birds of new jersey

Got An Itch That I Can’t Reach!

November 22, 2022 — 16 Comments

F/10.0, 1/400, ISO 320.

Mallard

What do you call a duck that steals?

A robber ducky.

Interesting Fact: Mallards nest on the ground on dry land that is close to water; nests are generally concealed under overhanging grass or other vegetation. Occasionally, Mallards nest in agricultural fields, especially alfalfa but also winter wheat, barley, flax, and oats. Both urban and wild populations readily nest in artificial nesting structures. Pairs search for nest sites together, typically on evening flights circling low over the habitat. Occasionally nests are placed on floating mats of vegetation or woven into plant stems that rise out of the water. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard/lifehistory )

Don’t Look Back With Regret, Look Foward With Hope.

November 21, 2022 — 15 Comments

F/10.0, 1/400, ISO 160.

Black-capped Chickadee

What do you call a gorilla wearing ear-muffs?

Anything you like! He can’t hear you!

Interesting Fact: There is a dominance hierarchy within flocks. Some birds are “winter floaters” that don’t belong to a single flock—these individuals may have a different rank within each flock they spend time in. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-capped_Chickadee/lifehistory ) 

Swim, Duck, Swim!

November 20, 2022 — 4 Comments

F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 320.

Green-Winged Teal

Why aren’t there any famous skeletons?

They’re a bunch of no bodies.

Interesting Fact:  The oldest known Green-winged Teal was at least 20 years and 3 months, based on banding data. It was a female banded in 1941 in Oklahoma, and recovered by a hunter 1960 in Missouri. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Green-winged_Teal/lifehistory )

I Got A Headache!

November 19, 2022 — 8 Comments

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO  320.

Downy Woodpecker

What’s the problem with twin witches?

You never know which witch is which.

Interesting Fact: Downy Woodpeckers nest in dead trees or in dead parts of live trees. They typically choose a small stub (averaging around 7 inches in diameter) that leans away from the vertical, and place the entrance hole on the underside. Nest trees are often deciduous and the wood is often infected with a fungus that softens the wood, making excavating easier. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Downy_Woodpecker/lifehistory )

 

Music Helps Me Escape From The Reality I Live In

November 18, 2022 — 10 Comments

F/6.3, 1/320, ISO 400.

Song Sparrow

What did the Mummy movie director say when the final scene was done?

Ok, that’s a wrap.

Interesting Fact:  Some scientists think that Song Sparrows of wet, coastal areas have darker plumage as a defense against feather mites and other decay agents that thrive in humid climates. The darker plumage contains more of a pigment called melanin, which makes feathers tougher and harder to degrade than lighter, unpigmented feathers. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Song_Sparrow/lifehistory )

Do I Look Like Cyclops From X-MEN!

November 16, 2022 — 18 Comments

F/13.0, 1/640, ISO 400.

Cedar Waxwing

Why was Tigger looking inside the toilet

He was looking for Pooh!

Interesting Fact:  Many birds that eat a lot of fruit separate out the seeds and regurgitate them, but the Cedar Waxwing lets them pass right through. Scientists have used this trait to estimate how fast waxwings can digest fruits. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cedar_Waxwing/lifehistory )

Keep Looking Up That’s The Secret Of Life

April 2, 2022 — 10 Comments

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 320.

Pileated Woodpecker

What did one eyeball say to the other eyeball?

Between you and me something smells.

Interesting Fact: A Pileated Woodpecker pair stays together on its territory all year round. It will defend the territory in all seasons, but will tolerate new arrivals during the winter. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/lifehistory )

Yes, I’m On Quack And No, I Don’t Give A Duck!

March 31, 2022 — 19 Comments

F/10.0, 1/400, ISO 250.

Bufflehead Duck ( Female )

Why are trees very forgiving?

Because in the Fall they “Let It Go” and in the Spring they “turn over a new leaf”.

Interesting Fact:  Unlike most ducks, the Bufflehead is mostly monogamous, often remaining with the same mate for several years. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bufflehead/lifehistory )

You Need A Bodyguard To Go Out

March 29, 2022 — 10 Comments

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 250.

Brant Goose

What’s red and bad for your teeth?

A brick.

Interesting Fact: It used to be a strictly coastal bird in winter, seldom leaving tidal estuaries, where it feeds on eel-grass (Zostera marina) and the seaweed, sea lettuce (Ulva). On the east coast of North America, the inclusion of sea lettuce is a recent change to their diet, brought about by a blight on eelgrass in 1931. This resulted in the near-extirpation of the brant. The few that survived changed their diet to include sea lettuce until the eelgrass eventually began to return. Brants have maintained this diet ever since as a survival strategy.[6] In recent decades, it has started using agricultural land a short distance inland, feeding extensively on grass and winter-sown cereals. This may be behavior learned by following other species of geese. Food resource pressure may also be important in forcing this change, as the world population has risen over 10-fold to 400,000-500,000 by the mid-1980s, possibly reaching the carrying capacity of the estuaries. In the breeding season, it uses low-lying wet coastal tundra for both breeding and feeding. The nest is bowl-shaped, lined with grass and down, in an elevated location, often in a small pond. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brant_(goose) )

Just Showing Off!

March 22, 2022 — 10 Comments

F/6.3, 1/100, ISO 500.

Wild Turkeys ( Male )

A blonde driving a car became lost in a snowstorm.

She didn’t panic however, because she remembered what her dad had once told her. “If you ever get stuck in a snowstorm, just wait for a snow plow to come by and follow it.”

Sure enough, pretty soon a snow plow came by, and she started to follow it.

She followed the plow for about forty-five minutes. Finally the driver of the truck got out and asked her what she was doing.

And she explained that her dad had told her if she ever got stuck in a snow storm, to follow a plow.

The driver nodded and said, “Well, I’m done with the Wal-Mart parking lot, do you want to follow me over to Best Buy now?”

Interesting Fact: Wild Turkeys nest on the ground in dead leaves at the bases of trees, under brush piles or thick shrubbery, or occasionally in open hayfields. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wild_Turkey/lifehistory )