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.

McDade Trail

I, finally, got my camera out to McDade trail, which winds along the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.

 

This is an unharvested field of soybeans

 

This is an unharvested field of soybeans

Egrets Behaving Badly

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

Don't Forget Your Hazmat Suit

This is a horrible little place called Van Campens Glen on the Jersey side of the Delaware.  If you visit, I strongly suggest that you wear a hazmat suit.  On second thought, maybe you shouldn't go at all.  Keep Out!  Stay Away!  DANGER!  DANGER! DANGER!

Horrifying.

Ode to Snakes

Perhaps you are wondering what a cute little fawn is doing in my "Ode to Snakes" post.  It is out of consideration and respect and love for my loyal audience members, who miiiight be a little squeamish about images of slithering creatures and/or images of slithering creatures eating other creatures.  This is your warning to TURN BACK NOW!!!  AVERT YOUR GAZE!!!  Go watch a nice youtube video about cute, little, fuzzy bunnies.

For the rest of you, I will ease you in gently, before I smack you right in the eyeballs.  Btw, these were all taken in various places in Stokes State Forest.  This first one is a friendly little chap that was curious about the odd, floating creature in the strange brown getup.  That would be me, floating around the swamp in my float tube and chest waders.  

This is a northern waters snake.  Isn't he adorable?

These next three are just random garter snakes I came upon while hiking along critter trails.

Oops!  Did I forget to warn you?  Sorry 'bout that.

It is truly fascinating to photograph these creatures, doing what they do.  However, there are just so many pictures you can take of a tangle of snakes or of a snake swallowing a live animal--a painfully long process that seems to take years.  And I have to admit that when I put the camera down to just observe, I am sometimes overcome by an overwhelming sense of ickiness that is cured only by putting the camera back up to my face and taking more photos.

This next one comes from a series of photos that fill me with dread, when I go back to look at them.  At the time, however, it was one of the most incredible things I had seen out at "my swamp".  It was the end of the day, and I was heading back into shore on my float tube.  As I approached an old beaver lodge, which has also served as housing for muskrats and otters, it seemed to me that the lodge was "moving".  As I got closer, the reason for that became obvious.  The whole lodge was crawling with water snakes.   

This is actually three snakes.  At times there were up to six all tangled up. 

Don't need much explanation for these--snake eats frog.

This poor little frog fought to the bitter end.  He was still struggling as his feet disappeared into the snake's mouth.

Time for lunch.  See ya later.

My Happy Place

A green heron stalks its prey.  I love these little guys.

There are few things that beat a day in the swamp.  The only thing that could have made this day better is if I hadn't listened to the "weatherman", who predicted cloudy, cloudy, cloudy skies.  There was no mention of sun whatsoever.  Therefore, I didn't bring a hat or sunblock.  Why lug around extra gear, if you don't have to.  I know.  I know.  At my advanced age, I should know better.  I'm just too darned trusting.

You can stop laughing, Jen.

I'm feeling a little ill, but looking at the pics of my wonderful swamp critters makes me feel better. 

Btw, these were taken in a swamp in High Point State Park in New Jersey.

A green heron preens.

Green heron

A female grackle sits on her nest.  Must have gotten a late start, because the eggs don't seem to have hatched, yet.

A mama hooded merganser and her chicks.  I couldn't get very close to these guys.

The One That Got Away -- Volume I

People think that photography is so glamorous and easy that anyone can do it.  Well, it's not; it's hell.  And sometimes you miss the shot, as I have expertly depicted for you above. 

I like to hang out at swamps, and on this particular day I was floating in the muck and mire in my float tube under a blazing sun.  I happened to look over my shoulder just in time to see a mink launch itself from a log toward a wood duck that was swimming by.  The mink missed and began swimming after the duck as I furiously tried to turn myself in the right direction.  By the time I got myself turned around, the duck was well out of reach of the mink, which gave up the chase and disappeared back into the swamp. I didn't get a single shot off.

Bet you would have gotten the shot with your little iPhone.

Waterfalls and Other Prickly Things

Buy this photo

I wasn't going to post anything today, because I'm so freaking tired.  But I decided I couldn't disappoint my beloved, loyal audience, which consists, mostly, of my sister and friends on Facebook, who feel obligated to visit my blog for fear of being unfriended.  Don't know if they actually read it, because nobody leaves comments.  So maybe that's my answer right there.

Nonetheless, I am making a good faith effort to post more regularly.  I don't really have anything to say right now, so here's a waterfall along the Savantine Creek and that prickly thing I was talking about.

A Voice in the Wilderness

I feel like I'm talking to myself, here.  Of course, it's my own darned fault, since I haven't posted anything since.......................ummmmm.......................October.  Blogging seemed like a good idea at the time, but I've been busy with my freelance work (okay excuse), and it was really freaking cold out last winter (absolutely pathetic excuse).  Usually, the cold weather doesn't stop me.  I really wussed out--but not completely.  Of course, the cold winter doesn't really explain April through June. 

I've got quite a bit to show you.  While I'm getting all that together, enjoy today's journey to Schooley's Mountain Park.  I'll have you know that I was up at 4:30 am, as in "the morning", so I could get to the waterfalls before the sun screwed up my pictures.  No one I know will believe that I was up that early on purpose, but it's true.

Here ya go: