Fiddler Crabs

Posted on by
3

Wednesday, November 17, 2021,

These are a pair of photos of some Fiddler Crabs I encountered while walking through Lido Beach Passive Nature Area in late September. I had turned a corner and there they were, just a few feet from the path. They all scurried away at my sudden appearance, but I’ve had some experience with Fiddler Crabs before and I was fairly certain they’d reappear and continue with business as usual if I just hung back and waited them out. So, I dropped back a few feet – this is where a long lens comes in handy – and stood still for a few minutes. After a while, the crabs began reemerging from their holes and the nearby deeper water and returned to the mud flats where I had first seen them. Now, while that may seem like a plan that came together, there is always a great deal of luck when dealing with Mother Nature. She is a capricious and uncanny Lady, who makes her own rules, and then, disregards them at will. So, trust me when I tell you that I was lucky to get these pics. JK.

JK

Peaches and I: The Monkees Edition

Posted on by
3

Monday, November 8, 2021,

In an earlier post I floated the idea of including some of my adventures at Sweetbriar Nature Center, and the response was all positive. So, this is the first of those posts. Rather than ease you nice folks into it, I’ve decided to plunge head-first into the deep end of the pool. I hope you guys can swim.

This is Peaches. She’s a Moluccan Cockatoo, which are also known as Salmon-crested cockatoos. These are large birds with very powerful beaks, so you want to make sure that they like you before attempting to get this close. Luckily, Peaches does, indeed, like me very much. I spend time with her every Sunday, and we will often sing and dance together, usually to The Beatles. I sing*, she dances. We’re breaking tradition a bit here, as I had decided, spontaneously, to serenade her with the theme to The Monkees. She doesn’t seem to mind, even when I insult her breath.  JK

*Obviously, I have a broad definition of the word “sing”.  🙂

 

 

A Great Egret at MNSA

Posted on by
5

Tuesday, November 2, 2021,

I was on vacation from my regular job a week ago and finally managed to get out and take some photos. I enjoyed great weather for the most part and was out every single day. I visited several of my favorite haunts, including the Marine Nature Study Area in Oceanside, which is where I captured these two images. This is a Great Egret wading through the tall saltwater marsh grass in search of piscine delectables.  JK

JK

Some Halloween Fun

Posted on by
8

October 31, 2021,

Hello Dear Readers,

There’s a story behind this image, as well as a question. I am and have been a long-time volunteer at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown, New York. Going on seventeen years now. Sweetbriar is an environmental education and a wildlife rehabilitation center. We have whole classrooms come to us, and we also visit schools and other locations. Just last week, I brought a couple of animals to a hospital in Manhasset.

This image and its caption is a little something I created for my Sweetbriar friends. We haven’t actually been losing children. This was just a joke about this particular snake’s size. This is Amber. She’s a seven-foot Red-tailed Boa, and every inch of her is absolutely beautiful. She’s also a very mellow and well-behaved snake. Amber hardly ever eats her handlers. 🙂 

Okay, so here’s the question part of this post. This blog has always been about nature photos and wildlife education, with some wisecracks thrown in here and there. Due to recent job restraints, I don’t often get out as much as I used to. Some of you may have noticed a dearth in postings since last January. Despite my inability to get out and amongst Nature, I am still always at Sweetbriar at least once a week. Should I start making my adventures at Sweetbriar Nature Center a part of this blog? My days at Sweetbriar are always the highlights of my week, and I would love to share them with you. JK.