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Dune Road Ducks

2013-03-02T20:08:00.002-05:00

This morning I took a trip to Dune Road and was quite surprised at how high the tide was. The marshes were all completely flooded out with the waves lapping against the roadway in many areas. Because of these super high tides - I knew birds would be scarce (since there's virtually no where to forage). I got lucky in seeing some Red-breasted Mergansers that were close to shore (or the road rather) as well as a Great Blue Heron that was hanging around.

The real highlight though was a Northern Harrier that was cruising along the road, east of Ponquogue which allowed excellent views and a couple decent shots. The ocean was quite calm and held nothing of note. I ran into some volunteers from the Riverhead Foundation who unfortunately were retrieving a (long) dead Loggerhead Sea Turtle that was likely the victim of cold-stunning in the fall.

I took all of these photos with my Nikon D300s - but will be upgrading shortly to the new Nikon D7100! Pre-order yours @ amazon today:

Dune Road - Quality over Quantity

2013-02-12T22:02:00.001-05:00

This afternoon I was off from work and was able to take advantage of the clear blue skies and go to Dune Road with my wife to see if any good birds were around. While the road was clear and free of snow - there was a massive puddle just east of Tiana which prevented us from going further to check on the inlet (though the ocean was quite rough) and other areas east. It didn't matter though - everything I wanted to see (except a Snipe perhaps) was adjacent to the road in a narrow strip. An American Bittern openly fishing, a Black-Crowned Night Heron looking, well, cold, and a Northern Harrier actively hunting, taking advantage of the blustery winds.

Additionally, a Sharp-shinned hawk was spotted near the Quogue bridge but I couldn't catch up to it as it flew north in lazy pursuit of some pigeons. Lastly, there was a semi-palmated plover feeding on some mud flats - but otherwise it was very quite (save for standard ducks/GBH's/gulls).

Palm Beach County in January

2013-02-02T11:28:00.000-05:00

Black-Bellied Whistling Duck - Wakodahatchee

The last week in January I was able to take another trip down to Jupiter Florida, in Palm Beach County to visit with my wife's parents and to get away from the miserably cold and bitter Long Island winter (even if it was just for a few days). I had two goals for this trip - I wanted to go to Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Wetlands (both located in Delray Beach) and I wanted to take some sunrise images utilizing a slow shutter speed at the beach. I knew of two locations that feature rocks along the shoreline that hopefully would create an interesting focal point and certainly would be a unique shot as it's very "un-florida".

My wife and I picked monday morning to go to Wakodahatchee and Green Cay because there would be less people than on the weekend. While we didn't get there exactly at sunrise (I hit the snooze a few times!) it was close enough and we were treated with nice soft light and a few clouds that offered the occasional diffused light shot. From our previous trip to these wetlands, I knew I wanted to go to Wako first because it's significantly smaller and the birds are significantly closer - and there are active rookeries. Green Cay, in my opinion is nicer and more scenic, but you have to work a little harder for the shots and there's a little more luck involved. I figured I could get through Wako quickly, getting the shots I wanted then head over to the Cay (just a few blocks away) and still utilize the early morning light. I was hoping to add a couple new species to my ever-growing "photographed-species" list (I don't count birds that I simply see), namely the Wood Stork and the Roseate Spoonbill.

These birds have both been seen (fairly regularly) at these locations and in Palm Beach County in general, but every time I go down there I somehow manage to miss them. Wako quickly produced a Wood Stork (which my wife initially spotted) and Green Cay gave me several more - but no Roseate's and no other new species either. In fact, I missed out on some good birds I'd seen the last time at these locations, including the least bittern (last visit yielded 3) and I only had quick glances at 2 Purple Gallinules (last visit they were quite prevalent) and I missed out on the Egyptian Goose which I had photographed flying by last time. But, for all those birds that I "missed" I made up for with quality images, including of the Pied-billed Grebe, one of my favorite species. This diminutive Grebe is very difficult to get near in New York - if you can even find it (I only see a handful each year), but down in Florida they seem to be everywhere and gave me some really nice poses. I would have liked one with a nice big fish in its tiny bill - but that will have to wait. So, enough rambling. Enjoy the photos.

White Ibis - Green Cay

Tri-Colored Heron - Wakodahatchee

Tri-Colored Heron - Green Cay

Cattle Egret - Wakodahatchee

Great Blue Heron - Wakodahatchee

Limpkin - Green Cay

Brown Pelican - John D. McCarthur State Park

Oh, and did I forget to mention the baby gators at Green Cay??

Baby Gator trying to stay awake

And back to nap time

Lastly - there's this beautiful Red-Shouldered Hawk seen at Wakodahatchee Wetlands

If you frequent Florida - or just want to learn more about the flora and fauna there, check out the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida

American Bittern on Dune Road

2013-01-21T17:55:00.000-05:00

One of the best parts about winter on Long Island (since there aren't too many great things about winter in the North) is finding a select few winter birds. My favorites are the American Bittern, Wilson's Snipe, various species of ducks (eiders, goldeneyes, mergansers, etc.) and of course the world famous Snowy Owl. The only two Snowy Owl's I've ever found were along Dune Road in Hampton Bays - and both of them were strokes of luck. Unfortunately, I did not have that luck with me today (nor did I have it last year when the birds seemingly were everywhere!). I was, however, fortunate enough to spot a beautiful American Bittern, skulking low along a roadside ditch on Dune Road - where I've spotted them in winter's past.

