Wildlife Sightings (Image heavy)

[David B]

While prawning this afternoon I saw a pod of dophins very close in - a couple of hundred yards. This is unusual.

When prawning I take neither camera or phone, though, as the likelihood of wrecking them is far from remote.

Now to start cooking:D

David

[crazyfingers]

Here are some non-bird photos from the last two weeks in Maine.

Red squirrel on the carriage roads
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110715171046.jpg?t=1311033540

A snake of some kind. Only about 8 inches long.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110715161757-1.jpg?t=1311033591

A crab. I think it's starting to molt it's shell. One eye appears to be missing.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110710125508.jpg?t=1311033656

A green crab
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110710113341.jpg?t=1311033724

A brown crab
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110710112958.jpg?t=1311033763

A spider. It was large. Probably 2.5-3 inches from the tip of a front leg to the tip of a back leg. By a stream.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110708170213-1.jpg?t=1311033803

Bullfrog
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110708151144.jpg?t=1311033906

Butterfly on a flower
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110710095848-1.jpg?t=1311033937

Butterfly on a clover flower
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110714135028-1.jpg?t=1311033971

Dragonfly on a water grass on a pond
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineJuly20110715140028.jpg?t=1311034045

[Mediancat]

The spider is a fishing spider, I think. Good catches, all.

Rob

[crazyfingers]

The spider is a fishing spider, I think. Good catches, all.

Rob

Neat.

[nygreenguy]

I think the yellow/black butterfly is a Papilio glaucus, eastern tiger swallowtail on prunella vulgaris, heal-all.

[crazyfingers]

My back yard today. There were also two young ones with spots. Couldn't get them in a photo.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5105a.jpg?t=1311371558

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5117a.jpg?t=1311371556

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5113a.jpg?t=1311371555

[crazyfingers]

A house sparrow gathering material for a new nest.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5162a.jpg?t=1311559568

[David B]

A Gatekeeper

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/gatekeepertrim.jpg

Feeling rather stupid, but have gone through the book twice and can't identify this flower which at the mo is very common on the limestone cliffs.

I should know it, and I'm sure will kick myself when told.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/flowertrim.jpg

David

[Worldtraveller]

I saw a group of 3 Pileated Woodpeckers this weekend. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera handy.

Those things are huge!

[crazyfingers]

I found a baby brown bat on the floor of my garage. Bats live in the roof. It must have fallen.

It was alive. After getting it up and talking a photo I put it back into a crack between the boards. I hope hat parents find it.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/Other%20wildlife/IMG_2988a.jpg?t=1309199430

I posted the above a month ago. I don't know if it survived.

But more odd bat stuff going on. Yesterday I saw a brown bat flying about in the day-time. Today I found this brown flopping around on the lawn.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5174a.jpg?t=1311863888

I didn't want to leave it on the lawn. I got some work gloves and put it in the shade by the edge of the yard. I can't reach the overhang of the garage where they sleep during the day.

I took more photos while I had him. No white-nose disease. I don't understand why the bats are behaving so strangely.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5179a.jpg?t=1311863988

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5184a.jpg?t=1311864127

[Arctish]

I just got back from vacation. In the past week I've seen a Laughing Gull eating a soft-shelled Blue Crab, been buzzed by an Osprey (he flew about 10' behind me as I was rowing a skiff), watched Snowy Egrets, Geen Herons, and Great Blue Herons feeding, watched Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins chasing fish and breaching, and dug up a few sand crabs:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k264/Arctish/crab-side.jpgnmp

I also tired to catch one of these but it hopped into a neighbor's yard before I could grab it:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k264/Arctish/american_toad.jpgnmp

I did catch a Whirligig Beetle but the kids didn't like it much:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k264/Arctish/BeetleWhirlygig03.jpgnmp

I also saw a few lightning bugs and a little brown bat.

We didn't see many animals on the drive to the airport, just a White-tailed deer and a young raccoon. On the drive up from Anchorage we saw a Moose cow and calf and a Coyote

[crazyfingers]

I'm worried about this little guy. He was sleeping attached to the outside foundation/slab to my garage today.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5214a.jpg?t=1311979402

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5212aa.jpg?t=1311979303

I didn't think that that was a safe place for him to be so I found a narrow wooden box and attached it to the outside wall of the garage and put him in, wearing gloves of course. It wasn't easy but he finally attached inside - sort of.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_0070a.jpg?t=1311979788

[crazyfingers]

More of my bat.

He appears to have not liked the house I gave him. In the moring he wasn't there. Later I found him again on the side of the garage foundation, on the back side, and with a friend.

I guess I feel a bit better that it has a friend but, sleeping out in the open where the kids run by still seems strange to me.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_5223a.jpg?t=1312055211

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_0071a.jpg?t=1312055241

[crazyfingers]

The little brown bat has died.

I found him in the grass and put him in his house earlier. This evening I went out to check and he was on the ground, on his back, stiff and dead.

I liked the little guy. :(

[Barefoot Bree]

Sorry to hear about the bat, cf.

It sounds like he may have been sick. I hope you were handling him carefully, and washed your hands thoroughly afterwards.

[Arctish]

I just saw a male American Kestrel. He was perched at a high point on some equipment outside my office window. I watched him for about 5 minutes as he moved from perch to perch, probably looking for his next meal.

[David B]

Nice ones Arctish!

Unless I am mistaken, and I think not, this is a lifetime first for me - a Hobby

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/hobby.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

That's a great one David. What kind of hawk-like-bird is it?

