Under Watchful Eyes of a Hawk and an Eagle

Red-tailed hawks frequently perch on this tree overlooking a field.

 

A juvenile bald eagle, who hasn't yet developed it's trademark white head and tail feathers, frequently spends time overlooking this part of the river. 

Fowl Play

One of the exciting things about spring, for me, is the activity of birds and waterfowl.  This weekend's walks provided sightings of mallards, common mergansers, and ring-necked ducks.  It's fun to watch these social birds interact with each other.

Red-Winged Blackbirds Announce the Arrival of Spring!

There's nothing that announces the arrival of spring like the Red-Winged Blackbird.  Their easily-recognizable trill is a familiar sound in the wetlands of northwest New Jersey as the birds perch on reeds and grasses surrounding water.  Their presence is a welcomed sight after a long, hard winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eye Contact

     This dramatic scene caught my eye the other day.  And it looked right back at me!

     Eye contact. 

     We had a staring contest.  It won!

     And I was temporarily blinded.

The February Moon and the Shadows It Casts

 

 

 

I was woken by the February moon.  Again.  It beckoned me.  Again. 

I fell for the brightness, for shadows, and for sparkles.  Again.

 

This time, there was also an element of surprise. 

 

I found while editing that when I brightened up the darkness in some images, just for kicks to see what exactly goes on in the sky while visibly we see black. 

 

My first reaction was:

 

*  SURPRISE !  *

 

...followed by a big, scientific "duh".

 

 

The world is just as we see it by day!  Blue sky, wisping clouds...  

  

...and the realization dawned on me that the same world by day is still happening at night,

 

And from a reverse perspective.   All the stars, meteors, and planets we see at night, do not  just "disappear" from the sky, only from our vision.  Out of sight, but still there.

 

 

 

Introducing, the February moon! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drip, Drip, Drip...

 

Icicles

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Little Birds in the Snow

While shoveling the snow on this particular day, I paused several times to watch the dark-eyed juncos, cardinals, and sparrows flit back and forth across the yard.  They seemed to be as excited for the freshly-fallen snow as I, although, I'm sure it was more for the bird seed they sought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How many juncos can you find in the forsythia? 

(Every time I count I come up with a different number!)