Robin, a blog reader, sent me this after reading "Hooded Bliss," "Wonderful photos and commentary. You taught me new things about the hoodies. Thanks so much for sharing!" I always like it when readers tell me they learned something from the blog. I also like it when they provide me with good ideas for titles! … Continue reading Photos and Commentary
Category: City parks
Hooded Bliss
This piece is dated, but not by much. What's recounted here took place on 4/1. From time to time we have subject birds, and the subject bird this time is the Hooded Merganser or "Hoodie." It's North America's smallest merganser and the only one that breeds and winters here. It's a species that's described as … Continue reading Hooded Bliss
Great Blue to Best Quality
I wrapped up "A Close Encounter," a blog I published midday on 10/16, with these words: "Any day now, the [young Green Heron] will make it’s first trip, its maiden voyage, from the breeding grounds where it was born to its wintering grounds. It’ll probably leave during the night. I’ll revisit the lakeshore a few … Continue reading Great Blue to Best Quality
Every Bit of Wild
I'd like to begin with a few personal sketches. An Unusual Discovery My wife and I are committed birders. In our backyard, we provide birds with food, water, and places to nest and take cover. We also have a "yard list" of 77 species—the number of bird species that we've observed or heard on, near, … Continue reading Every Bit of Wild
A Few Random Thoughts
I'd like to open with this shot of a Canada Goose flying above the surface of Scott's Creek in Portsmouth, VA. Talk about a species that is an awesome photo target. To me, this is a quintessential fall photo. Canada Geese are considered "harbingers of the changing seasons." This is also a quintessential goose photo. … Continue reading A Few Random Thoughts
All God’s Critters
Many of you enjoyed the European Starling photo and what I wrote about starlings in "Bird and Photograph Locally." Here's that late November photo again. Ann, a VMD and blog follower, wrote: "I just had to tell you that I agree totally with you about the vilified starlings. They can be quite handsome birds especially … Continue reading All God’s Critters
Bird and Photograph Locally
I'm an unabashed bird lover and watcher. So are many of you. Birds have aesthetic appeal and they're captivating. They provide a connection to nature. They take us outside ourselves and our preoccupations. Some believe they provide a connection to God. A Local Jaunt–Sketch #1 A week ago I arose early and left a note … Continue reading Bird and Photograph Locally
Stalking a Great Blue
It takes planning to create good images. That was one of the messages in "It's All About Light." What follows is a quick "planning" case study and story. On the morning of 10/15, the outdoor lighting was extraordinary. It met the quality-of-light test and then some. It was one of those mornings. I decided to … Continue reading Stalking a Great Blue
It’s All About Light
You know it's getting later in the fall when Yellow-crowned Night Herons have left the Mid-Atlantic, Red-tailed Hawk numbers are peaking at Cape May, and neighbors are soliciting fellow neighbors for unwanted pumpkins. An immature YCNH hung on in Chesapeake, VA until the end of October. Pardon me for using the alpha code there, but … Continue reading It’s All About Light
Coexisting
In my last blog, "More Bird Notes," I referred to the Common Yellowthroat, a New World wood warbler, as the "raccoon warbler." I also referred to the Brown Thrasher as the "chirpa chirpa bird." I received a few questions about the name, "raccoon warbler," since I'd presented a photo of a younger female that bore … Continue reading Coexisting
Elizabeth River Bird Blog 