Luckily, the bird could be viewed through a small window where the spartina grass wasn't too tall - often times these, and other shorebirds go unseen due to the thick vegetative cover which only gets knocked down during big snow events (of which we of course have not had). Shortly after taking a couple photos, the bird disappeared into the grasses - not to be seen by me again.

Elsewhere along Dune Road was the usual cast, a couple great egrets (which are now becoming a regular over-winter bird (albeit in very small numbers), three great blue herons, a decent amount of ducks on the flat, waveless bay and a few rattling king fishers. A big adult Cooper's Hawk was seen on a powerline in Quogue, and on the first small pond on the north side of the road when travelling east from Quogue were two hooded mergansers - that took off before I could get a shot thanks to a big 18-wheeler.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that I stopped at Tiana Beach and checked out the very calm ocean and couldn't believe how many birds I saw way offshore toward the 1-mile marker buoy. I tried taking some pictures, but the heat-shimmer effect made it impossible to discern the species, and my 8X40 bins proved no better. My guess is scoters or eiders, but I would have expected to see a touch more white when I zoomed in on the low quality photos if they were in fact eiders. Either way, there were 2-3 rafts, each with thousands of birds. Quite the display.

If you are interested in learning more about the birds of Long Island, as well as other information about the flora and fauna of our Island, check out John Turner's book (which features some of my photographs):
Exploring the Other Island: A seasonal guide to nature on Long Island

Crossbills

2012-11-18T19:06:00.002-05:00

Male Red Crossbill

After seeing the posts over the last few weeks of Crossbills all over Long Island I decided to join in the fun. I asked Derek Rogers for some info on where to spot them at Hecksher which is close by and headed out Sunday Morning around 9:00. I ran into Derek just outside of Field 5 where he was trying to hunt down an "interesting" sparrow and he informed me that he had heard some crossbills fly over and that it should be a good morning for them.

Female Red Crossbill

While there were some at Jones Beach, I should be just as successful here. After getting to the section of pines just east of Field 7, a mixed flock of Crossbills alighted on a tree top and then foraged for about 20 minutes... it doesn't get easier than that!

Male White-winged Crossbills and a Female Red Crossbill

Male Red Crossbill

Aside from the Crossbills, I had plenty of red-breasted nuthatches, but that was the only thing of note.

Female White-winged Crossbill

Male White-winged Crossbill

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

If you are interested in learning more about the birds of Long Island, as well as other information about the flora and fauna of our Island, check out John Turner's book (which features some of my photographs):
Exploring the Other Island: A seasonal guide to nature on Long Island

Fall Colors

2012-10-21T21:03:00.000-04:00

Fall Colors on the Peconic River

Fall of course is in full swing and Pine Siskins are everywhere... I haven't seen too many, but I've spent very little time at the beach where they are migrating. According to one report this morning, nearly 20,000 were seen flying from east to west at Fire Island, quite a spectacle!

As for me, I took a quick visit to Swan Lake in East Patchogue which is a short drive away and saw several yellow-rumped warblers. More excitingly, on the lake were at least three pied-billed grebes along with many swans and mallards Before long Swan Lake will be swarming with winter waterfowl.

I've also taken a few fall-foliage-over-water photos but I seemed to have missed the season's peak colors.

Common Raven

2012-10-13T17:01:00.001-04:00

While waiting for a delivery I was gazing out the window and noticed a very large black bird land on the powerline outside my house - I immediately went and grabbed my camera, convinced that it was a (not-so-Common) Common Raven. I grabbed a few photos through the living room window and when I went outside I relocated it in a tree across the street (near a neighbors feeder) but didn't have enough lighting for a decent photo. Please correct me if I'm wrong - but fairly certain this is a Raven (which of course, was not accompanied by other Corvids)

First trip to Jones Beach this fall

2012-10-06T20:26:00.006-04:00

This morning was my first trip to Jones Beach's West End of the fall, a time of year I always look forward to photographically. The promise of migratory birds big and small including raptors, songbirds and woodpeckers combined with cool crisp mornings is my favorite time of year to be in the field with camera in hand. While I just returned from my honeymoon in Dominica which provided wonderful photographic opportunities and scenery, it's nice to get back home and see what my backyard has to offer.

I didn't find anything of note today - well, nothing rare anyway. I did see some Cedar Waxwings which I cannot remember seeing during migration along the shore in the last 3 years I've been going there. There were plenty of Pine Siskins, Goldfinches, loads of Northern Flickers and a decent number of Merlins around.

