheeled my car off the next ramp and headed back to capture a few shots.  🙂

Osprey

Osprey

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A bit scruffy-looking, but you’d look that way too after flying a few thousand miles in just a few weeks!  😉

Our local Osprey season has begun!  I just had to let you know!  🙂

UPDATE:  3/8/13 – The osprey is still perching on this sign so it appears that this one is home.  I briefly watched the skies early this morning from my balcony before heading to work, but no sign of an osprey here amongst all our local platforms.   For sure, it’s just a matter of time…..maybe this weekend!  🙂

Eagle Excitement Around Oyster Cove

For those following my blog from my community, I hope you’ve noticed and enjoyed the increased eagle activity around us this past couple months.  You cannot watch the skies for a day or two and not see at least one soaring above or at a distance or perched on ours or CBEC’s osprey platforms or the channel markers around us.  For everyone, here’s a series of just a few of the many photos I’ve taken in the few times I spent ‘looking’ from my balcony the last two weeks.

American Bald Eagle

American Bald Eagle

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This next adult was having breakfast on our osprey nest platform yesterday morning.  It looked like it was an unfortunate duck.

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Belly full, the eagle just sat and looked around.

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Time to move on!

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About a half hour later, I spotted a Turkey Vulture landing on the platform.  He finished the duck.

Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vulture

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I’ve seen a juvenile Eagle many times.  Here he/she is coming towards me and then swooping down to the water to grab a meal.

Juvenile American Bald Eagle

Juvenile American Bald Eagle

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The juvenile eagle came back by me and then circled again, passing closer to me before heading off with his catch.

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Couple more individual shots…..

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I was fortunate to be out at the right time to catch this adult eagle passing by real close!  🙂

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What a majestic bird!  I still get excited to see one no matter how many or how recent I saw the last.  I hope you enjoyed these that I wanted to share.

Note, we have a huge snow storm crossing the United States.  For us in the Chesapeake Bay Mid-Atlantic area, we’re borderline rain or snow.  They don’t know just where the snow’s southern line will be just yet.  As we are, everyone please stay informed of your area’s predictions, prepare, and be safe!

Birds Enroute To & From Work

My drive to and from work each day is 50 minutes of very little traffic through Maryland’s Eastern Shore farmlands and woods on Route 301.  It’s an unstressful drive, where you can turn the radio up, put on the cruise control (a MUST!), and enjoy the beautiful rolling landscape.  And if you keep an eye out, you will be treated with a wide variety of birds throughout the year.  I usually have my camera but if I cannot quickly pull over safely, I just enjoy the sighting as I pass by.  The turn-arounds and distance between them can be 5+ miles, so I rarely will do that.  Well, maybe I have for an eagle if I’m not running too late.  🙂

I had previously posted about the Snow Geese sightings and have been lucky to see them constantly since.  I actually saw a small flock landing in the rain on a farm on my way home tonight.  A frequent spot that I previously mentioned was at Rolling Bridge Road off Rt 301.  One day I got to see Snow Geese going through a huge lift-off at a distance.  The sighting and noise was beautiful!

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Two days later carpooling with hubby, I spotted a smaller flock of the Snow Geese there again, and this time they were close to the road.  Rick turned onto Rolling Bridge which put me alongside them as they busily pecked through the recent snowdusting we’d gotten, while a few continued to land.  I was able to slip out of the truck without much movement to photograph them.

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Notice the American Bald Eagle in the next photo in the large tree on the right.  I didn’t see him until I reviewed my photos on my computer.  I thought that was cool!

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Several times recently I have been amazed at the sightings of Wild Turkeys!  All these years up and down Route 301, and I had never seen one until last fall when one came flying across the road in front of me (that almost scared the you-know-what out of me!) and then those this past month.  I had no idea they were out there.

Wild Turkeys

Wild Turkeys

Wild Turkeys

Wild Turkeys

While photographing them, three deer came out of the woods and paused to feed with the Wild Turkeys.

Wild Turkey and Deer

Wild Turkey and Deer

There are always a couple of Red-Tailed Hawks along the way to and from work.  Of all the wooded area and farmland, it seems funny that they perch to scope out the dual highway and the grassland between as a place to locate food.  They will swoop down out of the tree to the middle and pounce on probably a small rodent, all while watching you pass by.   If I spot one perched across the highway and can pull over quickly, I am lucky if I can get a decent shot because they usually take flight immediately.  So, after many attempts this past month, here’s a somewhat decent shot of one.

Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

I will admit I am confused on identifying this next hawk.  I first thought it was a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk but after looking at too many more photos, I’ve started second guessing myself.  Broad-winged Hawk?  Northern Harrier?  This one took flight immediately and I got some flight shots which would/should help with the ID.  Would someone be so gracious to help me out with this one?  Appreciate it!!

Hawk

Hawk

Hawk

Hawk

Hawk

Hawk

Hawk

Hawk

Hawk

Hawk

On my way home when I ramp off Rt 301 at Kent Narrows, there is water alongside the ramp and the Holiday Inn.  I always look to see what’s visiting there.  I spotted this next Great Blue Heron on a piling.  Neat op I thought!  I pulled into the Holiday Inn parking lot and walked down to the water but I was still at a distance from him for a close shot.  Here he is enjoying the sun setting.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

As I was returning to my car, a Red-winged Blackbird was perched in a tree just a few feet of me, singing his song.  He seemed so happy!

Red-Winged Blackbird

Red-Winged Blackbird

Red-Winged Blackbird

Red-Winged Blackbird

That’s my latest enroute bird photos!  I hope you enjoyed them and appreciate your visit.  As always, thank you!

Birds Bring A Smile

Our temperatures have been flip-flopping like the rest of the U.S. from the low 20’s to the upper 60’s, it’s crazy!  We are thankful we’ve only had small snow dustings here and there.  Hopefully, we make it to Spring without anything significant occurring before then.

The Buffleheads’ continue their daily visits around our berm, always providing a lot of enjoyment.  They are small and quick and one busy duck!  This time I was able to capture the lighting on a male to show his iridescent colors around his head.

Male Bufflehead with three Femal Buffleheads

Male Bufflehead with three Female Buffleheads

Male Bufflehead

Male Bufflehead

Male Bufflehead

Male Bufflehead with a little wind behind him!

Another day, another couple……

Male & Female Buffleheads

Male & Female Buffleheads

I had previously posted a terrible capture of a female Common Goldeneye, but it was a first sighting for me.  She continued to visit at sunrise for a several mornings.  This time I did a better job showing her beauty!

Common Goldeneye

Female Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Female Common Goldeneye

As I walked out onto my balcony at sunrise one morning, a small flock of Canada Geese had started a descent towards our berm in the cove to try to get some relief from the winds that morning.  I captured a few as they dropped, they are pretty darn good at their maneuvers!

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

At a day’s sunset, I captured these male and female Mallards off in the distant, crossing over the sun shining on the water as it was setting.

Male & Female Mallard Ducks

Male & Female Mallard Ducks

This group on another day, just loitering around our berm.

Mallard Ducks

Mallard Ducks

Saturday a week ago, we were running a little late leaving for work to do some catching up.  And I was so very happy we did because just before finally being ready to go, this juvenile American Bald Eagle suddenly landed on our osprey nest platform for just a few minutes before taking flight.   🙂

American Bald Eagle - Juvenile

American Bald Eagle – Juvenile

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It was this past Friday that we had near 70 degrees weather; I pulled up at home and spotted these two American Robins on the ground.  It certainly felt like a spring day with their sighting!

American Robins

American Robins

American Robin

American Robin

Even during the winter, I occasionally ride down our drive to our community’s marina to see what might be perched or swimming around the docks.  It’s exciting to find a  surprise, which this past Friday I did.  I sighted a dozen Ruddy Ducks, some sleeping, some watching.  I parked the car and was able to walk up to them while staying out of sight to try to get some close shots.  I was eventually spotted by the watchers, but they didn’t seem to care about me as I didn’t move any closer.  They offered some beautiful portraits in the reflecting waters.  🙂

Male Ruddy Ducks

Male Ruddy Ducks

Female Ruddy Duck

Female Ruddy Duck

Male Ruddy Duck

Male Ruddy Duck

I see you too!

I see you too!