I'm off for vacation to Maine again tomorrow so I hope to return with some nice critter shots.

[David B]

Always look forward to your pics

Eurasian Hobby I think. The breast markings are right, as was the call. The head looks light, but that might be a bit of variation or trick of the light.

tjXw3xd7gnQ

David

[crazyfingers]

Oh! Hobby is a European bird. LOL I thought you were talking about a pastime. Critter photography being your hobby.

[nygreenguy]

The little brown bat has died.

I found him in the grass and put him in his house earlier. This evening I went out to check and he was on the ground, on his back, stiff and dead.

I liked the little guy. :(

You could try to get a hold of the local university and see what they say to do!

[Barefoot Bree]

Oh! Hobby is a European bird. LOL I thought you were talking about a pastime. Critter photography being your hobby.
Soooooo glad I wasn't the only one..... :o

[Mediancat]

Apparently a Eurasian Hobby was seen this spring flying over Plymouth, Massachusetts:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrtrimble/5735171693/ , among others.

Rob

[Mediancat]

Tree full of mourning doves at Quarry Lake. I had no idea mourning doves ever flocked together until I saw them do so here.

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/223609_249237695097887_100000349741989_908844_6952 202_n.jpg

Cranefly, spotted outside my condominium.

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/263284_249237751764548_100000349741989_908845_7903 004_n.jpg

Rob

[David B]

Sadly on re-examination my Hobby turns out to be a Kestrel:(

An immature one at that - good news in a way, for these were once common round here, but have been coming increasingly rare.

David

[nygreenguy]

Sadly on re-examination my Hobby turns out to be a Kestrel:(

An immature one at that - good news in a way, for these were once common round here, but have been coming increasingly rare.

David

You keeping a life-list?

[David B]

Sadly on re-examination my Hobby turns out to be a Kestrel:(

An immature one at that - good news in a way, for these were once common round here, but have been coming increasingly rare.

David

You keeping a life-list?

No - I have some sort of idea in my head as to whether I've seen something firmly identified or not, but that's it.

David

[nygreenguy]

Sadly on re-examination my Hobby turns out to be a Kestrel:(

An immature one at that - good news in a way, for these were once common round here, but have been coming increasingly rare.

David

You keeping a life-list?

No - I have some sort of idea in my head as to whether I've seen something firmly identified or not, but that's it.

David
Well, you should start one! Lots of birders do it! You can do it for anything. I have a plant one and one for fungi.

[Arctish]

Last night as I was working outside I heard a couple of coyotes start to howl from the wetlands about 1/2 mile away. Within moments they were answered by sled dogs in a dog-yard about 1/4 mile away. All the commotion inspired dogs in nearby houses to howl, yip, and bark. The canine chorus went on for a full minute before the coyotes suddenly stopped and the dog noises trailed off into a few isolated woofs. This was at 2:30 a.m. so I imagine there were a lot of unhappy dog owners in this part of town.

About 3 hours later I passed a Red Fox busily hunting up some food in the grass next to the road. Very cute little guy.

[Worldtraveller]

I've got a life list for my birds. I expect I'll add a few new entries now that I'm in the PNW.

[crazyfingers]

Sadly on re-examination my Hobby turns out to be a Kestrel:(

An immature one at that - good news in a way, for these were once common round here, but have been coming increasingly rare.

David

You keeping a life-list?

I've sort of started by tagging photos to put into a document at some point. Probably two columns. Saw it no photo, Saw it and got a photo.

Not beyond tagging photos yet. A winter project probably.

[crazyfingers]

Back from a week on the coast of Maine. Unfortunately it was a lukewarm week in terms of wildlife photos. I'm just looking though the photos tonight. I'll post anything nice in a day or so. But it's slim pickins this time.

[nygreenguy]

Back from a week on the coast of Maine. Unfortunately it was a lukewarm week in terms of wildlife photos. I'm just looking though the photos tonight. I'll post anything nice in a day or so. But it's slim pickins this time.

I had a bunch of friends on an island several miles off the coast studying puffins the whole summer!

[crazyfingers]

Back from a week on the coast of Maine. Unfortunately it was a lukewarm week in terms of wildlife photos. I'm just looking though the photos tonight. I'll post anything nice in a day or so. But it's slim pickins this time.

I had a bunch of friends on an island several miles off the coast studying puffins the whole summer!

I would love to see a puffin. But I think that I would need to go to an island sanctuary to do that though.

[Worldtraveller]

I've seen a few along the coast of Alaska. Beautiful little birds. :) What's the really colorful ducks up there, Harlequin? Something like that. I saw quite a few of those when I was up there, too.

cf, I'd recommend a (summer) trip to Alaska to do some birding and wildlife viewing, for sure!

[crazyfingers]

Like I said above, not a great trip wildlife photo-wise. But here are some that I hope are fun.

Two different bald eagles
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110814105602a.jpg

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110813154112-1.jpg

Common Loon in the ocean
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110813113516.jpg

Cormorant on a mission
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110813110823.jpg

Black Guillemot. Poor photo but I have never seen one before.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110813110800.jpg

Kingfisher on a wire above mud creek
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110812184058.jpg?t=1313460921

Great blue Heron at mud creek
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110811185643.jpg

Different great blue heron flying away. We were biking and it flew about 10 feet over my excited kid. I was still riding my bike. Got over and got the camera out before it was completely gone.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110809154341.jpg

Herring gull with a starfish. I would think a star fish would be tough eating.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110807104726.jpg

And Mr. Crab.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110807102557.jpg?t=1313460914

[crazyfingers]

One last one. A super close up of some gross water bugs.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/August%20Maine%202011/AugustMaine20110807104045.jpg

[Worldtraveller]

Nice. I love to watch Kingfishers hunt. They are one of my favorite birds. Oh, and seagulls will eat anything..... :D

[David B]

Best. Day. Prawning. EVER!

