I was surprised to find this lone Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) at the salt marsh. A flock was here a few weeks ago but they had moved on.
Pandion haliaetus
Osprey In Flight Portrait 2019
Pandion haliaetus
As I was photographing this Great Egret (Casmerodius albus) wading along the shore, the Egret suddenly opened its beak wide, stuck its tongue out and shook its head. In a split second, it was over. The Egret continued on and appeared just fine.
An American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) had been sitting on a tree branch and I was fortunate that it dropped out of the tree in my direction.
A Great Egret (Casmerodius albus) moves on to another fishing spot in a salt marsh.
I watched this Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) for a few minutes ducking itself in the water and then shaking it off.
There were a lot of birds flying at the salt marsh today including this Bald Eagle Juvenile (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).
Today, the Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) were flying into the salt marsh, collecting sticks for their nests, and flying back out to the ocean.
There were a lot of birds flying over the salt marsh today including several Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura). Many Ospreys were there for the River Herring. Not sure why the Turkey Vultures were there.
Osprey Fishing For River Herring
An Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) circles high above the water searching for fish. When it spots a fish, it hovers and then dives head first through the air but plunges into the water feet first getting completely submerged. In this photo, the Osprey is coming up out of the water while I wait to see if it got a herring.
Osprey Flying with a River Herring
The Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) were out in force today diving for River Herring or Alewifes. The herring move into estuaries (a partially enclosed body of brackish water with one or more streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the ocean) and swim upstream to breed in fresh water and then swim back out to the ocean. The Ospreys are waiting for the herring as they move into and out of the estuary.
A lone Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) flies along a beach on Long Island Sound on a dreary gray afternoon in spring 2019.
The late afternoon was dreary with a slight chill. There were no birds in the water or air. I happen to glance down the beach and noticed a lone bird standing on a beach rock. It turned out to be a Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalatus), a pigeon-sized sandpiper.
Supposedly, the early birds get the worms. Well, this late afternoon bird got its worm too.
This Oprey took off from it's nest while It's mate sits on the eggs. It came very close to the bird blind I was in while gaining altitude.
Start of a New Salt Marsh Cycle
It's spring 2019 and the start of a new salt marsh cycle. Looking out of the salt marsh.
A Mallard glides in for a water landing. Ducks fly very fast and are a challange to photograph. And when captured in a photo, they always look happy.
Canada Geese & Five Goslings Swimming
Spring 2019
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Canada Geese (Branta canadensis)
Two Canada Geese sit in their front yard on a mudflat watching birds swim by in the main channel of a salt marsh.
Ardea alba