Male Ruddy Duck

Male Ruddy Duck

Finally, a photo of our visiting Great Blue Heron, this time he’s leaving me!  We had quite a few Mallards around the berm where he was perched in the brush at the base of the osprey nest platform in the cold.  The Mallards were noisily chattering and darting around which And seemed to annoy the Great Blue Heron enough for him to take flight right between their group, scattering them.  He just gracefully flapped away!

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

I’ve been working a lot of  overtime for weeks now and have gotten majorly behind in everything it seems.  That includes my keeping up with my fellow bloggers, so please excuse me, I miss you and will be back to catch up!

Thanks so very much to everyone for stopping by to see my latest captures.  Some how some way, these birds keep my sanity in tack!  🙂

Winged Delights!

This past week we continued to enjoy a variety of interesting birds from our backyard balcony, some returning and some new for me!  Our temperatures have been in the 20’s-30’s with a few snow dustings.  For those new or unfamiliar with my backyard, here’s a photo.

My "Backyard"

My “Backyard” from my balcony at sunrise

I’ll begin with my new birds.  They were each a curious “what’s that?” sighting, followed by photo-taking, and then reviewing on the computer to identify.  It always feels cool to photograph a new bird for your list!  🙂

The male and female Gadwell were a treat!  They were mixed in with several male and female mallards at the base of the osprey nest platform.

Gadwell - Male and Female

Gadwell – Male and Female

Another day and another new visitor!  I surely didn’t do her justice with such a terrible photo!

Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye – Female

The next shot is a hawk that I don’t know if it’s identifiable, he literally flew right in front and past me while I was watching something else.

Hawk TBD

Hawk (to be announced!)

Although the Dark-eyed Juncos have been around, I finally got a clear-enough shot to confirm his identity.

Dark-eyed Junco

Dark-eyed Junco

Our regulars still continue to delight!

Bufflehead - Male

Male Bufflehead

Bufflehead - diving to feed

Male Bufflehead – diving to feed

Female Bufflehead

Female Bufflehead

Female Buffleheads

Female Buffleheads

Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Cormorant - diving to feed

Double-crested Cormorant – diving to feed

Cormorant - drying off

Another Double-crested Cormorant – drying off

Foreground - Duclair MallardBackground - Male & Female Mallard

Foreground – Duclair Mallard (also called White-Bibbed Mallard)
Background – Male & Female Mallard

We were fortunate to have a small flock of Canada Geese stop and rest along the berm at our osprey nest platform, joining a group of Mallards.  Everyone was quiet and peaceful, until one Mallard seemed to be too interested in another’s mate and Mallard fighting ensued right in the middle of the geese.

Fighting Male Mallards amongst Canada Geese

Fighting Male Mallards amongst Canada Geese

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He’s outta here!

This male Mallard presumes he is the winner!

This male Mallard presumes he is the winner!

Still struttin' his feathers!

Still struttin’ his feathers!

It quieted back down after the skirmish.  I enjoyed watching the Canada Geese as they preened and stretched their wings, they usually stay at a distance in the water.

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Canada Geese and Mallards

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Have I been spotted??

Have I been spotted??

Large numbers of Canvasbacks raft up in Marshy Creek daily in the mornings and evenings.

Canvasbacks

Long raft of Canvasbacks

Canvasbacks taking flight

Canvasbacks comin’ in for a landing!

Even the Belted Kingfisher continues to visit.  I captured him down on Lipincott’s Channel Marker 3 in Marshy Creek.

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

I had mentioned before that the eagles in the area were very active now.  This eagle prepared to attack a raft of ducks but wasn’t successful.  He continued to fly around and eventually caught a fish.

American Bald Eagle attacking raft of ducks

American Bald Eagle attacking raft of ducks

The male Eagle took the fish to the ice where his partner was waiting and handed it over to her.  So sweet!  All was happy.

American Bald Eagles

American Bald Eagles

But then along came the other two pairs of Eagles I mentioned; and as the male took flight to scare them off, one of the intruding Eagles attacked the female Eagle on the ice, trying to snatch the fish.

American Bald Eagles

American Bald Eagles

The mate to the intruder came in to help while the lone female Eagle on the ice fought to keep her fish.  Her partner was still in the air chasing the other pair.

American Bald Eagles

American Bald Eagles

Somehow she was successful, and the intruders flew over to the close-by osprey nest platform in Marshy Creek and perched for a brief time, before eventually leaving the area.