I sighted a lobster in a rock pool, which I estimate at about 2 kilos. Maybe more.

It is now in my bathroom in my prawning net.

Pics to follow - coffee and cooking take priority over playing with photobucket.

I'll post a pic or so of it here while it is blue, and in the wild food thread when it is red:D

Had to stop prawning halfway back home, though - net full of lobster.

David

[crazyfingers]

Hurricane Irene passed by yesterday. Being on eastern Massachusetts the impact was tropical storm force winds only. They say 45-55 MPH with 65 MPH gusts.

I didn't see any of the regular birds about until late afternoon. But the hummingbirds were out all day and actually appeared to be playing in the wind.

I have never seen them out so much as I did yesterday. Sighting frequency was easily 10x the norm. They were out almost every time I went out.

They were at the feeder by the garage but not just that. I frequently saw them other places and a pair was frequently flying this way and that, twisting around each other in the wind.

I can imagine that a hummingbird would be better able to instantly adjust for a changing gust but, do they have a reputation for actually appearing to like a good blow?

No photos. Too dark and rainy.

[David B]

A lobster, albeit not in it's natural environment. I don't take camera when prawning, too likely to get damaged.

It's not well posed. TBH I was a bit nervous about handling it. No experience of that at all until today.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/lobster.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

Lunch! Up in Maine earlier in the summer the kids were looking for crabs under the seaweed and an old-time came by and said that in the past he could also find lobsters under the seaweed. Doesn't happen any more (in Maine) he said.

[Gooch's Dad]

Apparently I saw a fisher crossing the bike path near my house last week. I finally got to looking up which mustelid I'd seen, and from the coloring and size it can only be a fisher. I wouldn't have guessed they ranged this far south. Sorry, no picture!

[Ray Moscow]

Sadly on re-examination my Hobby turns out to be a Kestrel:(

An immature one at that - good news in a way, for these were once common round here, but have been coming increasingly rare.

David

You keeping a life-list?

I saw a hobby while walking across the moors a couple of weeks ago -- it tried to grab a smaller bird, but it got away.

[crazyfingers]

Old Mr. Toad.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_0024a.jpg?t=1315183033

8:30 in the evening. Taken with a flashlight and flash by the edge of my driveway and the house.

He's a big boy. Out of focus but you can see he's a big boy.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_0019a.jpg?t=1315183033

[crazyfingers]

Out for a bike ride in the state park today and saw a great blue Heron out on the mud.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/Birds/IMG_5884b.jpg?t=1315270703

[crazyfingers]

It's been an interesting day.

First through the window while I was on the phone I saw a hawk in a face-ff with a gray squirrel. The squirrel was a bit too large for the hawk to carry off and the hawk finally decided not to go for it. It looked a lot like pictures I have of a sharp shinned hawk, blue/grey back feathers, but it was way to big to be a sharpie. I'd guess by body only it was 1.5 - 2 times larger than the gray squirrel.

Then just a few minutes ago a bunny walked across the carpet while I was on the phone. It was followed by two cats. It came in the cat flap. I don't know if it came in on it's own or if the cats pushed it in or if they carried it... I think that the cats had it cornered outside by the door and it came in on it's own hoping to escape the cats.

Regardless it went into the bathroom. I got some work gloves and grabbed it and put it outside. I hope it stays away from the cat enclosure. The cats have a fenced in area that they can go out to but can't get out into the wider outdoors. Anything they catch has to go into their enclosure first.

[Mediancat]

Some more recent photos

An oddly colored stinkbug on a fence near Quarry Lake.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/308425_265140856840904_100000349741989_963098_1985 793391_n.jpg

Cicada on a landing screen of my condo:

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/301942_265140923507564_100000349741989_963100_1649 418995_n.jpg

Ravens, I think, at Quarry Lake, though they'd be somewhat out of range here in the Baltimore metropolitan area. The one on the post is larger than any crow I've ever seen:

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/303779_265140983507558_100000349741989_963106_1057 152200_n.jpg

Great blue heron, perched in a tree on the shore of Quarry Lake:

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/317379_265141026840887_100000349741989_963107_1256 583556_n.jpg

Rob

[crazyfingers]

I know that herons nest in trees though it still seems real strange to see on in a tree.

I had a third interesting sighting today. A female cardinal chasing, swooping and swerving and finally actually catching a dragonfly in the air. I didn't know that cardinals could twist and turn so well.

[Mediancat]

I was kind of surprised as well -- it's not something you see often. But Quarry Lake gets deep very quickly; its maximum depth is 500 feet, which makes it one of the deepest lakes in the state.

Rob

[Arctish]

I saw another lynx very early yesterday morning. It crossed the road in front of me then paused to look back when it reached the other side. I got a very good look although it was pretty brief.

[Coragyps]

Two kit foxes in separate spots, in the late afternoon just off Highway 64 east of Taos, New Mexico last weekend. Crazy cute huge ears.....

[Worldtraveller]

There was an osprey soaring over the parking lot at work this morning. One of my favorite birds of prey! I need to start carrying my camera around with me.

