I began "A Few Words About Birds" this way: "A recent opinion piece in The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia’s largest daily newspaper, began with the words: 'First of all, thank you for reading.' I’d like to begin, here, the same way. First of all, thank you for reading. I mean that, sincerely." That was followed by a … Continue reading The Joy of Discovery
Category: Elizabeth River Project
The Scuffletown Creek Hunters
Scuffletown Creek, an Elizabeth River tributary in Chesapeake, VA, was a mess. I wrote about it in "The Same River Twice." Dave and Lindsay, two old-timers who grew up nearby, remember houseboats in the creek, homes with outhouses lining the creek, and sewage and diesel fuel flowing into the creek. They remember tapping the creek … Continue reading The Scuffletown Creek Hunters
Fieldcraft, Part Two
In my last blog, "Fieldcraft," I described several situations where my being still and quiet in the field for over 5 minutes enabled me to get very close to—and get decent close-up photos of—a Red-tailed Hawk, a Carolina Wren, and a Song Sparrow. I also relayed Keith Freeburn's story. Keith waited in one spot for … Continue reading Fieldcraft, Part Two
Fieldcraft
I shared a photo recently that turned out to be pretty popular. It was a portrait of an adult Red-tailed Hawk, another bird species that has adapted well to being around humans. Here's the photo. And here's the description that followed: "The payoff for being still. This adult Red-tailed Hawk landed on a utility pole … Continue reading Fieldcraft
Laugh Loud
Let's take a quick break from the wildlife photography series that began with "Talkin Bird Photography." You'll recall that we started out there on a fairly serious note. But here, we'll be a little more lighthearted and silly. Laugh Loud I remember something that took place when I was in military school many years ago. … Continue reading Laugh Loud
Talkin’ More Bird Photography
Happy Independence Day, America! And am I grateful to be living in the "the greatest country on God's green earth." Green Heron Nestling Some of you have seen this bird photo before. I took it on 7/1/20 at what has now become one of my patches: Lakeside Park in Chesapeake, VA. My main patch continues … Continue reading Talkin’ More Bird Photography
A Few Words About Birds
A recent opinion piece in The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia's largest daily newspaper, began with the words: "First of all, thank you for reading." I'd like to begin, here, the same way. First of all, thank you for reading. I mean that, sincerely. "We've mentioned the passing of Caroll Spinney and our love for Big Bird, but … Continue reading A Few Words About Birds
A Few Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography
I paid an early morning visit a few days ago to Lakeside Park in Chesapeake, VA—the park with the litter, the noise, the Canada Goose droppings, the algal bloom, and on and on, yet also the park that was recently host to a thriving community of nesting birds, including many Green Herons. I'm reminded of … Continue reading A Few Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography
The Killdeer Saga, Part 3
Let me set the stage here, which might be helpful, especially for those of you who haven't read parts 1 and 2. I've followed a Money Point, Chesapeake, VA Killdeer family since early March 2019. They built their first nest and had their first 4-egg clutch on abandoned railroad tracks there. Typical Killdeer. Those eggs … Continue reading The Killdeer Saga, Part 3
The Killdeer Saga
The last couple of blogs on the Osprey were writing marathons. They took a lot of time and effort to put together. And they were lengthy. This, the first of several blogs on the Killdeer, will be more like a 5K fast walk instead. But before we get down to business and begin to consider … Continue reading The Killdeer Saga
Elizabeth River Bird Blog 