I thought when I caught this raccoon last time, it would be a one off chance encounter. I did catch it back at the same tree hole on another trip. It did wake up long enough to get it with its eyes open.
It seems the tree hole does not really go down from where it is as it seems wedged in there. It does not look comfortable, but it has returned. Have a great weekend.
This great blue heron was not actively hunting, or did not appear to be. It may have been enjoying golden hour before sunset.
This was taken in New Jersey on a previous trip from a great distance with a zoom lens. I wonder how the animals and birds are fairing in the Nor’Easter. Have a Happy Monday!
I believe this is a juvenile American Herring Gull with a blue crab. I spotted this in New Jersey.
American herring gulls , according to All About Birds, eat fish, insects, smaller seabirds, and even feed on adults, young, and eggs of other gulls. They also take mussels, crabs, sea urchins, crayfish, clams, and mussels.
I was hoping to go back to the same spot this weekend, but alas a nor’easter has affected the weather prior to its arrival. Maybe another weekend coming up I can swing it. We are predicted to get much needed rain, however, hopefully not too much. Have a Happy Sunday!
This is one of those at least I caught it photos. If I remember correctly the beach was closed beyond where I sat because of it being a nesting area for most likely another bird. This oyster catcher flew into the area in front of me and was looking for a meal.
According to All About Birds “American Oystercatchers are the only birds in their environment with the ability to open large molluscs such as clams and oysters.”
Even though it was still quite a distance, at least I saw it. These were taken with a zoom lens and are heavily cropped. Have a great Sunday!
I have been swinging by this tree at least once a week for the past few years hoping to find an owl. Instead this morning I saw a tail and an ear. It was a racccoon.
It is a different tree from the one I posted a picture or a raccoon poking out of the hole in June. When I went by this morning, nothing was waking it up, and there was a lot of noise nearby. I returned before sunset and had to wait a while before it started stirring. It was too dark to use a zoom lens. I got closer to the tree than I normally would, but not too close. These are cropped quite a bit.
Since I have not see another hole occupant before, I am guessing this may not be this raccoon’s normal home. Possibly he was on top of the sleeping pile if he was with family. Have a Happy Thursday!
This was one of the many birds I saw in Southern New Jersey on a trip. It is a belted kingfisher. I am not seeing the belly, but I am guessing it is a male.
There was a large contingent of birds in this spot, and there appeared to be fish for everyone. According to All About Birds the kingfisher eats fish like “sticklebacks, mummichogs, trout, and stonerollers. They also eat crayfish and may eat other crustaceans, mollusks, insects, amphibians, reptiles, young birds, small mammals, and even berries.”
Frequently I see them perched on a tree branch looking down in the water for fish swimming by. They dive in the water when they spot one. Have a happy Wednesday!
Merlin did not have a match for this, as New Jersey is not supposed to be in it’s range. It is an American Avocet and appears to be a non breeding adult or an immature.
It’s normal non breeding areas include the Virginia coast and south. This one was with another avocet with slightly different colouring. Its breeding areas appear to be in the mountain area of the central US.
This is one more bird that is outside their normal area. Have a great Tuesday!
I was not sure what bird this was. The first choice under Merlin app is Forster’s tern. It appears like a non breeding adult.
It kept flying to an outtake area of a culvert as it came out from under a road. The tide was going out and the tern took advantage of fish coming out into the bay from the wetlands area. I saw it capture several fish flying in and out.
I almost thought it was showing off as this fish it carried around in a circle giving me lots of opportunities to get off some shots. Was he showing off? Or was he looking for a dining spot? Have a happy Monday!
This great blue heron had the best fishing spot. He was at one end of a culvert under a road while the tide was going out. He was catching fish left and right. This time he caught two fish at the same time.
He was the centre of attention as other wading birds stopped, drew near and stared at him. Were they in awe of his fishing prowess? Did they hope he would drop one and they could fight over it? Did they hope he would share with one of them? He did drop them both it appeared as he waded to a beach area. Then, he appeared to pick the larger one up and eat it.
Then he walked off with the smaller one as the wading birds lost interest. Have a Happy Tuesday!
This is another image from a weekend trip in August to New Jersey. Merlin identifies it as a black-crowned night heron.
I am hearing a lot birds that were there in August have moved on. Some more northerly birds may arrive to hang out for winter. Have a happy Monday!
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