Category: Birds

Adventure to Primitive “Judges’s Shack” on the Dunes – IBSP, NJ

On By mvschulzeIn Adventure, Ambiance, Beach, Birds, Boats, Daytrip, Exploring, Hiking, Jersey Shore, New Jersey, Photography, serenity, Summer, Sunrise5 Comments

      During this Pandemic Summer:  a Sea Doo ride across Barnegat Bay at dawn to Island Beach State Park and the resident shore birds and ghosts of the 100 plus year old fishing shack still guarding the dunes overlooking the Atlantic      Notes: The “Judge’s Shack” is the last remaining fishing shack on the ocean side, originally built over 100 years ago. It is about a mile south along the beach from the bay access path. The adventure started at sunrise, across Barnegat Bay. Except for the first image, the images are in chronological order. And yes, the sea gull in the 4th image, is YAWNING! Wake Up time!

Thanks for Viewing. Comments are always welcome, and zoom in for a closer look. M 🙂



Pre-Pandemic Shenanigans

On By mvschulzeIn Annoying, Birds, Funny, Home, humor, Jersey Shore, New Jersey, Photography, wildlife6 Comments

A TALE OF TWO HOODED MERGANSER FRIENDS

ABOVE: “Well, what silly antics do you want to pull today?”

ABOVE: “Hmmm, let me think!”

ABOVE: “How’s THIS!”

ABOVE: “AND …THIS?”

ABOVE: “Thank you, thank you! You can hold the applause, …there’s MORE!”

ABOVE: “You put your left foot out…”

ABOVE: “You put your left foot down…, and spin all around…”

“I think you’re …just a bit weird!” 

 

Thanks for viewing. Zoom in for a closer look! M 🙂

 

Backyard: A Red-tailed Hawk Visits – TWICE

On By mvschulzeIn Birds, Home, New Jersey, Oakland N.J., Photography, wildlife6 Comments

This Afternoon, (12/20/19) – Our Backyard


Below, …a little over a week earlier, this impressive hawk (that had been perched on the same branch as above,) was spooked (by me!) into moving a bit deeper into the trees.DSC_0284 2 DSC_0282

Last image above: Probably about two years old, hawk-eye started acting silly, like any two year old, and in seconds, flew away.  Thirteen days later he returned, as captured  in the first two pictures at the top. 

Thanks to Disperser Tracks for catching my initial error in ID’s this as an Eagle. Live and learn! M 😦

Thanks for viewing and you can zoom in for a closer look. Comments are always welcome.  M 🙂

Osprey Eyes

On By mvschulzeIn Birds, Close Up, Curiosities, Jersey Shore, Photography, Pondering5 Comments

Photographed at our local Osprey nest on Barnegat Bay last week, Dad (left) and Mom (middle) are seen raising three offspring, shown here at a young age of about eight or nine weeks. It’s late afternoon …dinner time, and a fresh fish is the meal at their feet on the right.  What intrigued me was the color or their eyes. 

Below: A closer view of the light gray-eyed adult, contrasting strongly to the orange of the fledgling. 

And below, this same color distinction is seen here with the mom, (now staring at me,) and the orange eye color of the other two siblings.

Thanks for viewing, zoom in for a closer look, and comments are always welcome M 🙂 

The “Line Up” – Starlings With Nothing Better To Do

On By mvschulzeIn Birds, humor, New Jersey, Photography7 Comments

“Hey Oscar! Look over there… I think they’re planning a ‘LINE-UP’!”

“Yeah! Tell the gang!”

Minutes Later…

“Whooo… Here they come from all over!” as Oscar and Felix excitedly head to the pole.  “Line-Up! Line-Up!“

Felix: “We’ll direct from up here!” Then, shouting to the incoming Starlings: “Be courteous and make room!”

 

“Get your spacing, mind your neighbor…”

 

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Oscar, looking down: “You two go over there and fill in the spaces!”

 

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At left, Oscar is summarizing to Felix after the event:  “Not bad old friend! Almost perfect!”

Images were taken 9/16/18. Thanks for viewing and click on or finger stretch to zoom in. Comments are always welcome. M 🙂