The most exciting bird for me though was on my drive home, when I was halfway down the Ocean Parkway and saw something large perched in a tree. As I passed by at 60mph I saw a large falcon - the Peregrine. I took the time to drive to the next U-turn and go all the way back and U-turn again in an effort to grab a quick photo (parking alongside the parking was strictly prohibited, but the police were otherwise occupied with some speedy motocyclistes). This photo was taken with my new Nikon 1 V1 10.1 MP HD Digital Camera

The Merlins this morning were quite active and the first one I saw in the parking lot was eating the remains of it's catch (clearly a small bird). The Merlin had fled to the parking lot from its perch in a snag after a couple crows showed up to investigate. I also saw several merlins in hot pursuit of Northern Flickers (which are only slightly smaller - at least it seems that way) but never saw a successful catch.

Another surprise, along the bountiful median was a beautiful Northern Harrier that came across the road slowly working the area for a meal. The photo below is probably the best I've taken of a Northern Harrier in flight in my 3+ years of pursuing flight images of them. You just never know when a bird will give you a chance like this.

September Birds

2012-09-09T21:51:00.002-04:00

I recently purchased a new camera - the Nikon 1 V1 10.1 MP Camera with 10-30mm VR and 30-110mm VR 1 NIKKOR Lenses along with the Nikon FT-1 F-Mount Adapter which allows me to use all of my DSLR lenses on this new camera body. The big advantage here is that the Nikon V1 camera has a "CX" sensor which is considerably smaller than the sensors on the DSLR, but provides a 2.7X crop factor. What does all of that mean? Basically, my 300mm lens becomes a 800mm lens, and my 300mm + 1.7X TC becomes a 1,375mm lens (when compared to 35mm equivalent) giving me a big advantage at a much smaller price than buying a massive new lens. I also have the advantage of hooking up a smaller lens, such as my 105mm f/2.8 macro lens to this camera which makes it nearly a 300mm f/2.8 macro while letting me also carry my standard camera with 300mm + 1.7X converter. A nice combo to be walking around with!

All of the above means that I can get more up-close photos of birds without being so, well, up-close. The first bird I wanted to test this out on was the American Kestrel who has taunted me for years by always being just out of reach. Maybe now my fortunes would change, but as I found out yesterday (saturday) the wind worked against me keeping me from approaching the 20+ kestrels at EPCAL.
Today, the winds were light - but that meant the runway featuring the most birds (the eastern runway) was being used for skydiving so I wouldn't have access to these birds and was forced to stay on the western runway where the birds were few and far between. I did find a pair of savannah sparrows though who let me try out the new system.

After the sparrows, I searched around some more and couldn't find anything. I left to get gas and figured I'd drive through the property on my way to Dune Road when I spotted an American Kestrel that looked as though it may be cooperative. I was able to photograph the Kestrel as it approached a grasshopper, plucked it up and enjoyed its meal on some mullein. I still would have liked to have been a lot closer, and being completely unfamiliar with the camera led to some not-so-perfect images, but certainly better than anything I've gotten before of a Kestrel at EPCAL which means there are a lot of great shots to come!

I wasn't completely shutout yesterday, however. I did find a green frog and a pickerel frog, which is a species I'd never seen/photographed before.

If you are interested in the Nikon V1 system - check it out for yourself:

Alley Pond Park

2012-05-13T22:39:00.000-04:00

This morning I headed to Alley Pond Park in Queens for the first time since i had to be in that area anyway for Mother's day festivities. I got to the park at around 6:45 AM and wandered past the ponds and along the trails until 9 AM. While I was not as successful as I was hoping (mostly due to the significant leaf coverage and my inability to ID warbler calls) I photographed a few new species and had a nice morning hike.

The first new species I came across was the Red-eyed Vireo (below) which was at about eye level on a trail that unfortunately was not being touched by the sun yet which made for a slow shutter speed and noisy, not-so-sharp image.

The next bird I got nice looks at was the ubiquitous Yellow Warbler which posed nicely but was nothing terribly captivating.

Shortly after leaving the Yellow Warbler I was stopped in my tracks by the buzzing song of the Northern Parula (though I admit I had to ask a birder later on what species I'd photographed). The Parula, it turned out, was right in front of me - a little lower than eye level actively calling out. Again the lighting was awful and the images I got were not ideal but good for a new species.

I heard several species of Warbler - Tennessee and Canada to name two. A few Thrushes dotted the trails and were wary of me and Baltimore Orioles were busy squabbling with one another. As I made my way out of the forest and back toward the parking lot I saw a flash of color above me. A female American Redstart wouldn't cooperate, so I was stuck with this:

For those of you interested in how I get my photos from my camera to the web, I import them using Adobe's Photoshop Lightroom where I can easily process them and catalog them. Check it out here:

Manorville Birds

2012-05-10T21:44:00.002-04:00

Yellow Warbler

This morning I had to conduct a site visit at a defunct nursery which will soon be a new subdivision. I enjoy this part of my job as I'm often one of the last people to see a property in it's "natural state" before it's developed. It's bittersweet of course, but still nice. In this case, 1/2 of the property will be given to the Town for Open Space so it's not a total loss.

Chipping Sparrows

During my inspection I saw a decent variety of birds. Yellow Warblers (including some with nesting material), Orchard Orioles, Chipping Sparrows, Song Sparrows, House Finches and others. Here are a few photos from this morning.

