The King Eider is a rarity around here but one appeared this winter and hung out with a bunch of Common Eiders. Many birdwatchers and bird photographers came for weeks to catch a glimpse, myself included. It took me two days of standing on the beach to get this shot. On the first day, this sole King Eider stayed too far out to get a decent shot. On the second day, it swam very close to shore and I captured this photo as it climbed up on a rock.
"The number π is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, and is approximately equal to 3.14159. It has been represented by the Greek letter "π" since the mid-18th century." - from Wikipedia.
Precision Flying or Controlled Chaos?
This flock of European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were taking off/landing and flying back and forth across a field on top of a bluff overlooking the ocean. From a distance it looked like precision flying where the flock took off and landed in a cohesive group. Taking a closer look, as shown in this photo, it looks more like controlled chaos where it appears to be completely disorganzied but where some things like flying are under control. Maybe both? After a few minutes, the show was over when they flew out over the ocean.
A Common Loon (Gavia immer) searching for fish on New Year's Day 2019.
I was taking a photo of the boardwalk that went up over a sand dune and down to a beach just as this dog came running from behind me. The dog bumped into my leg as it ran up the boardwalk, stopped, turned around and sat. Was it waiting for its owner to catch up or for me to take its portrait? It was a perfect pose so I grabbed the shot.
Hooded Merganser Pair In Flight in Winter
It's December and this male and female Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucllatus) have just taken off after searching for small fish in a estuary.
Belted Kingfisher Female Inflight
Megaceryle alcyon
Double-crested Cormorant In-water Portrait
As soon as it turns its head into a side view, this Double-crested Cormorant looks like a completely different bird.
Late Afternoon Takeoff: Three Geese
The Canada Geese usually leave this salt marsh in the late afternoon or early evening. When you hear them honking in chorus, you know they are about to take off. These Canada Geese took a leisurely quarter mile swim to the end of the channel, turned around, started honking, took off and are getting airborne. The marsh grass is just turning into its fall colors while the late afternoon September sun gives colorful water reflections.
End of Summer Snowy Egret Takeoff Wings Level
The marsh grass colors are starting to change as fall nears. A Snowy Egret takes off and skims the colorful grasses to a new location in the saltmarsh.
A Cormorant's feathers are not water repellent and they have to spread their wings to dry them off. This Cormorant was drying off on a well traveled foot path and was not scared of the people passing by.
Green Heron Peeking (Award: Best Photography)
©2018 Paul Sikorski A Green Heron heard me and took a peek.
A flock of Brants skim the surface of a sparkling blue ocean.
