Thursday, June 15, 2023,
JK
A Red-winged Blackbird in the Reeds
2
A Clapper Rail in Oceanside
Tuesday, June 13, 2023,
This is a Clapper Rail that I was lucky enough to grab some photos of at the Marine Nature Study Area in Oceanside. Truth be told, I was very lucky. You see, while Clapper Rails are not rare, they are rarely seen.
These birds prefer to do their living and foraging while remaining hidden in thick vegetation. While they may appear to be fairly stocky, Clapper Rails tend to be laterally compressed. That means they appear skinnier when viewed head on. This “compression” allows them to move more freely through the dense cordgrass or other plants that grow in the salt marshes that these birds inhabit.
Now, while these birds may be hard to observe, let alone photograph, they don’t exactly go unheard. However, these shy birds are quite capable of making a loud racket. In fact, the same morning that I chanced upon this particular Clapper Rail, I had heard one making its “Kek, kek, kek” call from only about three feet away. I was with a group of people, and we were able to pinpoint where the call was coming from, but not one of us could actually see the calling bird. Such is life in the day of both a birder or a photographer. Stupid birds. 🙂 JK.
JK
Some Recognition
Sunday, June 11, 2023,
Hello readers. This is a really off-topic post. In the past, my off-topic posts involved my cats, who are, alas, no more, or other peoples pets. This is a new type of off-topic post. This is me bragging.
I participate in several Facebook groups. Just yesterday, one of those groups, which has an international following, selected one of my photographs as a photo of the month for the month of May. This particular group had 10,990 photos submitted that month. And they chose mine as one of the best. I am both humbled and ecstatic at the same time. It’s a giddy place to be, but gosh, I sure am happy to be here. JK.
This is the link to the announcement:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/296520460753412/posts/1668217546917023/
JK
Oystercatchers in Love
Saturday, June 3, 2023.
Okay, folks, you might want to shuffle the kids into another room. Or, maybe yourself, depending on how prudish or proper you might be. No offense, and no judgements. All of us need to view the world in our own way. This guy here, likes a higher view, when he can get it.
These are pics of two Oystercatchers in love. They truly are. I was taking photos of the female when the male sauntered up and mounted her. If my camera hadn’t already been focussed on her, this series of pics would never have happened.
This particular coupling didn’t take long. Birds tend to be quick about their business. Very quick. In fact, from start to finish, and that includes the male approaching the female, which is not pictured here, the whole liaison lasted three seconds. While that may not sound impressive, he was quite acrobatic about it. And, check out his dismount. He really sticks the landing. 🙂 JK
JK
Piping Plover With Breakfast
Sunday, May 28, 2023,
This is a Piping Plover that I spotted between Point Lookout and Nickerson Beach. It’s got some sort of tasty tidbit in its bill. I don’t know what it is, but it appears to have wings. Piping Plovers can be difficult to find, and not just because they are endangered. These little birds blend in so well with their surroundings that they can seem almost invisible till they start moving. Check out the pic below. It’s the same photo as the one above, except that I didn’t crop it as closely. Kind of hard to spot the little, right? JK
JK