Pair of House Finches

Yellow Warbler with Nesting material

I photographed these birds with my Nikon D300s which you can check out here:

Prairie Warblers Abound

2012-05-06T20:55:00.001-04:00

On Friday between 1 and 2 PM I went on an easy hike through the Woods in Ridge off the northern portion of Wading River Hollow Road (North of Route 25, just East of WLNY-TV). I wasn't expecting much of anything but had some time on my lunch hour and wanted to explore. The habitat in this area is quite unique as it is made up almost entirely of bayberry shrubs. The Pine Barrens, naturally are dominated by pitch pine trees, but there must have been a fire at some point and the sandy soils and sunshine allowed the bayberry shrubs to dominate everything else. There of course are pitch pines, though they are generally 5-10 feet in height (as opposed to the 40 or 50 foot trees in older forests). This habitat makes it really easy to find birds, and so did the unmistakeable call of the Prairie Warbler.

Unfortunately for me, this was the only real interesting bird in the area. I returned Saturday morning with poor lighting and found the same - lots of prairie warblers but nothing else of real interest. I spotted a couple Eastern Kingbirds, a Brown Thrasher, some Yellow-rumped Warblers, even a pair of Mallards who came in to check out the nearby pond and who seemed quite disappointed that it was virtually dry. Anyway, that's all there is to report. Despite my eternal optimism every summer, I always fail to find multiple species of warbler in any one spot and have a lot of birds to add to my photography list.

If you like warblers like me - and have a tough time telling them all apart (like most people) this book will be a huge help:

Signs of Spring

2012-04-26T19:51:00.001-04:00

Just a quick update here - signs of spring are all around us and I've been lucky to photograph a few things that I don't get a lot of opportunities to see. Last weekend I happily re-located a great-horned owlet sitting in the nest which has historically been occupied by Osprey. I'm hoping that next time I visit the bird will be in the "branching" phase and will be found on some of the tree snags that are near the nest.

I also went to check out a fox den that I photographed last year at Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge. I found the den but the kits weren't outside - one of the adults (almost certainly the male) was out in the field hunting though. Eventually it decided it was time for a nap and it curled up to go to sleep which I viewed from my car via my binoculars. I took the chance to sneak up and around the bend behind a brush pile where I was able to get a shot or two of the fox before retreating.

While I had been waiting for the fox in the car - this Bluebird landed on a tree branch next to my car which made for an easy photo. Hopefully this weekend will give me some good weather and let me find a few more treats.

Calverton and North Fork Preserve

2012-04-08T21:04:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend I visited a site I'd never been to before in Calverton. Despite it's close proximity to EPCAL which I have gone to regularly for years, I'd never noticed it before. It's just off the road and contains several small, shallow wetlands. My guess is that in the late spring and early summer it will be teeming with interesting wetland plants, frogs, tadpoles and dragonflies. On Friday morning during my brief visit, there was a good flock of Ruby Crowned Kinglets, plenty of Red-winged Blackbirds (who certainly will be nesting there) and a handful of colorful Pine Warblers as seen below.

EPCAL featured lots of the good stuff - Northern Harriers, a couple dozen American Kestrels, Wild Turkeys, herds of White-tailed Deer and plenty of Eastern Meadowlarks who were actively calling. A lone groundhog was seen looking around on the North side of the property (across Route 25).

A trip to North Fork Preserve didn't yield many photos but showed how much potential the site has. I saw Green-winged Teal, 7 Snipe, a Great Blue Heron, 2 red fox, lots of Wild Turkey, several hawk species and heard some warblers and kinglets. I'm really looking forward to the full migration push when Warblers will be coming through as the small pockets of wetlands at the North Fork Preserve are prime habitat for many of these species.

Tree Swallows taking up residence in a Wood Duck box

Nice lighting on "home pond"

I visited another East End location where I'd heard about an Owl nest and sure enough there it was... I stayed for a couple of minutes and then was on my way. I'd like to get back in the early morning for better lighting - but I'm headed on vacation later this week to Florida so not sure when I'll have the opportunity.

This nest has produced at least 1 Owlet

For more on birds that can be found around Long Island - check out this book by John Turner: Exploring the Other Island: A seasonal guide to nature on Long Island

Pink-footed Goose

2012-02-22T21:10:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening Derek Rogers whom I've known since College was driving home and saw a large flock of geese on the North side of the LIE and figured he would give it a scan since there was some light left. Before long he had plucked out a Pink-footed Goose, a proverbial needle in a haystack (or stack of goose down anyway). The Pink-footed Goose is the holy grail of Geese in the Northeast and there it was right in Holtsville. This morning a report of the bird being at Medford Athletic Complex was great news for me since my office is right down the road from there but by the time my lunch break came around the birds were gone - replaced by Soccer Players enjoying the warm February weather. So I rolled the dice that the bird would head to the Soccer fields in Holtsville again around dusk and sure enough - within 5 minutes of my arrival I watched the bird fly in from the North through my binoculars and land at the far north end of the field.

So while I'm happy to get this difficult bird in a place so close to home I'm woefully disappointed in the image quality (no thanks to the light and distance). Maybe I'll get lucky in the next few days.

