Greater Yellowlegs
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It’s been a while since I’ve seen Yellowlegs, so it was exciting to find them at Chesapeake Farms. A week ago I found five Greater Yellowlegs foraging one of the small pond’s edge.
Two were close together so I worked with them. One got a little airlift in jumping out of the way of the other, giving me some pretty wing shots.
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Greater Yellowlegs
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Greater Yellowlegs
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Greater Yellowlegs
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Greater Yellowlegs
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I got to return to Chesapeake Farms a few days ago and found the marsh flooded where I had seen and photographed six Eagles perched and flying. All of the tree stumps and logs were submerged from the heavy rains a few days prior. It was quiet at the marsh area.
The pond where the Yellowlegs above was also flooded enough to submerge their ‘walking’ space, so no Yellowlegs either. I kept my eye on the ‘new’ areas of wetlands that now had been created in the fields.
And then I found them, at least 15 Yellowlegs, busily foraging.
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Greater Yellowlegs
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Greater Yellowlegs
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I noticed a smaller shorebird in the mix keeping off to itself and was able to identify it at download. A wonderful surprise, a Least Sandpiper!
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Least Sandpiper
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Mallards
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Found across all of North America and probably the most recognized of all ducks is the Mallard.
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Mallard Ducks, Chesapeake Farms
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It is always fun to capture a pretty series of a Mallard doing a wing stretch!
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Male Mallard wing-stretch #1
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Male Mallard wing-stretch #2
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Male Mallard wing-stretch #3 with a handsome smile!
(these taken in Delaware at the pond with the Whistling Ducks)
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Did you know that when you hear all that quacking amongst Mallards, it is only the female Mallard? Males don’t quack; they make a quieter, rasping sound.
Now you know who is giving the orders, and who is talking under their breath. 😂
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Eagles in Flight
I promised Bald Eagles in flight two posts back. I am pleased with several pretty ones, so I decided to spoil you. 😉
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Bald Eagle (adult)
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Immature Bald Eagle
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Bald Eagle pair
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Immature (bottom) soaring with it’s parents
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Immature Bald Eagle keeping playful pace with one of its parents
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Immature Bald Eagle keeping playful pace with one of its parents
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Immature Bald Eagles practicing their ‘chase’ skills with each other
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Immature Bald Eagle in ‘chase’ mode
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Immatures even practiced on their ‘attack’ and ‘locking talons’ skills!
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The above slide show shows where the two immatures did make contact and locked one talon together, then cartwheeled down, breaking away before the tree line. (wish photos were better!!)
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In the next two photos, you can see the difference in two immature Eagle’s mottled plumage.
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Immature Bald Eagle #1
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Immature Bald Eagle #2
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Immature Bald Eagle #2 above, crossing into some blue skies for even prettier shot!
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Immature Bald Eagle #2 again
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(All taken from my car window at Chesapeake Farms, Aug 20-21, 2021)
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Philadelphia Vireos
Before I get to those Eagle flight shots 😉, I’ve got to share some more excitement captured at Chesapeake Farms.
Welcome to my bird lifer list #243 Philadelphia Vireo! 🤗💃🤗
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Philadelphia Vireo (my lifer #243)
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Maybe a dozen or so Philadelphia Vireos were flitting about in a tree, then dropping to the grass to forage.
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Philadelphia Vireo
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Philadelphia Vireo
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I did not do so well with photos. They were so fast, and I wasn’t haven’t the best of luck with shooting out my car window. But, hey, it’s a lifer I’ve documented with a photo ID, so I’m very proud of that!
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Eagle Family and Their Marsh
The 40-acre marsh on Chesapeake Farms is filled with tree stumps and logs, perfect for wildlife perching to eat, rest or fish.
I’m not sure who outnumbered who at any given moment while viewing the marsh one morning, the Great Blue Herons or the Bald Eagles.
I even scored two shots of both in one frame, which was neat to show size comparison between the two species.
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Great Blue Heron stalking behind a Bald Eagle
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Great Blue Heron stalking behind an immature Bald Eagle
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My e-bird daily email had told me seven Eagles had been seen at once here. That’s what drew me to want to visit to check out. At one time, I was fortunate to see six Bald Eagles either perched or flying. It was very exciting!
As I watched them flying during my two visits, I noticed several times one of the Eagles would fly down to land into the same area of pine trees. I suspect there is a nest in there.
Here are more perching photos.
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Bald Eagles
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Bald Eagle (immature)
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Bald Eagle
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Bald Eagle (immature)
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Bald Eagle
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I was also able to get lots of flight photos. I guess you know what else I will be sharing soon! 😉
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Great Blue Heron
Chesapeake Farms includes a 40-acre marsh that is scattered with tree stumps and logs. Perfect habitat perches for birds.
