Branches, roots, interesting bits of wood.

I'm always on the look out for suitable new perches for my bird photography setups. I'll be driving along and stop to examine a lichen covered fallen branch to see if it's suitable for a perch, or if I come across an old tree root. One of the best ones I've found was a moss covered branch that had small ferns growing from it. Recently I noticed quite a large branch had fallen from a Walnut tree in the front yard and I dragged it up to the house and cut it into 3 pieces, one of which is in place right now.

My all-time favorite branch, wish I could find another like it.

Blue Jay

Northern Cardinal

I was a bit dubious at first but it's a keeper.

 Literally years ago, maybe 2019 or 2020 Nikon announced they were working on a 200-600mm zoom lens for the Z series mirrorless cameras. I immediately phoned Allen’s Camera and had my name put on the list for one. I waited and waited and waited and eventually it morphed into a180-600mm. I was a little dubious as although every Z series lens they've released have been phenomenal the 180-600 was a budget style and not one of the top end series of lenses. Being priced at only $1699 I wasn't sure I was going to keep it. Years ago I had previously bought the F series budget 200-500mm zoom and sent it back.

 In a fixed set up the ability to get close up shots of a chickadee at 600mm and being able to zoom out to 500mm to get a Blue Jay in the frame is ideal. 

I'm keeping it 👍👍

Blue Jay

Carolina Chickadee

Mourning Dove

A 2 Pelican Day Out, but long.

Finally a whole day off,  all to myself. It's been a while so I was up at 2am, feed the beasties, make her a cup of tea for the Yeti and on my way South over the Mason-Dixon Line to Delaware. I got to Bombay Hook way too early and took a few pre-sunrise photo's and if you look closely you can even see Venus in the pre-dawn sky.

One of the nice things about arriving early is the Red Foxes are still active. The fox kits are quite used to being photographed. It was a great opportunity to try out my new lens, a Nikon 180-600mm zoom, at $1699 it's pretty amazing. The first 2 shots were wide open at 600mm f/6.3 and the last one was at 210mm f.5.6. With a fixed focus lens you’d never get both shots , with a zoom you can  

Red Fox Kit

Red Fox Kit

Red Fox Kit

Theres been a pair of Sandhill Cranes at Bombay Hook for a while and as they're not a bird I see very often I was keen to try and get some photographs. They didn't disapoint.

Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane

Not only have there been a pair of Sandhill Cranes at Bombay Hook theres been a pair of American White Pelicans, these I've seen in Florida and Utah over the years but not recently. One 'expert photographer' I spoke to and asked if he'd seen them told me they were long gone. Bullshit! If the dispshit owned a pair of binoculars he'd have found them easily. Ok, they were a long way out but easily to find. 

American White Pelican

Lots of the usual birds around and I took a few shots here and there on my multiple loops round the 3 main pools.I wasn't thrilled with the lighting where the large flock of Caspian Terns were roosting and they didn't seem interest in flying which was a bit disapointing as I like the big carrot bills.

Great Blue Heron preening

Great Egret

Great Egret

It was always my intention to make it a 2 day escape from my House Elf servitude so when the light got a bit harsh and glarey I headed south towards Cape Henlopen to do a bit of Hawk Watching. The birds leave Cape May in New Jersey and fly across Delaware Bay to the nearest landfall in Delaware which is Cape Henlopen Point. The Hawkwatch is on top of what I believe is an old WWII gun emplacement. When I got there around midday I found the Hawkwatch manned or womaned by 4 'ladies'. What a load of Harpy Bitches they were, I asked a simple question and nearly got my head removed from my shoulders. Screw that I didn't stay long after that welcome. I went up to the furthest car park overlooking the Point but it was 80F plus and I was hungry so I drove the short distance to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal. The Cappuccino and Sandwich filled the hunger gap. I got on the 1:45 ferry to Cape May and saw what was probably 10 or more large ships further up the bay which I assume were sheltering from Hurricane Lee just offshore. The ferry was certainly rocking a lot more than I have experienced before and setting off several car alarms. I photographed the gulls and Brown Pelicans on the journey which got into Cape May maybe 3:30ish.

Brown Pelican

Brown Pelican

Brown Pelican

Sister Ferry leaving Cape May

Cape May Lighthouse and Hawkwatch Platform

I drove to the Lighthouse and Hawkwatch Platform and quietly sat listening to 3 20 something birding types discussing topics ranging from mid NJ birding suppression to past and future intense birding trips to see amongst other things an Imperial Parrot. None of them raised their bins for at least half and hour to see the raptors flying overhead. The official counter was doing his best but certainly could have used some help as the birds were not only high but coming along various tracks. I didn't stay long, not my day for Hawkwatches obviously. I normally stay at the Jetty Motel at the very end of the beach road but that was full as were the several others I tried, the ones that did have room were charging hundreds of $ for one night. Screw that. I though about Atlantic City but thought better of it so I headed home and got there just before 9pm making a long day out. I slept well!

Indian Echo Caverns

 Not far away is Indian Echo Caverns which I've visited a couple of times in the last 22 years but this afternoon I made it 3 times.

Indian Echo Caverns

I was lucky with my timing as I got a guided tour all to myself. As such I got the whole tour with a knowledgable guide and plenty of opportunities to take a few photo's.

The last picture was particularly interesting as it where the Pennsylvania Hermit lived for 19 years. 

Pennsylvania Hermit

Warthogs at the Gap

Not much in the way of birds this afternoon but the A10's put on a show.

Lazy Sunday, weather a bit iffy so what to do?

The solution? Harass the cats; well some of them, the others legged it when they saw the camera. 

Fuzzy

Fuzzy

Kit Kat

Kit Kat

Mischief being good.

It's been too damn hot to be outside much so here's one of Mischief.

Mischief