If you are interested in Birds that can be found around Long Island - check out this book by John Turner: Exploring the Other Island: A seasonal guide to nature on Long Island

Snowy Owl and Snow Goose

2012-01-07T17:44:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I had a little time to look for birds so I headed out east and started on Dune Rd. where a Snowy Owl has repeatedly been reported stationed on Warner Island just east of the Shinnecock Bridge and just West of the Shinnecock Fishing Station. Sure enough, the bird was there - though it was probably the most underwhelming Snowy Owl experience given the significant distance and the average optics I had (Nikon Action Ex Extreme 8 X 40 mm All Terrain Binoculars). Still, it's always nice to locate and see this powerful and beautiful bird and below is the best image I was able to ascertain with my camera at a distance of ~ 1/3 of a mile.

The Shinnecock Inlet held nothing of interest aside from a couple seals who popped their heads up and some loons. Here's a photo of a Red-throated loon I took last weekend at Cupsogue Beach:

Hoping to get lucky and find some wood ducks or other bird of interest I stopped in at Quogue Wildlife Refuge where the first bird I noticed was a Snow Goose (that seems to have a broken wing). The bird was able to get around ok and swim (and of course there's plenty of food at the refuge) but certainly won't be able to fly when the time comes. I'm assuming that the staff there is aware of this and that it will be captured by the Hamptons rescue group soon enough and rehabbed. This was my first encounter with this species - so it's too bad that the bird is injured but still nice to see it and glad to see it at a safe haven like Quogue Wildlife Refuge.

If you are interested in the binoculars I use - check out the link below:

Mountain Bluebird

2011-12-29T20:32:00.000-05:00

This morning I set out to find the Mountain Bluebird that has been present in the Calverton area for approximately a week. There were a few other birders who were out there as well which helped because one of them located it along the fencing at the Haunted House on 25A and alerted me to it. While the bird didn't come nearly as close as I'd hoped, it was still a pleasure to photograph this rare visitor from the West.

Since I was out and about I figured I'd try and see if anything else of interest was around. Some time at EPCAL produced a flock of Eastern Meadowlarks and a handful of Savannah Sparrows - but there were some raptors as well. Two Red-tailed hawks were perched in a tree next to each other, Northern Harriers were hunting near the runways and a couple American Kestrels were seen including this one which was a bit more cooperative than usual.

In addition to the above mentioned birds were a couple male Eastern Bluebirds (which were far more attractive than the drab Mountain Bluebird). Another Red-tailed hawk was spotted on a light pole in Aquebogue, and I had time for a brief visit to the new North Fork Preserve Suffolk County Park which yielded a Red-tailed hawk being chased by a Cooper's. All in all a nice cold winter day with some raptors and a species of bird that's new to me.

For more on birds that can be found around Long Island - check out this book by John Turner: Exploring the Other Island: A seasonal guide to nature on Long Island

Palm Beach County Vacation

2011-11-15T20:19:00.000-05:00

I just returned from a week down in Palm Beach County Fl, and while I only added 1 new species to my photographic tome I got a lot of great photos of species I've seldom seen. More importantly however I was able to really immerse myself in nature and marvel at a pint sized Green Heron fishing feet from my kayak or sit still as a gator basked itself along the banks of a canal soaking up the Florida rays.

I'll start this blog post off with the only new species I nabbed - the Red-headed Woodpecker. While this bird does live in New York and has been seen on Long Island, it's a rare event. I was fortunate enough to have three of these birds actively looking for food in midday at Cypress Creek Park. The photos of course didn't come out too well thanks to that sun but I'm happy none-the-less.

Pelican's were everywhere - as were Osprey. It is funny how a species that is so coveted (the Pelican) in New York as a fall rarity is so prevalent a few thousand miles south and how quickly one becomes bored of photographing them.

While kayaking the Loxahatchee River at River Bend Park, I encountered a Green Heron, Limpkins and a juvenile Little Blue Heron in the white plumage which I'd never had the pleasure of photographing before. It was astonishing how close approach the birds allow. I could have reached out and touched any of these birds - and they were all photographed with my 18-200mm lens instead of the usual 500mm focal length of my other bird images.

At Arthur R. Marshall National Wildlife Refuge (the eastern fringe of the everglades) I was there at midday which wasn't best for birds but there were still a few around including Little Blue Heron, Limpkin, Pied-bill Grebe and some raptors (Northern Harrier and Red-shouldered Hawk of the florida race [lighter colored plumage than other RS Hawks).

The last bird of note was a Cooper's Hawk who I spotted briefly after the Red-headed Woodpecker and whose presence was given away by an incessant Blue-jay alerting the whole neighborhood.

On the non-bird front I was surprised to not see any snakes but there were plenty of other reptiles including Turtles (not sure on the species) and the big and always intimidating, American Alligator whose presence was made known at several spots.

I missed out on River Otters (but hey, they're always tough to find), Spoonbills, Woodstorks and any of the Kite species but there is always next time and it gives me something to really look forward to.