[David B]

Mergansers on the Firth of Forth on a cloudy day.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/MergansersonFirthofForth.jpg

Getting pics of birds in flight ain't easy, and so far getting a gannet at point of entry has proved impossible. You can see the entry splash, though, near the immature gannet.

There were several gannets, mostly immature, fishing on the Firth of Forth this morning, a couple of hundred yards from Cath's house.

Eiders were there, too, but I've already posted enough Eider pics.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/Immaturegannet.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

The kids had no school last Thursday and Friday because my very Jewish town has Rosh Hashanah off. So... we took a 4 day weekend to the place in Maine. :)

Cormorants drying themselves in the harbor.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineSeptOct20110929110622a.jpg

A kingfisher on a wire
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineSeptOct20110929111917a.jpg

Looks like yellowlegs the sandpiper but I'm no expert. There are so many of these.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineSeptOct20110929135620a.jpg

This series of shots is cool I think. All taken within about a minute.

A great Blue heron flying with neck out-stretched.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineSeptOct20110929153422a.jpg

It lands on the very top of a spruce tree.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineSeptOct20110929153427a.jpg

I zoomed out for perspective and it took off. Sure seems awkward about it. But it had plenty of altitude.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineSeptOct20110929153512a.jpg

It landed on a seaweed covered rock outcropping.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineSeptOct20110929153542a.jpg

I have not had a chance to look this up but it looks like a plover to me.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineSeptOct20110930164826a.jpg

This also some plover or sandpiper?
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineSeptOct20110930171114a.jpg

[Mediancat]

The plover looks like it could be a juvenile piping plover.

The second one maybe a least sandpiper?

Rob

[crazyfingers]

The plover looks like it could be a juvenile piping plover.

The second one maybe a least sandpiper?

Rob

Hey Rob thanks!

The guys at the Birdforum are a tremendous resource.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=212762

The first comment is:

1) Greater Yellowlegs
2) Semipalmated Plover
3) Spotted Sandpiper

These are the biggest experts I have ever met and rarely comment unless they are sure. But I will look them up anyway.

[Roo St. Gallus]

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj53/wellingtonkd/Northern%20Rockies%209-11/385.jpg

Pronghorn buck.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj53/wellingtonkd/Northern%20Rockies%209-11/387.jpg

Pronghorn does.

It was rutting season for pronghorn at the National Bison Range.

[crazyfingers]

With wonderfully warm weather forecast for the weekend just over, we went to Maine for three days including the Monday holiday. Temps in the high 70's to low 80's F. Sunny. A nice but not overwhelming breeze.

A greater yellow legs sandpiper by the shore.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineOctober20111008110244a.jpg

In a very large tide pool we saw a sea cucumber. A bit unusual for this critter to end up in a tide pool I think.

Here he is in the water.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineOctober20111008131228a.jpg

I picked it up and put it on the ground just to see what it would do. It puffed itself up and stuck it's head in. Then I put it back in the tide pool.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/MaineOctober20111008131322a.jpg

[Arctish]

Last week I saw a red fox by my house and last night I saw a silver fox cross the road in front of me. We're supposed to have a cold, dry winter this year and I wonder if I'll be seeing the foxes more often because of it. Very little snowfall might make the hunting along the roadsides easier.

[Arctish]

Now that the weather has turned cold we usually let our two dogs out by themselves at night. The Jack Russel (Roscoe) has so little fur you can see his skin through the hairs on his belly. He gets cold very quickly so a 2-minute bio break is about all he wants. Our Dachshund-mix (Ponyo) has a warmer coat and likes the snow but she prefers being with people or the other dog so she comes back pretty quickly, too.

So Sunday my husband let the dogs out to take care of business. Roscoe was back in a minute and my husband let him into the house. A few mnutes later, though, Roscoe started barking at the door. My husband didn't hear Ponyo outside but Roscoe was getting really agitated. When my husband opened the door he saw Ponyo at the end of the driveway pacing back and forth with a coyote watching her from the edge of the brush across the street. Roscoe took one look and rocketed toward the coyote in full terrier form. The coyote took one look at Roscoe and bolted with his tail held straight up.

I should mention that Roscoe is about 11 years old, a bit pudgy, and getting gray in the muzzle. He has a stiff hip and gets an asthmatic wheeze when he exerts himself playing tug-of-war. And the temperature was around 17F (-7C) with light snow. Nevertheless Roscoe spent the next 20 minutes zooming around in the brush and woods looking for his foe while my husband tried to make sure he didn't bite off more than he could chew.

[crazyfingers]

My parents who live west of Boston, MA saw a black gray squirrel at the feeder today.

I know that black gray squirrels are very common on other places, notably southern Ontario, but here they are unheard of. We have not had a black squirrel here in all my life or my parents.

I wonder if they are moving east or if this one hitched a ride on a freight train or something...

[crazyfingers]

Not a sighting but a concern for the coming winter.

There is a severe acorn shortage in N. East USA. After two years of so many acorns, the oaks have just stopped. There are no acorns this fall across the region. The linked story details the impact not just on squirrels and similar, but up the food chain to the owls, etc...

The link might be a for pay story. Not sure. But it says that a typical oak tree produces 250 pounds of acorns each fall. This fall the scientists say that the average is just 1/2 of one pound! I had suspected. Where I usually have to rake acorns off the lawn with the leaves, this year there are zero under my oak trees.