American Bald Eagles on osprey nest platform in Marshy Creek at CBEC

American Bald Eagles on osprey nest platform in Marshy Creek at CBEC

American Bald Eagles

American Bald Eagles

Finally, how can I not end my post without sharing more captures of our regular, the Great Blue Heron?!!  I have SO many photos of him but the GBH is so photogenic.  I love it when I happen to see him coming and can get a decent shot of him in flight showing his massive wings.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron – coming in for a landing!

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron – another arrival

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron – struttin’ his stuff!

Great Blue Heron - all fluffed up!

Great Blue Heron – you can tell this day was cold!

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron – wearing an overcoat of feathers

Finally, a couple scenes of our sunrises over Marshy Creek.  Sometimes they are nice…..

Sunrise over icy Marshy Creek

Sunrise over icy Marshy Creek

And sometimes they are brilliant!

Sunrise over Marshy Creek

Sunrise over Marshy Creek

I’ll post this last shot that was a spur-of-the-moment and I liked it.  I snapped this over our community’s fence overlooking Lipincott Marina’s sailboat yard at sunrise another day.

Sailboats at Sunrise

Sailboat masts at sunrise

I hope the migratory birds continue to hang around a little while longer for our enjoyment but very soon they will be on their way north.  Which means in turn, the Osprey are feeling the migration tug to head back north to our area from their tropical winter grounds.  So although we will be losing some beautiful feathered-friends, we will soon be sighting our missed ones for another season of delight of the wings!

As always, thank you for the visit, I appreciate it and you!  🙂

Cedar Waxwings

A quick post (shhhhh, I’m at work!), as I cannot contain my excitement any longer and wait until I have more time to finish up my planned next post.  Arriving home couple nights ago as I was getting out of my car, I heard a sree singing in the tree to my right.  The sun was setting behind them through the buildings so it was hard to make out what species they were but I knew they were different to me, I’m thinking……”Cedar Waxwings?”  Took a couple cellphone photos for documentation just in case, then backed away and went inside to get my camera while scolding myself for neglecting to carry it with me that day!  I was sure they would be gone when I returned.

I got lucky!  Instead of coming back downstairs, I peaked over from our third floor front door balcony and saw they were still in the tree.  With my zoom lens I confirmed they were Cedar Waxwings.  WOOHOO!  There were eleven total.  They saw me and didn’t allow much time for a photo op before they flew away.  BUT I got them!  🙂  This is a new bird for me both sighting and photo and a specific one I’ve wanted to capture.  I have always been fascinated by the Cedar Waxwing’s sharp contrast in colors when viewing others photos.  They almost appear to have a 3D effect to me.

Cedar Waxwings

Cedar Waxwings

Cedar Waxwings

Cedar Waxwings

I can’t believe I sighted them, especially here in on our community.  I wish the lighting could have been better but I’m still thrilled to have gotten some shots.  I hope you like!  🙂

OK I’ve posted, so now I feel better…..now back to work!  😉   Have a great weekend everyone!   GO RAVENS!!!

A Variety of Visiting Birds at Oyster Cove

I am truly amazed and thankful over and over again when I think how fortunate I am to get to enjoy such a variety of birds from my ‘backyard’ from my third floor balcony overlooking Marshy Creek, Prospect Bay, and Kent Narrows and within the community.  To my OC community neighbors, keep your eyes opened and binoculars and cameras always ready to check out what’s visiting!  With my busy schedule, I really only have an hour or so in the mornings at sunrise and an hour if I’m lucky before sunset to stand on my balcony to watch and photograph.  Here’s the variety I’ve seen these past few weeks in that short time span each day without really trying!  Note, the early morning and evening hours usually afford you more sightings when birds are out and about flying and feeding.

And now onto the birds!  I’ll start with some Scaup shots.  I really tried to research and properly identify which type of Scaup they were, Greater or Lesser, both are so close in looks.  I decided they were Lesser Scaup by their head shape and ‘greyer’ feathers, but someone please correct me if I’m wrong!

Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup Male

Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup Males

Lesser Scaup Males

Lesser Scaup Males on another day

Canada Geese hung around for several days in the cove alongside us, trying to stay out of the winds we were experiencing.

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Canada Geese in flight

Canada Geese in flight

Regulars off and on are the American Coots.

