Category Archives: Avalon Preserve

Another Good Year For Monarchs

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Wednesday, July 25, 2018,

Monarch butterflies are in trouble. Many of you probably already know this but, perhaps, there are some of you who don’t. Monarch butterfly populations have been shrinking for a couple of decades. Loss of habitat appears to be a major contributing factor but it is by no means the only reason. Monarchs depend on Milkweed plants for both their sustenance and as nurseries for raising their young. And Milkweed is in decline across North America. There are several reasons for that, most of them related to human activities. But let’s not get bogged down with bad news. I want to talk about good news today.

The good news is that there are still places where Monarch butterflies can be found and in decent numbers. Last year, I saw more Monarchs than I had seen in a decade. Many of my friends noticed the same thing. These beautiful butterflies weren’t found everywhere but there were locations where they were very near plentiful. Avalon Park and Preserve was one of those places. The main reason for this is that Avalon has many, many Milkweed plants. Those are Milkweed flowers that the Monarchs in these photos are perched upon. And now, some more good news: This year is shaping up to be an even better year for Monarch butterflies than last year. As I walk along the open fields at Avalon I see more and more of these glorious insects. I think it’s going to be another banner year for both the Monarchs and my camera. JK

Birders in Their Natural Habitat

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Thursday, May 17, 2018,

This is a group of birders at Avalon Park and Preserve. I don’t know what they’re seeing but they sure do seem happy about it. These folks are with Four Harbors Audubon Society. Four Harbors has walks at Avalon on the second Saturday of each month and this is a photo of some of the bird watchers during our most recent walk. It was a wet morning that got much wetter just as the walk was completed. It was as if the Birding Gods were looking out for us. And despite the weather, we did get to see some pretty cool things. Check out the pic below. It’s not one of my better shots but it is the first the first Blue-winged Warbler I’ve ever seen. There is a good chance that I never would have seen this bird, let alone identified it If I hadn’t been walking with a Four Harbors Audubon group. This is why I go on these walks. I get to find the birds and I get an education. You should join us next month. Maybe we’ll find a bird for you. JK

Window Of Opportunity

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Friday, February 2, 2018,

This is a window of opportunity shot. Or, to be more exact, a gate of opportunity. I was trekking at Avalon Preserve when I came across a small flock of birds, which included this White-throated Sparrow. There was a gate standing between me and the birds I was trying to photograph. Now, when you’re shooting birds – (in the photographer sense, although I imagine that it’s much the same for hunters with guns) – you cannot approach your quarry by stepping forward. You must rely on your lens to capture the bird, otherwise said bird will fly off and leave you with a memory and a tale: “I was this close”, which is the same thing as a fisherman saying the fish was this big. As a photographer, you need to take the she shot when and where you can. This bird was beyond a gate, but if I tried to inch my way past, it would surely have flown off, so I had to take the pic where I stood. And that’s exactly what I did. I wasn’t disappointed with the result. I hope you aren’t either. JK

JK