If you are interested in the birds of Florida, or are headed down there in the near future, check out this book: National Geographic Field Guides to Birds: Florida (National Geographic Field Guide to Birds)

Peregrine Falcon

2011-11-05T12:25:00.000-04:00

It was a cold morning at Jones Beach and the birds were few and far between. The "hedgerow" at the Coast Guard Station was all but dead when the sun rose but after a while some birds moved in - though mostly junco's as seen below. I moved on to try and photograph raptors in this favorable wind though I only expected Sharpies and Cooper's Hawks because of how late in the season it is. A couple sharpies went by quickly but didn't hang around long enough for photos then out of nowhere (well, from the West anyway which is unexpected) this Peregrine Falcon came within feet of me. My reflexes weren't fast enough to get "the ultimate shot" but I came away with some good ones none-the-less. (Note the blood that can be seen on the underside and the talon)

And here is the junco that a Peregrine would love to have as a snack:

If you like raptors as much as I do check out this book by Jerry Ligouri: Hawks from Every Angle: How to Identify Raptors In Flight

Injured Northern Saw-whet owl

2011-11-03T17:45:00.000-04:00

This morning my co-worker who lives in Speonk on a wooded parcel told us he found an injured Screech Owl in his garage yesterday after he finished mowing his lawn (the garage door had been open and he finished around dusk). He put it in a crate and brought it to work the next day assuming one of his co-workers would know what to do with it. I went out to view the owl and took a few photos with my cellphone and shared them with Anthony Graves who realized it was not a screech (I've never seen a Screech or a Saw-whet in person) and rather a Saw-Whet which was confirmed by Sibleys. Someone who has experience with injured wild animals offered to take it to a nearby animal hospital where it would be treated for a broken wing and either released or brought to a facility such as Quogue Wildlife Refuge if it could not be properly rehabbed. It seemed to be in good health (aside from the wing) when brought to the vet and was hoping around and readily ate a mouse that was provided to it.

Fortunately the bird was found in the garage and was brought to the right person within a decent time frame and will have a second chance at life. For those of you who don't know what to do when you find an injured animal, never hesitate to contact the Hampton Bays Wildlife Rescue Center (located at Munns Pond Preserve County Park in Hampton Bays). They can be reached at: 631-728-4200. If they cannot pick it up they will be able to tell you what to do with the animal (be it a raccoon, deer, opossum or bird) and where to bring it.

Book Review: A Sea in Flames

2011-11-01T22:35:00.011-04:00

The sun sets a salt marsh ablaze with light

To see the ocean on fire is a harrowing sight - to set the ocean on fire in order to help alleviate an environmental disaster, well that truly is frightening. The image of thick, charcoal colored smoke erupting into the air as black oil burns atop the azure Gulf of Mexico is the image that graces the cover of Carl Safina’s latest book, A Sea in Flames. An apt photo and an apt title for one of the worst environmental catastrophes in human history. We all know the script - On Earth Day, 2010, an oil well owned by BP (Beyond Petroleum) had a pressure build up which exploded, killing 11 people and injuring many more. Then the oil began to flow, or rather spew from the seafloor at a tremendous rate and would continue to do so for 87 straight days.

Soon after the initial explosion, Safina finds himself on a plane headed south. “I did not want to go to the Gulf. It seemed like a good situation to avoid. . . I could not fathom that stopping the leak might require more than a few days.” What he could not fathom he discovered through interviews, countless newspaper articles and listening to weeks of incessant radio and television reporters. This information is laid out expertly in three succinct sections: Part One - Disaster Chain, Part Two - A Season of Anguish, Part Three - Aftermath. If only things had been this organized for BP.

A Commercial fishing boat whose name is betrayed by the black smoke chugging from the engine

BP would like the world to believe that the Deepwater Horizon blowout was a big accident (they refer to it as such on their website). No one to blame, no one at fault, merely a reflection of the odds. With all of those wells and all of those platforms floating in the Gulf, an accident of this magnitude was bound to happen - don’t worry though, it’s just a little oil in a big ocean. The company's initial reaction was like that of the policeman at the scene of a bad accident, “Nothing to see here folks - keep movin’ along”. Of course there was something to see and Safina made sure he saw it. From the bows of fisherman’s boats, from the co-pilot’s seat of tiny single prop planes. From the formerly pristine beaches of Louisiana and Mississippi to the ghost town streets and restaurants of tourist destinations along the Florida Panhandle, Safina saw it. “Blue water turned shiny purple. A bruise from a battering. The sea swollen with oil.”

What the author discovers in the Deep South is that misinformation, anger, un-preparedness, paranoia and naïveté flow like the oil from the deep sea. Unfortunately for Safina, there are no dispersants that can be sprayed on the newspaper headlines, no booms deployed to corral people who proclaim “The sky is falling - the end is near!” Safina pens, “I am deeply distressed about the potential damage to wildlife and habitats - but I find myself becoming uncomfortable with all the catastrophizing. . . Cool heads are not prevailing.”

How does one digest the useless phrases the media and BP come up with? Junkshot. Top Kill. Burn Box. This book cuts through the spin cycle BP and the Government put the spill through and approaches every new solution and press conference with sage skepticism. A Sea in Flames explores the questions posed by the average American, the fisherman whose livelihood has been stolen (hey, it was an accident!) and the scientific community. Will fishing really be affected for years to come? How much oil is spilling out? How long until the Gulf recovers? Who’s in charge? The answers are often surprising, sometimes upsetting and always beg more questions.

