Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Day 3

Sandpipers freak out over the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.

Before I head home, I always like to take one more spin around Wildlife Drive, just in case a flock of snowy owls had flown in overnight.  They hadn't.  However, the rain and warmer weather had melted some of the ice close to the drive, so there were more birds within 300mm shooting distance.  It was mostly mallards and Canada geese, though.  Not to poo poo those types of birds, but they're not exactly exotic, where I live in North Jersey. 

There was, however, a flock of sandpipers?  A gaggle of sandpipers?  A murder of sandpipers?  A bunch of sandpipers?  Yes, a bunch of sandpipers, who had found something delicious on which to snack on the ice's surface had gathered close to the drive.  That, in its self, did not make for a particularly fascinating photograph.  However, they have this wonderful habit of being suddenly startled for no apparent reason and doing their best impression of a starling murmeration.

Enjoy!

Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Day 2

Day 2 at the refuge was a bit more eventful.  It was rainy all day and a bit warmer, and I knew what that meant.  Melted ice!  Stop scratching your heads.  Melted ice means more open water closer to shore, which means more birds within camera range. There weren't a lot, but there were enough to keep me interested.

Have a look.

Egrets Behaving Badly

I spent a couple of days at the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, and this happened.