American Coots

American Coots

American Coot

American Coot

American Coots

American Coots

 

Here’s someone who kept flying by me begging for a snack or a photo op.  He got the op!

Gull

Ring-billed Gull

 

This next fella was not interested in a photo op, once he saw me, he moved away from the berm and quickly swam to a safer distance to dive and feed.

Cormorant

Cormorant

Out on the water, large rafts of ducks appear as they fly in to meet up with others.  Life is safer in numbers!

Canvasbacks

Canvasbacks

Canvasbacks

Raft of Canvasbacks

 

For two days I watched six Tundra Swan also hanging around.  This pair were really photogenic even on a cloudy day when the snow showers were beginning.

Tundra Swan

Tundra Swan

Tundra Swan

Tundra Swan

Tundra Swan "heart"

Tundra Swan “heart”

 

Our House Finch residents are always happily flying around, sometimes they like to watch me photograph other birds.  It’s always a challenge to spin around and catch a shot of them before they take off.  Got both the Mr & Mrs this time!

House Finch Male

House Finch Male

House Finch Female

House Finch Female

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House Finch Male returning for another visit with me!

 

With so many Mallard Ducks around all year round, I tend to not photograph them often.  With the temps in the upper teens early one morning, I watched these curled up sleepers on the berm under the osprey platform.  On the rocks are barnacles.

Mallard Ducks

Mallard Ducks

 

My next two birds are newbies for me and neither are the best of shots, but I had to show them!  🙂

Longtailed Ducks

Longtailed Ducks

Horned Grebe Female

Horned Grebe Female

Horned Grebe Female

Horned Grebe Female

 

Finally, I cannot do a post of bird photos without sharing at least a few of our daily visitor now for several months, our Great Blue Heron.  🙂

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

 

Additional recently visiting birds not shown here but are here at Oyster Cove are Buffleheads, Ruddy Ducks, Surf Scoters, a Belted Kingfisher and the mesmerizing American Bald Eagle.  Yes OC neighbors, we have eagles in the skies more regularly now.  I watched early Sunday morning six of them flying over Marshy Creek, two pairs trying to steal a fish from a female eagle sitting on the ice.  I’ve yet to go thru the numerous shots I took to see how good any might be, the distant they were at and the frigid temps were a bummer for my lens.  Hopefully some are good enough to show some action fight shots in my next post.

Whew!  What a bunch of photos, sorry about the long post!   It proves to me I need to post more often.  So a BIG thank you for taking the time to stop by and view my post, I hope you had a cup of coffee or tea to enjoy during your visit!  🙂

Snow Geese

Back in early December within a mile of my office in Middletown, Delaware, I felt lucky to experience a large flock of snow geese feeding in the farm field for three days before moving on in their migration adventure.  With the throes of life at the time, I had gotten lazy in carrying my camera; but as I was arriving towards my office at sunrise, right alongside the huge Amazon.com facility on the farm field I sighted thousands and thousands of snow geese.  WOW!  I called hubby to see if he had left home (he hadn’t), asked him to grab my camera (he did), and bring it to the office (thanks honey!).  I then sat briefly, watching and listening to them before getting to work.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t until noon that I got back out with my camera and the snow geese were gone.  I was bummed!  I ran my errands and headed back to work, when I found a smaller flock had landed across the highway on another farm.  I parked the car and got out to take a few shots.  The snow geese were noisy and restless.

Thousands of Snow Geese

Thousands of Snow Geese

I don’t know what spooked them but in just a couple minutes they suddenly began to take flight.  All of them!

Snow Geese taking flight

Snow Geese taking flight

I started the muttering we bird photographers do to ‘entice’ our ops to us…..”please come this way, over here, this way, please, PLEASE!”

And so they began heading right towards me.  Sometimes it works!  😉

Snow Geese

Snow Geese – Here they come!

Snow Geese

Snow Geese – Up and over!

Snow Geese

Snow Geese

Snow Geese

Snow Geese

Snow Geese

Snow Geese

The snow geese made the decision to continue to move on instead of circling and relanding where they were as they sometimes do.  Something indeed had spooked them.  What a sight and noise in the sky!

Snow Geese on the move

Snow Geese on the move

The next morning, the snow geese were back but the size of the flock was much smaller.  Staying on the ground in the distance didn’t offer much photo ops for that day.

