Five On The Wing – #26
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Here is another one of my Five On The Wing series posts, featuring five bird species in flight.
The added bonus with this post is they are also in flocks!
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Double-crested Cormorants
Wingspan 44.9-48.4 inches (114-123 cm)
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Cedar Waxwings
Wingspan 8.7-11.8 inches (22-30 cm)
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Snow Geese
Wingspan 54.3 inches (138 cm)
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Common Grackles
Wingspan 14.2-18.1 inches (36-46 cm)
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Red-winged Blackbirds
(many with a corn kernel in their mouth)
Wingspan 12.2-15.8 inches (31-40 cm)
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“Imagine if birds were tickled by feathers.
You’d see a flock of birds come by, laughing hysterically.”
— Comedian Steven Wright
😁
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Random Clicks
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Here are a few random photos I’ve taken recently of something that caught my eye….not bird related! 😉
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Rainbow Cloud
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Fungi and Snow
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Arriving with more nesting materials
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Hazy Full Moon Rising
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Forest Creature Curled Up For A Nap
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Milkweed Pod
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Contrail at Sunset
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Tree Face
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Liquid Gold
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Pond Reflection at Eastern Neck NWR
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Do any of these tickle your fancy? 🤩
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Five On The Wire – #8
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Here’s another post to my series of five bird species hanging out on a wire or metal checking out those big views!
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House Finch (male)
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Northern Mockingbird
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Brown-headed Cowbird
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American Kestrel
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Blue Jay
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I shot a short burst with the Blue Jay and am sharing the very next shot of it before the jay dropped to the feeder.
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“Hello There!”
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It’s not every day the Blue Jay is an accommodating model, so gotta give this one a two-fer spot! 😁
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Great Blue Heron Does A Little Fishing
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About a week ago, I pulled up alongside a wetland area at Eastern Neck NWR where I found this Great Blue Heron busy fishing and turned off my car.
I was stared upon briefly for the interruption, but then deemed not a threat as the beautiful heron went on about its business.
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Great Blue Heron stalking for food
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Got one!
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What was that?
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Where…..are…..you…..?
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Turns around to grab another
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Focused
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Gotcha!
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Patience
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The Strike
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Another small reward
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Truthfully, this was just too easy! For the Great Blue Heron, who was snatching up one after another; and for me, shooting from the comfort of my car. I could have sat there forever watching and clicking; but I didn’t want the heron to take flight because of me, so I slowly pulled away and left.
I looked back and the Great Blue Heron was striking again! Bingo, another snack! 🙂
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Common Winter Sparrows
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In the fleeting moments you have to see and/or capture a sparrow, it is not always easy to ID it so quickly, many are very similar in looks. Throw in the juveniles, and it can really make my head spin!
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Savannah Sparrow
(seen throughout North America)
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There are at least 35 types of sparrow species in North America.
It is said about 15 species of sparrows can be found in most areas of North America, some more abundant and widespread than others.
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Song Sparrow
(seen throughout North America)
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I mentioned at the end of my last post, I recently took a private winter walking tour at Eastern Neck NWR and picked up another lifer, which happen to be a new sparrow.
I saw it way down the trail ahead of us, so my shot is heavily cropped. I’ve seen this sparrow many times; finally now captured for my count! Woot!! 🤗
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Fox Sparrow – My Lifer #254
(seen over three-quarter’s of North America)
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All nine of these common sparrows in this post were captured in the past month in my local area.
I have photographed 16 species of sparrows to date. Almost halfway! hehe
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House Sparrow
(seen throughout North America)
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Swamp Sparrow
(seen two-thirds of North America)
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White-throated Sparrow
(seen throughout North America)
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Chipping Sparrow
(seen throughout North America)
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Field Sparrow
(seen primarily in two-third’s of U.S.)
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Juncos easy to ID if seen. Did you know it was a sparrow species also?
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Dark-eyed Junco
(seen throughout North America)
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Fun to share and compare sparrows! Some with slight differences, some that are obvious. And all are adorable!
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Sunrise at Eastern Neck NWR
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As I crossed over the Eastern Neck bridge about a little over a week ago, I was greeted with this beautiful icy sunrise.
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Sunrise over Eastern Neck NWR
Gull flying over ice puddles at low tide
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A sun pillar occurred….
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Followed by a star burst effect! 🙂
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I was arriving for an early morning private “Winter Walking Tour” at the refuge, to hike about 2+ miles of beautifully unspoiled habitat at the refuge not opened to the public. Along that walk, I obtained another lifer….💃….next post!
