Autumn 2019, At The Edge Of The Bay

Above: Drainage canal in the Forsythe Wildlife Rufuge, with “Island Beach (Barrier Island) State Park” 3 mi. (4.8 km) across Barnegat Bay
Above, Empty Osprey nest after successful mating and three new chicks off to winter habitats.
Above: A few minutes later, as seen in the far right, second image  …the town of Barnegat Light, New Jersey, (Long Beach Island (LBI)) and its 160 year old historic lighthouse, 5.2 mi (8.4 km) distant.

 

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

Osprey Eyes

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 🙂 

Seaside Heights – Impressive Sky

Recently, on May 20th, the late sunlit clouds over the Atlantic Ocean, were …awesome!

 

Of note …the actual sunset, a few minutes later, was one of the most dramatic we’ve ever seen. Clicking pictures while driving to the mainland, however,  was not going to happen.

Thanks for viewing and comments are always welcome. M 🙂

Perspectives: The Lighthouse and the Osprey

Osprey Nest and Barnegat Lighthouse a few minutes before sunset last night, as seen from newly opened Berkeley Island Park on Barnegat Bay, New Jersey.

The Ospreys in this unusually tall nest are about a mile away (1.6km); while the lighthouse is about seven miles (12.5 km) further.

Thanks for viewing. Click on or “finger stretch” for a closer view. As always, comments are welcomed M 🙂

 Snowy White Egrets – This Morning’s Mini Post

A few quick images from this morning on Barnegat Bay, New Jersey

6:31 AM, muted sunshine. “Here I come. Fishies, look out!!!”

Thirty seconds later…”Walking along, my merry way… Doo de doo!”
 

6:54 AM, clouds over sun. “This is my ‘stalking’ pose…reeaddy to POUNCE!!!”

 Five seconds later… “Yahheeiahhh!” 
 

As usual, thanks for viewing, Comments are demanded…sorry, I mean always welcomed. Click on images for closer view. M 🙂

 

 

Osprey: Time to Fly – Today, July 29th, 2016

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Its time to fly.  Mom and Dad conceive, raise the young and teach!

Above,  Mom (left) sternly begins coaxing the kid to leave the nest, and fly. It happens every year. The mother will fly around the nest, carrying a fish in its claws, sometimes for days at a time, until the young one finally gets the idea – to eat, you must fly! The wordless lesson is priority one.

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Meanwhile, Dad waits patiently a few hundred yards way. 

As Usual, click on images for higher resolution, and comments are always welcome. M 🙂