Eastern Water Ostrich

Saturday, October 29, 2022,

Hello folks. I have a real treat for you today. This is a pair of pics of the rarely seen, and much less photographed, Eastern Water Ostrich. Or maybe, it’s just a Greater Yellowlegs probing for fish. While I can sometimes manage to get a bird in focus, I’m not very good at making proper identifications. Plus, I’m a bit of a wiseguy.   🙂

JK

Yellowlegs, Both Of Them

Wednesday, October 28, 2020,

This is a photograph of two different species of Yellowlegs. That large bird, the one in focus, is a Greater Yellowlegs. The bird in the foreground is a Lesser Yellowlegs. Note the size difference despite the fact that the smaller bird is a foot closer to the camera. Another identifying character is the size of its bill relative to the size of its head. The Greater Yellowlegs has a comparatively longer bill. These two species can be very difficult to differentiate and while I had guessed correctly, I’d like to thank my friend Mike Farina who is the Conservation Biologist at the Marine Nature Study Area for confirming my guess. Over the past two years Mike has been essential to us here at Joe Kayaker. He’s not only invaluable when it comes to identifications but Mike is completely knowledgeable about habitats and animal interactions. We just may offer him one of the unpaid staff positions at Joe Kayaker. JK.