Monday, March 21, 2022

Belted Kingfisher at CJ Brown

Having great fun with the AI bird tracking capabilities of the OM Systems  OM-1.  




Saturday, March 12, 2022

Some Old Reid Ducks

 Gracie and I did a 3 mile jaunt today....and we saw a few interesting ducks at Old Reid. 
This Wood Duck pair dropped in right in front of us and proceeded to leave the ponds and take a walk on the bike path. 








Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Gray Morph Screech Owl at Buck Creek State Park

    For the 6th year in a row, we've seen a Gray Morph Screech Owl in the same hollowed tree at Buck Creek State Park. We drive through the park about every other day, and always check the tree out. We're usually disappointed by not seeing it, but yesterday afternoon it was there!
    It's possible that the owl is there more often but just not visible; as the hollowed section appears to drop deeper into the tree. We've never approached the tree to look inside, as we don't want to chance disturbing it. 
  I'm posting images from yesterday and the previous 5 years. Not sure if it is the same bird each year, or just coincidence that different Gray Morphs use the same eye-level hollow every year. 

    Gray Morph Screech Owl shot with Olympus EM1 Mark III and Olympus 100-400mm at             400mm.
 

    Gray Morph Screech Owl shot with Olympus EM1 Mark III and Olympus 300mm.



    Gray Morph Screech Owl shot with Olympus EM1 Mark III and Olympus 300mm.


        Gray Morph Screech Owl shot with Olympus EM5 Mark III and Olympus 300mm.


                Gray Morph Screech Owl shot with Fuji XT-2 and Fuji 100-400mm. 
                This image was shot just after sunset and was taken using high iso.

                Gray Morph Screech Owl shot with Canon 7D M2 and Canon 500 F4. 




Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Merlin at Old Reid Park

 Such an awesome encounter at Old Reid today with this Merlin. Likely an immature bird or a female. From All About Birds..."Merlins are small, fierce falcons that use surprise attacks to bring down small songbirds and shorebirds. They are powerful fliers, but you can tell them from larger falcons by their rapid wingbeats and overall dark tones. Medieval falconers called them “lady hawks,” and noblewomen used them to hunt Sky Larks."

This Merlin perched nicely for the better part of an hour...it looked upward and focused its attention on the sky when a Northern Harrier flew over (Pic #3), and again when a flock of Sandhill Cranes flew low overhead (Pic #4). It finally flew, but landed nearby on a rock and posed for more pics.

@NTPRD








Saturday, January 29, 2022

Mars and Moon Conjuncture

 This morning just before sunrise, Mars was easily visible in alignment with the crescent Moon. 

And the full image including Venus......





Sunday, January 16, 2022

Moonbow and Orion

 A moonbow last night about midnight....likely due to moonlight reflecting through ice crystals very high in the night sky.

The clear, cold winter sky gave a good look at the Orion Constellation...and especially the three aligned stars that make up Orion's Belt.
Three pics....as seen, with labels on stars, and superimposed with the Orion Constellation on the third image to show the the Hunter.







Tuesday, January 4, 2022