The third day as I arrived into Middletown, the flock was already high in the sky, creating their “V”s while cruising through.  I stopped and watched the attached sighting unfold.  It appeared a large “V” of snow geese had decided to race a jet.

Snow Geese racing a Jet!

Snow Geese racing a Jet!

Five photo frames later and the snow geese proved they were faster!   😉

Snow Geese in the lead!

Snow Geese in the lead!

Just a little fun there!  🙂

Those three days were a treat for me, especially since then I’ve not had a chance to get to Blackwater NWR or Bombay Hook to see them.  I hope you enjoyed them too.  And as always, thank you for stopping by!

A Bit Late But……….. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hello Everyone, I hope all of you had a wonderful and safe holiday season!  I’m finally back after MIA for a couple months.  My daughter was getting married back mid-November and I needed just a ‘small’ leave of absence for the planning and festivities but I never planned it to be this long!  Sorry!!

The wedding was beautiful from start to finish!  Then Thanksgiving quickly rolled around which whisked us off to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (a future post is imminent with my visit to Pinckney Island NWR during that trip).  Then Christmas was upon us.  During all this time my mom has been ill and in and out of the hospital.  She’s home now and fairing much better as I write.  🙂

Enough of the excuses, I’m back and ready to share the nature I observe and photograph from my third floor balcony overlooking Marshy Creek, Prospect Bay and the south end entrance of the Kent Narrows, nature which never stops pleasuring those that will take the time to stop, look and listen……

First for my blogging diary, I want to record the fact of my last sighting of a transient osprey who was perched on a Rt. 50 sign here in Grasonville this past November 13 and 14.  I was not able to tell if it was an adult or a juvenile but he/she seemed comfortable up there perched, one day eating a fish!  🙂  A bit late in migration, I wondered if he got thrown off his travels by Hurricane Sandy and was attempting again to head south.

So here we are!  Old man winter is trying hard to enter our area recently with crisp, cool days.  And he’s also bringing along our winter visitors who fly in for the season for our community’s pleasure and my ongoing nature photography passion!  Here’s who’s been arriving these last couple months….

But first, some shots of our gorgeous Great Blue Heron, who never left for a migration and continues to visit us almost daily around the berm and osprey nest platform.  At dawn, I still find him frequently perched on the nest platform, facing the rising sun, waiting for it’s imminent warmth.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron at dawn

Great Blue Heron at sunrise

Great Blue Heron at sunrise

And then he’s sometimes just prancing around the rocks, doing a little fishing while keeping an eye out for any enemies.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron havin’ a laugh!

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron – wingspans can reach six feet wide!

This next shot is for fun, it really cracked me up.  What a stance, Mr. GBH!

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron – struttin’ his stuff!

It is now the American Bald Eagle’s mating season and activity and sightings in our skies are much more promising.  I’ve seen more sightings of eagles in the last two weeks than I’ve seen for months.  What a sight to behold!  For those in the community, keep your eye on our osprey nest platform and Lippincott’s channel maker #3 where they love to perch during the winter months.

American Bald Eagle on Lipincott's channel marker 3, eating a fish

American Bald Eagle on Lippincott’s channel marker 3, eating a fish

American Bald Eagle, passing on by

American Bald Eagle, passing on by!

Another frequent visitor to our osprey nest platform recently is this Belted Kingfisher.  Such a tiny, cute fella!

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher at sunset

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Those adorable Buffleheads began showing up in November and can be seen almost daily, diving for food.

Buffleheads

Male Buffleheads at sunrise

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Male and Female Buffleheads

Ruddy Ducks and American Coots have joined us as well!

Male and Female Ruddy Ducks

Male and Female Ruddy Ducks

American Coots

American Coots

It seems they may have moved on, but last week for several days we had the pleasure to observe 20-30 Surf Scoters tightly grouped and diving/feeding at the entrance of Marshy Creek.  I’ve captured this species further down Maryland’s Eastern Shore, but this was a first for me here at Oyster Cove.  🙂

Male and Female Surf Scoters

Male and Female Surf Scoters

Surf Scoters

Surf Scoters

Surf Scoters

Surf Scoters (males have orange and white bills)

Surf Scoters taking flight

Surf Scoters taking flight

In addition, Canada Geese and Tundra Swans have arrived in our area.  At sunrise, it is a delight to stand outside quietly and listen to them chatter to one another.  Pretty cool stuff.

