Monthly Archives: December 2011

I Was Looking For Loons

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Saturday, December 31, 2011,

This is an off-topic post, I admit. Generally my pics are all about wildlife or nature but this is a scene I came upon while looking for wildlife. Plus, it’s a cool pic so why not share it here? Not to mention that I’m a little short of pics to post at the moment.

Three days back I took a drive over to West Meadow Beach. I was hoping to find some loons or maybe some wintering ducks but I didn’t see any. It was a beautiful day but the wind was barreling in from the northwest at over 25mph. While the ducks were probably seeking the shelter of calmer waters some folks saw the very same conditions as a reason to get out and play. This is just one of about eight or nine guys that were zipping back and forth along the beach. It looked like a lot of fun but that wind was brutal. After ten minutes or so I retreated to the refuge of my car and turned up the heat. I may have missed out on the ducks but I think maybe I saw some loons. JK

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet At Avalon

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Monday, December 19, 2011,

Here are some pics I took of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet at the end of October. Halloween, actually. These  tiny guys are wintering here. I’m freezing my butt off and they’re here to enjoy the balmy weather. Go figure.

Can you see that narrow red stripe along the top of his head? That’s its ruby crown. That stripe also identifies it as a male because the females lack that bit of color. Look, the ladies have more to worry about than wearing fancy colors, okay? Not a one of those fancy-headed males has to carry around five to eleven eggs come breeding time, do they? That’s right, these micro-birds, as Kaufman calls them, lay a heck of a lot of eggs. Just not around here. You’ll have to go much further north to see that. In the meantime, enjoy these guys while they’re here.

JK


Brant Geese Outside David Weld Sanctuary

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Monday, December 12, 2011,

I snapped these pics on a recent hike through David Weld Sanctuary. The far end of the sanctuary offers a terrific view of the Long Island Sound. There’s also a path that leads down to the shoreline. When I saw from above that there were Brants in the water I took took the trail down to see if I could grab some pics.

The north shore of Long Island is littered with rocks, from pebbles to boulders, the result of glaciation. In fact, most of Long Island, with the notable exception of the south shore, is the direct result of a glacier carving up the Atlantic seaside. To take these pics I hid behind a large boulder on shore.These geese are on another boulder that is a bit further off shore. I would sneak a peek, take a shot, and scoot behind the boulder. Sneak, shoot, scoot, repeat. Who says wildlife photography is boring? JK