Egret Rookery

On one of my birding trips this April, I came across an egret and cormorant rookery in south NJ. Unlike some of the other large bird nesting colonies I've been to, this one was right near the road, so it was possible to take some close-up shots. Unfortunately, all the nests were in the tangled trees, so it's difficult to make them out, but it's still an interesting sight:







Of course, this wouldn't be an "Osprey Photo Blog" if I didn't post a picture of an osprey that was hunting nearby:

Jamaica Bay

I met a cooperative tree swallow at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. He decided to nest in a box right next to the main trail, and I guess got used to people stopping by and gawking...

While I was there, I was able to take another good close-up:

This picture has nothing to do with Jamaica Bay (it's from Delaware Water Gap), but it's a nice shot, so I thought I'd post it here:

Washington DC

Given the cold spring, we thought that coming to Washington about a week past the normal time for cherry blossoms would put us in the middle of their peak this year. However, the spring was so cold that we were still about a week too early. We did see some nice magnolias and a few cherry trees that dared to bloom on time.

We also paid a visit to the Baltimore Aquarium on the way back home. Their fish exhibit disappointed - their main shark-and-ray tank was closed for renovation. But finding a golden-maned monkey there was totally unexpected and sort of compensated for it:

Extreme Close-ups

A selection of really really close-up shots that put you on eye level, mind-to-mind, with some of the smallest birds out there. (On a 15-inch screen, most of these should life-size.) Enjoy!


Tufted Titmouse



Golden-Crowned Kinglet



Black-Capped Chickadee



Red-Breasted Nuthatch



Ruddy Turnstone



Chipping Sparrow



Juvenile Common Yellowthroat



Lesser Yellowlegs



Female House Sparrow



Tree Swallow

Virginia Beach close-ups

Brown Pelican. Virginia Beach is the northern limit of their range - they seem reluctant to cross Chesapeake Bay, although some do.


American Oystercatcher. Can't get enough of the red bill.


American Bittern. This guy is very hard to see - he is very secretive and always hides in the reeds. It's only the second time I saw one in my three years doing bird photography.


Ruddy Turnstone. In molting plumage - changing from winter to summer feathers. This picture was taken on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, and this guy has traveled more than 1,000 miles to get there from its wintering grounds. It has another 1,000 miles to go to its nesting place.

White Ibis.


Great Egret.


Osprey with dinner.


Brown Pelicans in formation. They always fly in threes - have you noticed that?


American Robin striking a pose.

Virginia Beach

What I'll remember of Virginia Beach is that it's a nice beach town located in the middle of a military base. Or so it seemed, given the number of jets in the air at any given time.

They did have some more beach-like things:

 

This is from the First Landing State Park:

Who needs jet skis when you have a helicopter!


And finally, I came across a menacing yet photogenic boat-tailed grackle:

Target Practice

Good hair day (Red-Breasted Merganser)


Neither duck not chicken... (American Coot)


I think it's supper-time! (Great Blue Heron )


Atten-tion! (Harlequin Ducks)


Slippery Slope (Savannah Sparrow)


You don't know where it's been... (Ring-Billed Gull)


Common Loon and a friend


Flirt (Long-Tailed Duck)


Missed connections (Common Loon and Red-Breasted Merganser)