Stay tuned as I continue to share who’s visiting our area, or other nature photos I take along my excursions.  And as always, thank you for stopping by!  And to those blogs that I subscribe to, I’ll be back in touch with yours, I miss you!!

Kent Narrows Area After Hurricane Sandy

We ventured out a little after 10:00 am this morning, 4 1/2 hours after high tide, and were shocked at the flooding waters in our area.  We had actually been stranded at high tide with both directions of Rt 18 flooded out if we had tried to leave our community at that time.  Both ways were still flooded and we were directed to get directly onto Rt 50 through the lowest waters.  We drove down to check on our boat on it’s trailer on dry land and it was fine.  The kids called and our building in Middletown only suffered minor water intrusion at the doors that were packed with towels so we made out fine there too.  Decided to close the office another day, what the heck.  Had enough stress the past day, needed a day to relax, really.   Family everywhere did well, only our son and his family lost power and are still without power at this writing.  They have relocated to her parents temporarily.  All in all, we are blessed with no major problems.  Those that were not so lucky, our hearts go out to each person.

We only stayed out a half hour, all roads off of Rt 50 along Rt 18 had many closures for small stretches.  We are a low-lying coastal community and we swell with water every time a high high-tide along Rt 18 hits.  Our townhouse/condo community buildings are built on piers, so water that does crest as it does on the Point on the Narrows at times, will flow throw the lattice to the drains in the streets.  Our morning drive through still showed water flooding the grass and street there at the Point.

There were many police officers, SHA patrolmen, and equipment blocking closed roads while attending individual situations everywhere we turned.  So we decided to go back home and not be in the way.  I tried to grab a shot out the window while passing by the short drive we did on Rt 50.  Here’s a few that luckily turned out.  A reminder, these are 4 1/2  hours AFTER high tide.

Winchester Creek from Rt 50 – piers’ walkways are under water & yards crested @ 10:21 am.

Beach Harbor Trailer Park – the normally dry frontage/entrance is under water at 10:22 am.

Beach Harbor Trailer Park – To the left of the sign in previous photo 10:22 am.

Kent Narrows Yacht Club – walking piers & roadway entrance into KNYC flooded, 10:29 am.

Fisherman’s Inn Restaurant & Crab Deck front parking lot & piers in background are completely under water at 10:30 am.  Truck in bottom right entrance by white boats is stopped at the water line.

From my balcony overlooking Prospect Bay after returning, 10:48am.   Kent Island to the right, Gibson Island back center, and edge of Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center to the left.  Winds S 20 mph, gusts 30 mph.  Sandy is still blowing.

Here’s a few photos, courtesy of Mears Point Marina down at the Kent Narrows.

Mears Point Marina 9:00 am, courtesy of Mears Point Marina Newsletter

Mears Point Marina 9:00 am, courtesy of Mears Point Marina Newsletter

Mears Point Marina 9:00am, courtesy of Mears Point Marina Newsletter

Annie’s Steak House’s parking lot with Mears Office in background 9:00am, courtesy of Mears Point Marina Newsletter

Red Eyes Dock Bar, Kent Narrows, 9:00am courtesy of Mears Point Marina Newsletter

With the continuing 20-25 mph South winds, water is continuing to blow up the Chesapeake Bay, keeping it from receding for our 11:55 am low tide.   It’s a little after 3:30 pm and the water is rising for the upcoming 6:28 pm high tide.  The local stations are saying we are going to have another high high-tide so it appears we will have a repeat of local flooding.  Could it be higher than this morning’s since the water didn’t recede very much?

Here are two photos just taken, the waves are crashing over the riprap already.  Not so good at three hours before actually high tide of 6:28 pm.

Overlooking Prospect Bay at 3:25 pm – waves are crashing over the riprap in front of the bench.

The cove to the right of my balcony at 3:27 pm, waves are splashing over the riprap. The previous high tide residue is seen to the far right from this morning’s high high tide.

Appreciate your following my blog, it’s been fun and scary keeping a photolog of Hurricane Sandy here in our area.  It certainly helped my nerves!  🙂