A Brown Pelican sits atop the Sea

Carl, an even-keeled and accomplished marine biologist whose dedication to the salt water world is unparalleled, absorbs the onslaught of hyperbole from both sides. He understands the pain of the fishermen who have seen their workplaces converted into wastelands. He empathizes with the scientific community whose research is falling on deaf government ears. But, he also sees that there are bigger issues at hand which aren’t visible. The Gulf Blowout was a weak link in the chain of global climate change. This environmental disaster is literally a drop of oil in the Ocean compared to the unseen disaster we all contribute to daily as we cruise in our cars, jaunt on jumbo jets and heat our homes. “Because we’ve bet the house on burning oil, coal, and gas, our atmosphere’s concentration of carbon dioxide is a third higher now than at the start of the Industrial Revolution. As environmental catastrophes go, that dwarfs the Gulf Blowout of 2010.”

As the author travels throughout the Gulf, he often finds himself looking at wildlife - always prepared for the worst. To him, the Great Egret is the canary in the proverbial coal mine. More often than not, Safina sees only the pure white feathers of this wading bird - a sign that things aren’t so bad. On a trip to Grand Isle where Louisiana dips its toe into the Gulf, Safina writes, “A Forster’s tern dives into a creek. Surprisingly, pleasantly, there are plenty of white, un-oil-stained egrets here.” There is hope where many believe it has been lost. While fishermen have lost their income from shrimp and red drum, they are making a livable income from BP doing PR stunts like towing ineffective booms to sea and playing tour guide to anyone with a press pass. And while the oil bubbles to the surface, the fish and shrimp and crabs beneath breathe a sigh of relief. No baited hooks this season - no trawl nets and tickle chains. If they can survive the dissolved oil, they can survive the season. The fishermen too, will survive, along with BP and its stock price (after all, that’s what’s most important, right?).

A pristine and white Great Egret glides through the sky

A Sea in Flames is an objective look at the Gulf Blowout and what caused it. The book details the shortcuts our government and our oil companies have made that led us to that dreadful day. So many warning signs, so many opportunities to fix what was broken or - I know this is a radical idea - prepare for the worst, and yet it was always full steam ahead. No matter that the compass was broken. Safina understands that while this disaster was preventable, we as a nation have to deal with the aftermath. But he urges the nation to understand the bigger picture. The whole system is broken. The Government, Big Oil, our dependence on fossil fuels - these things are way worse than an oil spill. “The blowout is both an acute tragedy and a broad metaphor for a country operating sloppily. . .a country concerned only about the next little while, not the longer time frames of our lives or our children's futures.”

If there’s anything to learn from this environmental catastrophe, it’s that we better correct our myopic definition of environmental catastrophe. Catastrophes aren’t just oil leaks beneath the sea or tanker spills on barrier reefs. It’s not just the sudden and dramatic disasters we hear about on the news for a few weeks or months until the media finds a new obsession or someone important says the mess is all cleaned up. How quickly we have forgotten about Fukushima which will take another three or four decades to clean up. How soon the mind puts the Love Canal and the infamous Exxon spill on the back shelf. There’s another catastrophe we all contribute to, every minute of each day. Our never ending lust for fossil fuels burns the candle on both ends, leading to changes on this planet far greater than any environmental catastrophe by modern societies' standards.

Oil and Water don't Mix

A Sea in Flames can be purchased by clicking the Link to Amazon.com below:

Book Review: On Feathered Wing

2011-10-24T23:36:00.002-04:00

Note: The images contained in this Book Review were photographed by me, however I was in the company of Richard Ettlinger who has showed me the ropes with respect to photographing birds in flight.

Richard Ettlinger is one of the most talented bird photographers on the planet, as evidenced by his book "On Feathered Wing". Richard's work, along with that of six other incredible photographers (David Hemmings, H.K. Hui, Miguel Lasa, Ofer Levy, Jim Neiger and Rob Palmer) amazes the mind and the eyes at what Nature is capable of and what can be captured on camera. To be able to freeze the action of birds who can casually cruise at speeds upwards of 90 mph (in the case of the Peregrine Falcon) is a task so difficult that many don't try - and for those who do, they quickly wave the white flag.

The book beings with an extremely close encounter the author had with a falcon at a local park near his home. While the bird whizzed past his head at incredible speeds, that fleeting moment of flight stuck with him for years to come. He was determined to have a repeat encounter, to stop that bird in its tracks (digitally, that is). It was this experience that inspired him to always pursue the impossible, to utilize patience and to understand that the bird is the one in control - we are merely witnesses to their extraordinary abilities and evolution. Ettlinger writes, "You can't find the inner bird unless you find the inner you. Doing so will allow you to respect your subjects. Stalking the wild bird definitely won't get you there, so don't think that way. You won't be stalking anything."