Very bad news for the critters. So I want a squirrel feeder- one that is hopefully somewhat protected from predators - to give them a fair chance.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2011/11/16/something-missing-this-fall-acorns/vLXezOKg2YznpAvQycY8LK/story.html

[Barefoot Bree]

(It isn't a pay story, relax.)

Richard S. Ostfeld, a disease ecologist and senior scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., said up to 90 percent of the current population of rodents could die by next spring as a result of the lack of food. That would mean a massive death toll, as the number of rodents has spiked over the past two years, given all the acorns.

“I expect to see a severe crash in the number of mice and chipmunks, and we could be looking at a loss of squirrels of as much as 50 percent,’’ said Ostfeld, who has studied acorns for more than a decade.

He said predators of rodents - such as hawks, owls, weasels, and foxes - will also experience a significant loss, although they will find other sources of food and should fare better. Songbirds and ground-dwelling birds, such as veeries and woodthrushes, are likely to feel the brunt of the competition for food with hawks and owls.


He said deer, raccoons, and bears should also survive without too many losses, but they will be more likely to come into contact with people, as they search for other food sources.

Wow. 90% of all rodents, 50% of squirrels.

[Arctish]

So far the predictions about the snow levels this year have been accurate. We still have only about 7 inches of snow on the ground and apparently it's making the vole hunting easier along the roadsides. In the past week I have seen two more foxes pouncng on something under the snow as I drove home early in the morning. I haven't seen any moose lately which is a very good thing.

[Arctish]

I saw one of these a little after 4 a.m. today:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k264/Arctish/low3SnowyOwl.jpgnmp

It flew up from the side of the road as i was driving past and very obligingly perched at the top of a bucket truck while I dug out my binoculars. We watched each other for a couple minutes then went our separate ways.

[Worldtraveller]

That's a beautiful bird. Too bad you didn't have a camera with you.

[Arctish]

That's a beautiful bird. Too bad you didn't have a camera with you.

The light level was pretty low. Even with the big sodium lights and snow all around I don't think there was enough of it to get a decent picture.

[crazyfingers]

This hawk was in my neighbors shrubs. It was on the ground between various evergreen shrubs acting funny. Then it attacked the shrub and at least 10 sparrows flew out.

It's a lot bigger than a jay but a lot smaller than a crow.

Link to a so-so photo 30 seconds before it attacked the shrub.

Sharpie?

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_6991a.jpg

[Arctish]

From the look of the bars on the tail feathers, the continuation of the blue-grey color along the back of the neck, and your estimate of it's size, I'd say so. Also, I can see a little bit of it's leg in that picture and it appears to have what I call the "pencil legs" look of a sharpie.

[crazyfingers]

White tail deer at my neighbor's shrubs this morning. Taken from by door to the driveway.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_6996a.jpg

[Arctish]

Ooo, nice! A half rack of venison just in time for Christmas. :D

[Worldtraveller]

I'll third the vote for sharpshin. Looks like it might be a juvenile.

[David B]

Not much in the way of good pics recently, and when I got pretty close to a goldeneye no camera with me.

I have a shot of a cormorant preening

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/cormoranttrim.jpg

And a couple of godwits. I think I have both a black tailed and a bar tailed in the same shot:dunno:

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/godwitstrim-1.jpg

David

[kennyc]

Nice cormorant pic David.

[nygreenguy]

I also agree sharpie. Tail is blunt, it had big legs and the neck looks like sharpie.

[David B]

The recent heavy weather seems to have brought this generally sea going bird into Pembroke Mill Pond. Red Breasted merganser.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/mergansercrop.jpg

What have photobucket done?

I see google led me to some crap satisfaction thing, that gave me just frustration.

Redshank - common as muck

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/redshankcrop.jpg

David

[David B]

Looking through my photos this morning I realised that I didn't have a good pic of an Oystercatcher. So went down the beach to get one, and snapped a turnstone, too.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/IMG_0024oystercatchertrim.jpg

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/IMG_0022turnstonetrim.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

OK I need to get out more. I have the new camera but have not had much time to try using it.

[David B]

A coot with a bit of leucism

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/IMG_0046coottrim.jpg

And my best pic yet of a Goosander drake

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/IMG_0047goosandertrim.jpg

And I think my best of a Teal drake

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/IMG_0062teallandshipping.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

Liquid water! All mine is solid. :D

[crazyfingers]

This time of year I will frequently startle a group of white tail deer when I go out to the garage at night - which just happened now. 4 of them ran off when I went from the house to the garage. They nibble on my evergreen shrubs, not too badly, such that I don't have to prune them to much from year to year. Fortunately they don't like the rhododendrons. They never touch them. Don't know what it is about rhodo's they don't like.

[David B]

So hard to get a good pic of these. Rushed this one, then it flew upstream, about 2.5 times as far away. Took a few more shots at extreme range in not too good light, but the first was the best.

One of my favourite birds, too.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/IMG_0072dippertrim.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

No idea what that is.

[kennyc]

Nice David, but yes, what it is? Looks kinda like a "white-breasted" robin.

Update: ah-ha, must be this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-throated_Dipper

[David B]

Yup, that's it.

On my way back from the dentist I took a detour of about a mile to look for one, and found it, which is always pleasing.

Pity the pic wasn't better, but it gives me something to aim for in the future.

