Sunday, November 20, 2016,
Hello dear readers, both of you. Click on the pic to see the GIF. Just having some fun with the pics in the previous post. Taken together, it looks to me like this this little guy is counting birders as they go past. Or, maybe just shaking his head at the myriad of intruders in his little bit of forest. JK
Sunday, November 20, 2016,
This, obviously, is a Chipmunk. I love these little guys. So very cute, so very animated, and so very difficult to photograph because they dont sit still for very long. They’re like little dogs. The smaller they are, the more energy they seem to have. At least Chipmunks aren’t constantly yipping and yapping at ya. They’ve got some self respect. Plus, since they like to keep their personal space, you don’t need to worry about them nipping at your heels.
I got these two shots near the end of a Four Harbors Audubon Society walk at Avalon Preserve. We were there to observe and count birds. Myself, I’m there to to get whatever pics I can and this Chipmunk was the highlight of my morning. That happens. Alot. I can’t make the birds sit still any more than I can ask jumpy little mammals to do the same. Believe me, I’ve tried. I’ve also tried to grow hair with the same result. I still need a woolen cap in the winter to keep my noggin warm. Not to mention that I could use some sort of sunburn protection in the summer. Sometimes I think I love Mother Nature a whole lot more than she loves me. Then again, without Her, these shots never happen. JK
Friday, October 14, 2016,
This is a baby Box Turtle. Cute little beastie, isn’t it? I was with a group of birders at Avalon during the most recent Four Harbors Audubon monthly walk. One of the walkers – one with much better eyes than my own – spotted this tiny little guy near the side of the path. And, as the next two pics will show, this is one small turtle. In fact, these photos are slightly larger than life. Click on each pic for an even larger view.
After all of us had a chance to view this diminutive marvel we began discussing what species of hard-bodied critter this was. Birders are like that. It’s not enough to see a bird – they insist on identifying everything they see. Some of the walkers thought we were looking at a baby Snapping Turtle and others were thinking it was a Diamondback Terrapin. I was certain that it was neither. I’ve seen plenty of baby Snappers and baby Terrapins and this wasn’t one of either. My first instinct was Box Turtle but I couldn’t be sure. While I’ve been very familiar with Box Turtles since childhood, my experience with baby Boxers is quite limited. The shape of this guy’s head screamed Box Turtle but that shell didn’t look quite right. The dome didn’t seem high enough but, again, I don’t get to meet many baby Boxers.
Luckily, birders are not my only resource. I sent these pics to some of my friends at Sweetbriar Nature Center and then I posted the shots at Facebook’s Long Island Wildlife Photography page. The general concensus was that this was, indeed, a baby Box Turtle. And while this may seem like an ‘I told you so’ moment, the truth is that without the input of others I would never be certain of what this little guy is. Thanks to everyone who helped me figure this out. JK
Sunday, October 9, 2016,
This is not why I’m single but it certainly is food for thought. And for female Praying Mantises. I got these shots during yesterday’s Four Harbors Audubon Society birding walk at Avalon Preserve. Please take note of Mr. Mantis’s missing head and of the severed leg that Mrs. Mantis is grasping in her right front leg. Is that a forelimb or foreplay? Mr. Mantis was enjoying a terrific morning and then the check came. Next time bring cash. By the way, the participants are still conjoined. He may have lost his head but Mr. Mantis remembered why he came to the party.
JK
Tuesday, March 22, 2016,
Here’s two pics of a Green Frog I saw at Avalon Preserve in Stony Brook. I got these shots at the Frog Pond during the Four Harbors Audubon walk on March 12th. We’re not just about birds on these walks. Amphibians are always a welcome sight as well, especially this early in the season. This guy was the only frog I saw that day but now that Spring has arrived I’m sure he’s already got plenty of company.
JK