I made my way back down to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville, NJ on 6-13-2009 to observe and photograph all the many different kinds of birds and other creatures that reside there. On this trip, I wanted to try and concentrate on some new techniques and ways I thought I could get some better shots of the birds. I also wanted to spend some more time with the Ospreys there since the chicks were now visibile in the nests.
Osprey flies overhead.
I spotted these Thistle plants on the right side of the road just after the first left turn on the eight mile wildlife drive at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville, NJ during my 6-13-2009 trip. I forgot to bring the 70-200mm that lens I had planned to use for macro shots with the Canon 500D closeup filter so instead I just took this shot with my Sigma 50-500mm while sitting in the car shooting across through the passenger side window. Have I mentioned the 50-500mm can be a real S.O.B. to hand hold ? Must remember to review my checklist next time to make sure I have not forgotten any important lenses before I leave.
Two Black Skimmers attack the surface of the water at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge on 6-13-2009. They are a blast to watch.
When they “skim” they lower the lower half of their long bill into the water surface and fly along at a fast pace hoping to scoop up small fish. It’s amazing to watch how nature has equipped and adapted each of the different bird species at the refuge to use whatever they have in order to catch fish and survive. These guys attack the water like a fighter jet coming in and strafing it’s target. For more information on Black Skimmers visit the Cornelll Lab Of Ornithology.
Last weekend I didn’t see any chicks in the nest. Today there was one young chick and an older one that, just estimating, is probably about a week or two older than its sibling. This photo shows the older of the two with the Mom. The younger one is quite a bit smaller and stayed low in the nest except for when the Mother was doling out fish that the Father Osprey brought to the nest. I noticed that when she fed the two chicks, she would feed the smallest one first then the older one, with bites for herself in between. For more information on Osprey, visit the Cornell Lab Of Ornithology.
Two Common Terns fight over a fish. Can’t we all get along ? From my Saturday 6-13-2009 trip down to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville, NJ. The Tern on the left, having the advantage of being able to dig his feet into the wood for leverage, won this fight. For more information on Common Terns visit the Cornelll Lab Of Ornithology.
Snowy Egret slowly steps through the marsh to get a closer look at some fish he has spotted. For more information on Snowy Egrets, visit the Cornelll Lab Of Ornithology.
This Common Tern must have hovered directly over me for several minutes, affording me every possible angle I wanted. I tried to get him back lit with the sun to see if I could illuminate the tail feathers and this is the closest of those shots.
For more information on the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, visit their web site at www.fws.gov/northeast/forsythe/.