David

[crazyfingers]

Not a lot of picture taking this winter. But I took this out the window of my basement into the driveway.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_0540.jpg

[neilstone40]

We're just home from a weekend away in the woods up north. For years Mrs NS40 has been dying to see a stag in the wild, within a short while of arriving this guy was kind enough to show up and pose for a few photos along with his harem of 6 hinds...

http://www.picvalley.net/u/2700/20382780834253378281329248953ubVA4UqnwaqBXS9S2QK8. JPG (http://www.picvalley.net/v.php?p=u/2700/20382780834253378281329248953ubVA4UqnwaqBXS9S2QK8. JPG)

[David B]

I am far from mastering the art of taking pictures on my little Lumix through my new spotting scope with an adaptor, as the pic makes all too clear.

However, poor though it is, is a record of what would have been an addition to my lifetime bird list, if I kept one.

It's a Shoveller drake, and without the scope I wouldn't have picked out from the many distant mallards.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/shovellertrim.jpg

ETA I've just measured on Google Earth the approximate distance between where I took the pic from and the approx position of the bird, which if I recall the position correctly is about 115 metres.

David

[kennyc]

Nice one David.

[David B]

Back to the Canon, hand held at full optical zoom, for a shot of a Peregrine on a cliff, further away than I would wish.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/IMG_0016peregrinetrim.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

Grackles have been flocking the last couple of days.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_0890a.jpg

[crazyfingers]

Today is the first day for spring peepers. I always mark the first time I hear them too.

[kennyc]

I saw and heard robins for the first time last week.

[Danieka]

I have spent some time viewing all these excellent images of beautiful animals. There are allot of members who know what they are doing when it comes to their camera's. Congratulations to all of you, keep up the great work!

I look forward to viewing more pics! :)

[crazyfingers]

Crap. We have mosquitoes in the back yard already! We don't usually see them until June when the black flies are done.

[nygreenguy]

Crap. We have mosquitoes in the back yard already! We don't usually see them until June when the black flies are done.

wtf? really?

[Mediancat]

My nephew saw a northern water snake in Lake Redman up in PA. Alsoa bit early, I suspect.

Rob

[crazyfingers]

Crap. We have mosquitoes in the back yard already! We don't usually see them until June when the black flies are done.

wtf? really?

WTF is right. Yes. Not swarming but there. I took my boys down the street to a small pond to use their RC boat and they needed bug spray to keep the mosquitoes away. At first I didn't believe them but then I saw the mosquitoes and got one. In the back yard too.

Unreal.

[crazyfingers]

More signs of spring. On my garage roof.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_0996a.jpg

[kennyc]

Yep! Good one!

[crazyfingers]

Back for more.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1102a.jpg

[Danieka]

More signs of spring. On my garage roof.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_0996a.jpg



Your garage is sprouting. :D

[Mediancat]

One of our local rodents, out exploring. I believe he's leucistic:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/429094_375717835783205_100000349741989_1311972_640 279519_n.jpg

Rob

[crazyfingers]

I guess it's still a gray squirrel?

[Mediancat]

It is as far as I know. It's been around here for a few years. Still, you don't see leucistic squirrels all that often.

Rob

[Mediancat]

Downy woodpecker seen at Nixon Park in PA in February:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/292626_376931012328554_100000349741989_1316798_210 6841677_n.jpg

Rob

[crazyfingers]

The downy on the suet brings me back to winter-thinking.

No more suet for our birds. It's spring here. The birds are really turning up the volume outside these days. Springtime calls that we haven't heard for almost a year brighten up the yard.

Robin songs are my favorite.

The goldfinches are also doing their singing nonstop. They go on and on. Good thing or I'd never be able to spot them so small and not really yellow yet. But with the song that goes on and on for a half-hour, I can spot the little things.

[David B]

So hard to get pics of birds in flight, especially when rushing because it is heading behind trees.

I will get better pics of Red Kites, which is becoming a reasonably common sight in the North of the county. I live in the south. It's been a triumph for conservation - a few decades ago it was nearing extinction in Britain.

This will have to do for now, though.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/kitetrim.jpg

David

[kennyc]

That's a perty good in-flight shot David! Yes they are very hard. Especially swallows or swifts. :p

[crazyfingers]

Birds in "powered" flight like that are really hard. All I've been able to get are the soaring birds in flight or and the occasional blue heron.

[Mediancat]

I've gotten a couple of mallards taking off, but that's about it.

Rob

[crazyfingers]

Speaking of flying birds, this buzzard (turkey vulture) was trying to soar around my house today. Snapped the photo just before I went in the door from coming home from the boys bus stop. It's a very gusty day and he was fighting the gusts.

The camera only had a moment to try to focus. I may have pressed my luck. It was close enough to get a good focus if I had been able to dwell on it a moment longer.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1555a.jpg

[crazyfingers]

Gobble gobble

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1585.jpg

[crazyfingers]

Wooly Bear.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1629a.jpg

Taken from 6 feet away at max zoom.

[David B]

Still intermittently trying to digiscope with my little lumix, scope and universal adaptor.

Still a way to go before I get the hang of it

Cormorant on nest, near Stack Rocks, S Pembrokeshire. Went there hoping the guillemots would be there in force, but not a one.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/cormoranttrim3.jpg

David

[David B]

Skylark.Becoming increasingly rare, but still a lot of them in my area.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/skylarktrim.jpg

David

[Danieka]

For the last few years we've been visited by a couple of families of raccoons.

One of the males of last years litter waits at the back door by 7:30 every evening for my boyfriend to put food out. He gets first pickings of the noms, what surprised me was he didn't want to eat the marshmallows they all favored last year.