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Happy Valentine’s Day Cardinal-Style
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Happy Valentine’s Day from my Northern Cardinals and I!
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❤️🐦❤️
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Eastern Neck NWR – Final Bird Photos
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My last five posts shared photos of winter scenes and birds from a morning visit to Eastern Neck NWR for three hours on February 1st. The temps were in the mid-20s°F and it was windy in open areas.
I didn’t feel much of the cold for some reason…. 🤔 Oh yea, all those birds! 😉 But you can bet it felt pretty awesome jumping back in my car to warm up while sipping hot coffee.
And now this sixth post (whew, didn’t realize it’d take this many to share one outing!) to share these final bird favorites.
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Great Black-backed Gull strolling the ice
(largest gull in the world)
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American Robins and Eastern Bluebirds puffed up together
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Song Sparrow chilling on Eastern Neck bridge
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Great Blue Heron also chilling on the Eastern Neck bridge
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Great Blue Heron
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White-throated Sparrow fluffin’ the feathers
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Canada Geese with one having something to say about the cold
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Tufted Titmouse sittin’ pretty and puffy
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Puffed-up Song Sparrow
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Red-winged Blackbirds
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This visit I more closely noticed a shoreline at low tide that I know I will return to at future low tide visits.
I liked the colors of the scattered rocks and shells providing some awesome surroundings for two birds that I luckily spotted foraging there. A sparrow and a warbler.
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See the Swamp Sparrow blending in?
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Swamp Sparrow closeup
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I really liked the barnacles in the shots.
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Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Yellow-rumped Warbler making his way to the water
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Yellow-rumped Warbler going for a drink
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Being unique to my normal sightings of these two birds, I enjoyed going through the dozens of shots of the sparrow and warbler, seeing what composition played out nicely with the colors and surroundings.
I hope you enjoyed this birding adventure in my part of the world during a cold February 1st morning. It was an awesome visit for me, one to be remembered.
I had such a great time that I’ve braved the cold and visited Eastern Neck NWR three more times since. 🙂 Egads, the photos! 🤪
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Eastern Neck NWR – More Eagles
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Continuing from my previous post, here is more Eagle beauty and action I witnessed at Eastern Neck NWR the cold, cold morning of February 1st.
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Bald Eagle soaring
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I had previously showed bonded pairs flying together playfully.
There were also instances where there were Eagles chasing Eagles who infringed on their partner or territory.
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Eagle chasing after another Eagle
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While in a chase, the chatter of loud fighting words fills the air.
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The remaining mate follows its partner who keeps chasing the other Eagle
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The remaining mate almost catches up as the chasing goes off into the distance
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This next perched Eagle was a bit puffed up for the low to mid 20’s, covering even its feet with feathers, except the one extended claw.
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As I photographed this beauty, it became excited on seeing and hearing another Eagle flying behind me.
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Excited Bald Eagle
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I didn’t dare look behind me as I was certain this Eagle was going to take flight, so I stayed ready. But it didn’t. The Eagle just settled back to another pretty profile pose. And covering all but one of those tootsies again!
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A couple of immature Eagles.
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Bald Eagle (immature)
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And one final series of photos of another Eagle flyby. I could never tire of these!
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What fun!
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Eastern Neck NWR – Eagles
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Continuing to share my visit to Eastern Neck NWR the morning of February 1st, quite exciting was the number of Eagles everywhere. At one time, I saw seven Eagles in the sky, and I had just pulled away from one in a tree. Amazing!
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Bald Eagle pair bonding playfully in flight
Bald Eagle pair bonding playfully in flight
Bald Eagle pair bonding playfully in flight
Bald Eagle pair bonding playfully while flying across the sky
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Immature Eagles playful in flight
Immature Eagles playful in flight
Immature Eagles playful in flight
Immature Bald Eagles playful in flight
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Our Chesapeake Bay area has a permanent Bald Eagle population year-round with Eastern Neck NWR hosting approximately a dozen. During the winter, our region also hosts transient Bald Eagles from all along the Atlantic coast, so it is quite easy to see them any day right now while riding or walking around the refuge.
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Bald Eagle cruising through the trees to head up to a branch
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An Eagle with a view
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Immature Eagle walking the ice (for fun slide show)
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Immature Eagle
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How about a three-photo series of an adult Bald Eagle flyby!
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Bald Eagle Flyby 01
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Bald Eagle Flyby 02
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Bald Eagle Flyby 03
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And finally for this post, this gorgeous Bald Eagle perched in a tree.
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Bald Eagle sitting in partial shade
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Bay Photos by Donna 