I came to a slow stop when I spotted this Great Blue Heron as he walked along a log.
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Great Blue Heron
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And then the sun broke through the clouds, yes!
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Great Blue Heron
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The heron departed the log and kept on with its slow pace, stalking the waters.
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Great Blue Heron
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Capturing the classic ‘one-foot up’ stalking pose is always a bonus!
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Great Blue Heron
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Great Blue Heron
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This heron knew exactly where s/he was going, to a fishing hole to the right of the above photo. Breakfast time!
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Gray Catbird
I’ve just discovered a new-to-me wildlife drive that winds through a 3,300-acre private farm called Chesapeake Farms in the Rock Hall area. Since 1997 through the Conservation Fund and American Farmland Trust, this farm has been devoted to the development, evaluation, and demonstration of advanced agricultural practices and wildlife management techniques.
It is only four miles from our home and opened daily from April 10 to October 10, dawn to dusk. You are not allowed to get out of your car for any photos or hiking. The wildlife and property is to be respected.
Few days ago when my birding itch had begun and an e-bird daily email mentioned this place by a birder, I first went a late afternoon to check it out, see if it was for me.
Oh my gosh, I just had to return the next morning! I will be sharing lots of photos from this wildlife habitat farm with its fields, ponds, and marshes.
My first photos taken were soon after I had stopped to take one of their ‘driving tour’ maps made available in a weather-proof box.
As I was looking at the map, a Gray Catbird flew out of its hiding to a branch in the thicket outside my car window to greet me. How delightful!
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Gray Catbird
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Gray Catbird
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And then I was asked to move on….
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Gray Catbird stare-down
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I took the hint and continued slowly on down the wildlife drive for many more surprises! 😉
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Black-throated Green Warblers
We’ve been home a month, and boy oh boy, I’ve had the itch. I finally took some time this past week to get back to birding here on our beloved Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Let’s just get to it and start with some excitement of mine!
A few mornings ago, I was sitting next to my window with my laptop, visiting your blogs 😊, when I caught sight of a flock of small birds, flitting in the tops of our trees.
Welcome to my bird lifer list #242 Black-throated Green Warbler!
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Black-throated Green Warbler – My Lifer #242
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Black-throated Green Warbler
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Warblers do as warblers do…..they don’t stay still for long!
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Black-throated Green Warbler
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Black-throated Green Warbler
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Black-throated Green Warbler
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Black-throated Green Warbler
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Black-throated Green Warbler
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What a challenging and oh-so thrilling 15-minute visitation, I loved it! 💃🤗😊
Oh yeah! Donna is back to birding! More to come!!
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Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
While out west this past summer, I still kept up with some of the rarities showing up back home in Maryland and nearby Delaware. Roseate Spoonbills were the rave at Bombay Hook NWR in Delaware, and are still be reporting. (I’ve had no time to visit. 😕)
Another summer sensation has been (and still is) a small flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks that arrived and stayed for the summer, hanging with the resident Mallards in a housing community’s retention pond outside Clayton, Delaware. How lucky for me they were less than a half-mile from our daughter’s home!
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Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
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Black-bellied Whistling Ducks primarily live year-round in eastern South Carolina and Georgia, all of Florida, as well as other portions of Texas, Alabama, New Mexico, and Mexico where they are most abundant.
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Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
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Black-bellied Whistling Duck and his Cormorant buddy, with a Mallard looking on
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With their bright pink beaks, legs, and feet, they are an exotic beauty.
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Black-bellied Whistling Duck
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Black-bellied Whistling Duck
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Black-bellied Whistling Duck
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And just as their name suggests, these ducks do whistle while in flight.
Take a listen…..
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“Reflections” & one with something to say
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Kootenai Falls
Located on the Kootenai River near Libby, Montana, we hiked down established paths to Kootenai Falls, to view a sacred area of the Kootenai Indians.
The Kootenai Indians view the falls as the center of the world, a place where tribal members can commune with the spiritual forces that give direction to the tribe and to individual members.
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Kootenai Falls
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The calmly flowing Kootenai River suddenly picks up speed as elevation begins to drop with running rapids, eventually to Kootenai Falls which drops 300 feet over several hundred yards. The widest point of the falls is 1,000 feet. It is one of the largest free-flowing waterfalls in the northwest United States.
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Kootenai Falls
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Kootenai Falls is also where the majority of the 1994 movie, River Wild, starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon, was filmed.
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Bay Photos by Donna 