He did enjoy the pieces of left over roast beef.


http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac321/nnpics2010/Raccoons/raccoonapril42012002A.jpg


Apparently he was scratching his ear with his back leg so he looks a little lopsided and drunk like. :D


http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac321/nnpics2010/Raccoons/raccoonapril42012006A.jpg


HELLLLLOOOO !


http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac321/nnpics2010/Raccoons/raccoonapril42012004A.jpg

[crazyfingers]

Love raccoons.

When I was a kid we had a cat flap door from the basement to the driveway. One night we came home and as I went up to bed there were three raccoons, mama and two kids, on the top stairs to my bedroom. I turned on the lights and they covered their eyes with their paws. So cute.

Dad had fun getting them outside again. :)

[Mediancat]

A tree swallow, seen at the nearby Irvine Nature center:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/528007_386974744657514_100000349741989_1345711_165 9991288_n.jpg

Rob

[Danieka]

Love raccoons.

When I was a kid we had a cat flap door from the basement to the driveway. One night we came home and as I went up to bed there were three raccoons, mama and two kids, on the top stairs to my bedroom. I turned on the lights and they covered their eyes with their paws. So cute.

Dad had fun getting them outside again. :)


They are so curious and really have no fear do they? I would have loved to see your new masked housemates with their amazing hands over their eyes. :D


My neighbor leaves the door to their deck open as they don't have a screen door. One night I heard him yelling ''OUT OUT YOU, This is my house."

I went to our screen door to our deck to see him shooing 3 baby raccoons from his kitchen doorway while the mom was on my deck eating away not worried about her kits at all. She didn't even raise her head from the dish over the commotion. I guess these animals grow accustomed to people which isn't a good thing in the long run as this can lead to some dangerous or serious problems they are still wild animals and unpredictable. :(




Ahhhh, honey? I think its time we stopped feeding the raccoons for a while.


http://hostthenpost.org/uploads/8f0a42b3f3478860812f12f3309925b4.jpg (http://hostthenpost.org)



http://hostthenpost.org/uploads/ac8e04c01538031a9796fa41528a606b.gif (http://hostthenpost.org)

[crazyfingers]

Interesting day today. I took the boys over to my parents for the day so my wife could work on the taxes. A turkey kept coming below the feeder and my 9 year old kept chasing it away for fun.

Eventually it flew up into a tree. I had never seen a turkey in a tree before. I had never seen a turkey fly before though I knew they could. It flew from one tree to another about 75 yards away. I didn't get a picture of it flying but I got some poor photos in each tree.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1653a.jpg

It's landing in the pine tree was pretty clumsy and it flapped around a good bit before it found a perch that it liked.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1660a.jpg

[Danieka]

Nice photo's crazyfingers, I didn't know turkey's could fly up high either.

[crazyfingers]

Thanks. I did know that they could fly. I had just never seen it.

[nygreenguy]

Birds in "powered" flight like that are really hard. All I've been able to get are the soaring birds in flight or and the occasional blue heron.

Yeah, you gotta jack up the iso and lower the shutter speed.

[David B]

If you lower the shutter speed won't the camera automatically compensate on the ISO front?

David

[crazyfingers]

One of those times I wish I had a camera....

I was outside in back of the garage and noticed 3 young while-tail deer standing in the back yard. I started walking towards them. The closest moved off. I got within about 40 feet of the next closest as I walked straight at it. It didn't move. It just watched me.

I finally ran at it yelling and waving my arms. My theory is that deer and people are safest if the deer are afraid of people.

[David B]

Had a walk round Pembroke Mill Pond this morning. Noticed a dearth of coots, and only two swan nests, both in very vulnerable positions.

One right by the main path.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/swanonnestPembroketrim.jpg

Good sighting of two Sparrow Hawks soaring, and a Red Kite further south than usual, but too far away to photograph. Just one Little Grebe, but in breeding plumage, so might be one of a pair. Lots of otter spraint, too.

On the estuary below the pond were about 20 Bar Tailed Godwits, some in the cinnamon breeding plumage.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/bartailedgodwitinbreedingplumage.jpg

Got very close to a pair of mallards, resting by the path, and couldn't resist pics, but they will probably be my last shots of mallards unless they are doing something very unusual - pleased with the pics, though.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/Mallardducktrim.jpg

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/Mallarddraketrim.jpg

David

[nygreenguy]

If you lower the shutter speed won't the camera automatically compensate on the ISO front?

David

No, not necessarily. It depends on the camera. And there are time you dont WANT the ISO to change (due to noise) and you may just want a larger aperture. Remember it is a triangle of 3 things working together, the aperture, iso, and shutter. The ratio of how you adjusts depends on conditions and subject matter.

If it is a bright sunny day and you are taking pics of moving birds, you would most likely want to pump your aperture down because depth of field isnt going to be an issue and you can compensate with shutter and iso. If I am shooting plants pretty close, I want a large aperture to get the full DoF but I can compensate by longer shutter or higher iso.