Ettlinger begins the book with the written word as a preface for the birds who live up to the cliche about a photograph's worth. He gives a brief breakdown of the birds featured in the book (Killers on the Wing, Wings Along the Shore, Wings of the Wetlands and Songbirds on the Wing) and he discusses the migratory feats of these animals, how they hunt and the different adaptations that fit niches for a diverse group of birds. His knowledge of his subjects is only matched by his photographic skill and determining where the right time and right place will be. A birder with more than 20 years experience, Ettlinger is as good at finding birds in their element as a professional fisherman is at locating the biggest bass beneath the lake or where the motherlode of crabs will be along the ocean floor. That skill is reflected in his images as well as the images of the others who share his love and passion. I'm willing to bet if you took the avian photographers featured in this book to the coldest continent, they would come back with shots of penguins flapping freely through the freezing air.

The bulk of the book, with almost 175 incredible flight images, is accompanied by a brief description of the specific species, where it was photographed and an interesting fact or two about the bird. These narratives are kept short purposely as it takes the eye a long time to move down from the stunning image above. The author points out the influence of birds - and their respective ability to fly - on writers, poets and inventors (where do you think the Wright Brothers got the idea?) through history. He notes how even before the camera, the poet William Blake appreciated the breathtaking beauty of a bird in the sky, effortlessly floating among the clouds and wispy winds. Writes Ettlinger, "This book was conceived and created in celebration of birds' mystical genius - a quality that can only be observed while they are off the ground. Their wings may be made of pretty feathers, but those appendages serve no other purpose than to get them into and through the air." The act of flight, which we equate with magic and which mesmerizes both the smallest child and the most seasoned senior is simply a way of life, or rather, survival. It is evolutionarily the same as a humans ability to walk and talk and yet it's so much more. Man has gone to incredible lengths in pursuit of flight but no matter how hard we try, what contraptions we conceive, what ideas we implement, we still marvel at a bird taking to the sky. If you have ever had the chance to spend an hour watching birds in the air, you will be amazed. If you are short on time - take a flip through this book, because it's the next best thing.

Some of the images in this book were featured in an exhibit (under the same name as the book) at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan from June 2008 - May of 2011 (it was extended many times due to it's immense popularity). If you would like to purchase the book (which I highly recommend) click the link below:

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

2011-10-23T13:51:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning was filled with Yellow-Rumped Warblers everywhere on the West End of Jones Beach. I had some success with raptors, watching as Merlins chased anything and everything including Sharp-shinned Hawks. I headed home early since the diversity of birds was low but got an e-mail on my phone as I neared Captree announcing the presence of a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Pulling into the parking lot revealed a big group of people and I saw the bird flying from perch to perch. After spending some time trying to get a decent shot, I called it a day for good and passed on trying to locate the Yellow-Headed Blackbird that was still around.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler:

The Hawks were incredibly fast yesterday but I was able to catch up with a few:

Merlins were the real instigators - too bad I wasn't quick enough to get this Merlin chasing the Sharpie:

If you want to see more beautiful images of raptors, heck out this incredible book by my friend Richard Ettlinger:

White-crowned Sparrow

2011-10-10T20:50:00.005-04:00

Jones Beach was warm, sunny and full of birds this morning - but nothing terribly interesting. The raptors were nearly non-existant (though two Peregrine Falcons made an appearance over the Robert Moses Causeway), there were a lot of sparrows and other song sparrows. A little searching around yielded a White-Crowned Sparrow (a new species for me) along with a White-Throated Sparrow.

Other birds seen were Northern Flickers and Double Crested Cormorants.

This Yellow Warbler picked a colorful spot to pose but unfortunately was the most exciting warbler spotted.

If you are interested in raptors and want to better identify them - pick up this amazing book entitled Hawks at a Distance: Identification of Migrant Raptors

Jones Beach Migrants

2011-10-08T12:12:00.001-04:00

This morning I arrived at the West End of Jones Beach just after sunrise anxious to shoot some birds. Due to weather and other factors beyond my control I have been able to do little shooting - and the birds that have been around haven't been terribly exciting. The winds today are not what drives good birds through migration but I figured there would be something around. I cruised around the West End for a few minutes and spotted this Merlin in a tree (one of only 3 I saw this morning).

I then met up with Richard Ettlinger (author of the visually stunning book On Feathered Wings: Birds in Flight)
and we headed into the Dunes to try and get some raptors. The birds we were after were few and far between, but while we waited we were treated to several Osprey returning from the inlet with Fish in their talons, along with plenty of Northern Flickers.

Around 9 AM a Cooper's Hawk that had snuck up on us exploded out of the shrubs and gave us beautiful views and photographic opportunities. I took my success as a cue to leave and headed to the Coast Guard Station in an effort to find some smaller birds - maybe even get a new species, and as luck would have it that's exactly what happened.

I didn't have to look long before spotting this Magnolia Warbler in beautiful fall plumage (I had originally thought Nashville Warbler until looking it up in the book - this bird certainly looks different than when it's in breeding plumage).

A couple other birds were around as seen below (Golden Crowned Kinglet, Song Sparrow, Palm Warbler, Northern Mockingbird, Juvenile Osprey) and I soon packed it in and headed home. I'll be there tomorrow though so let's all pray for Northwest winds.