[David B]

A male Blackcap singing. They are common in the woods, but very hard to see. Finally I found one in the open enough, and still enough, to get a couple of shots of it - this is the best.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/blackcapsinging.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

Turtles today at the state park. Lots of them. Lots and lots.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1830a.jpg

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1834a.jpg

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1837a.jpg

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1859a.jpg

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1863a.jpg

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1864a.jpg

Snake today also

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_1878a.jpg

[Mediancat]

Saw this charming beetle right outside the entrance to my condo building. It's a female white-spotted sawyer beetle.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/528487_409980702356918_100000349741989_1404181_199 2457352_n.jpg

[Arctish]

I thought I was going to get a really cool picture of an unusual looking fox hunting along the roadside this morning. Then it lifted up it's head and turned into a cat. :(

[Mediancat]

Here is a Horace's Duskywing, at Soldiers' Delight:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/578233_410491692305819_100000349741989_1405168_949 831315_n.jpg

A pair of great blue herons nesting at Quarry Lake, with a cormorant perched nearby:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/539903_411144502240538_100000349741989_1407213_100 7728107_n.jpg

Rob

And a wood duck, same location:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/535063_411145572240431_100000349741989_1407219_197 661079_n.jpg

[David B]

Swan on nest

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/swanonnest.jpg

Gannet in flight

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/IMG_0023gannetinflight.jpg

Gannet taking off

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/IMG_0025gannettakingoff.jpg

David

[Danieka]

Here is a Horace's Duskywing, at Soldiers' Delight:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/578233_410491692305819_100000349741989_1405168_949 831315_n.jpg

A pair of great blue herons nesting at Quarry Lake, with a cormorant perched nearby:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/539903_411144502240538_100000349741989_1407213_100 7728107_n.jpg

Rob

And a wood duck, same location:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/535063_411145572240431_100000349741989_1407219_197 661079_n.jpg



The pic of the blue herons nest is amazing with that bare tree and greenery in the background and that building! I love the contrasts.

[Danieka]

Swan on nest

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/swanonnest.jpg

Gannet in flight

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/IMG_0023gannetinflight.jpg

Gannet taking off

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/IMG_0025gannettakingoff.jpg

David


A beautiful sleeping swan picture there David. :)

[David B]

A raven nest with chicks on the cliffs near Manorbier.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/ravenfledglings.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

My front yard today.

"Pay attention to Me! Pay attention to Me!"

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_2116.jpg

[Danieka]

A raven nest with chicks on the cliffs near Manorbier.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/ravenfledglings.jpg

David


Very nice!

[Danieka]

My front yard today.

"Pay attention to Me! Pay attention to Me!"

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_2116.jpg


OMG ... one of these beasts tried to kill me one time, well maybe a couple of times! Despite the horrible memory I can't help but admire how fantastic looking he is.

[crazyfingers]

I took the kids to Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA today. There is the Battleship Massachusetts, the WWII sub Lionfish and a destroyer and an East German Corvette.

Here is a wild swan by the bow of the Lionfish.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/May20120512143733.jpg

There was a cormorant fishing between the destroyer and the sub. I never new that cormorants have those greenish eyes.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/May20120512144509a.jpg

Cormorant diving. It came up with a small fish.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/May20120512144634a.jpg

A gull on the nose of the sub.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/May20120512145039a.jpg

I took all of these with my pocket camera only 5x zoom. I had left the good camera at home thinking I didn't need it for this trip.

Battleship Cove is a fun day. I only wish there weren't so many boy scouts around.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/May20120512151538.jpg

[David B]

What sort of gull is that? The bill is not one I am familiar with. Or, for pedants, the bill is one with which I am not familiar.

David

[crazyfingers]

Stumpy is watching me watch him.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_2178a.jpg

[crazyfingers]

What sort of gull is that? The bill is not one I am familiar with. Or, for pedants, the bill is one with which I am not familiar.

David

I don't know. I guess I'll look it up this evening. Herring gulls are orange usually...

[David B]

House Martin starting to repair nest

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/housemartinrebuildingnest.jpg

Cormorant's nest revisited. Either a young bird or a sitting mate not very clear behind standing bird

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/cormorantnestrevisited.jpg

Guillemots on Stack Rocks full zoom hand held. Must compare with similar pic on my old Pentax taken a couple of years ago. ETA this is better - old ones on P14

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/guillemotsstackrocks.jpg

Same pic cropped a little

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp275/dble_photo/Canon/guillemotsstackrockstrim.jpg

David

[crazyfingers]

What sort of gull is that? The bill is not one I am familiar with. Or, for pedants, the bill is one with which I am not familiar.

David

A young ring-billed gull?

[Arctish]

What sort of gull is that? The bill is not one I am familiar with. Or, for pedants, the bill is one with which I am not familiar.

David

A young ring-billed gull?

I think you're right.

[nygreenguy]

What sort of gull is that? The bill is not one I am familiar with. Or, for pedants, the bill is one with which I am not familiar.

David

A young ring-billed gull?

I think you're right.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/May20120512145039a.jpg
It is a breeding adult ring-billed gull. The black subterminal band (ring on bill), and lack of spots are the key.

Yellow legs and pale eyes are also diagnostic, but cant make those out in this image.

[crazyfingers]

A few silly photos from the last few days

Chipmunk
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_2214a.jpg

Squirrel
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_2235a.jpg

Butterfly
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_2249a.jpg

[Danieka]

A few silly photos from the last few days

Chipmunk
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_2214a.jpg

Squirrel
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_2235a.jpg

Butterfly
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc433/crazyfingers1/IMG_2249a.jpg



I really love the butterfly picture! :)

So much color & textures. Excellent!

[Mediancat]

This amiable great blue heron let me take about two dozen photos as he calmly walked his way up the Falls River by the Whole Foods Market in Mt Washington, MD.

https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/s720x720/545651_420307644657557_100000349741989_1440244_449 480424_n.jpg

Rob