nj bird

So Cold Outside I Just Farted Snowflakes!

December 5, 2023 — 35 Comments

F/13.0, 1/640, ISO 640.

Carolina Wren

Those, who go to sleep late, are called owls.
Those, who wake up early, are called larks.
And those, who go to  sleep late and wake up early, are called Angry Birds.

Interesting Fact: The Carolina Wren is sensitive to cold weather, with the northern populations decreasing markedly after severe winters. The gradually increasing winter temperatures over the last century may have been responsible for the northward range expansion seen in the mid-1900s. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Carolina_Wren/lifehistory )

Bald Move To Fly Today.

November 29, 2023 — 11 Comments

F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 320.

Bald Eagle ( Juvenile )

Who won the race between two balls of string?

They we’re tied!

Interesting Facts: Bald Eagles are powerful fliers—soaring, gliding, and flapping over long distances. In one of several spectacular courtship displays, a male and female fly high into the sky, lock talons, and cartwheel downward together, breaking off at the last instant to avoid crashing to earth. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/lifehistory )

Don’t Rush Me I’m Waiting For The Last Minute!

November 4, 2023 — 2 Comments

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 800.

Belted Kingfisher

Why can’t you write with a broken pencil?

Because it’s pointless.

Interesting Fact: During breeding season the Belted Kingfisher pair defends a territory against other kingfishers. A territory along a stream includes just the streambed and the vegetation along it, and averages 0.6 mile long. The nest burrow is usually in a dirt bank near water. The tunnel slopes upward from the entrance, perhaps to keep water from entering the nest. Tunnel length ranges from 1 to 8 feet. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Belted_Kingfisher )

 

 

I Am Going Green!

November 2, 2023 — 12 Comments

F/6.3, 1/125, ISO 320.

American Wigeon

A man takes his dog to the vet.

“My dog is cross-eyed, is there anything you can do for him?”

“Well,” said the vet, “let’s have a look at him” So he picks the dog up and examines his eyes, then he checks his teeth.

Finally, he says, “I’m going to have to put him down.”

“What? Because he’s cross-eyed?”

“No, because he’s really heavy”.

Interesting Fact: The American Wigeon is a rare, but regular straggler to Europe where it turns up in flocks of Eurasian Wigeon. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Wigeon/lifehistory ).

I Can See Your Butt Quack!

March 17, 2021 — 8 Comments

F/6.3, 1/500, ISO 250.

Northern Pintail 

Why are celebrities so cool?

They have a lot of fans.

Interesting Fact: Northern Pintails migrate at night at speeds around 48 miles per hour. The longest nonstop flight recorded for a Northern Pintail was 1,800 miles. ( Northern Pintail Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology )

 

 

Simon Says, Pause!

March 16, 2021 — 5 Comments

F/5.3, 1/160, IOS 800.

Great Blue Heron 

What do you call when Batman skips out on church?

Christian Bale.

Interesting Fact: Great Blue Herons have specialized feathers on their chest that continually grow and fray. The herons comb this “powder down” with a fringed claw on their middle toes, using the down like a washcloth to remove fish slime and other oils from their feathers as they preen. Applying the powder to their underparts protects their feathers against the slime and oils of swamps. ( Great Blue Heron Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology )

 

 

 

What Was That?!

June 5, 2020 — 8 Comments

F/5.6,1/160, ISO 100.

Double-crested Cormorant

What is the difference between the government and the Mafia?

One of them is organized.

Interesting Fact: Double-crested cormorants are gregarious birds that are almost always near water. Their main two activities are fishing and resting, with more than half their day spent on the latter. When at rest, a cormorant will choose an exposed spot on a bare branch or a windblown rock, and often spread its wings out, which is thought to be a means of drying their feathers after fishing. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Double-crested_Cormorant/lifehistory )

 

Yes I Walked Away Mid-Conversation. You Were Boring Me To Death And My Survival Instincts Kicked In.

May 23, 2020 — 8 Comments

F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 400.

Great Blue Heron 

What happened when the lion ate the comedian?

He felt funny!

Interesting Fact: Great Blue Herons can hunt day and night thanks to a high percentage of rod-type photoreceptors in their eyes that improve their night vision. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron )

 

When In Doubt Chill Out!

May 2, 2020 — 6 Comments

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO 250.

Great Blue Heron

Why was strawberry sad?

Because her mom was in a jam.

Interesting Fact: Great Blue Herons nest mainly in trees, but will also nest on the ground, on bushes, in mangroves, and on structures such as duck blinds, channel markers, or artificial nest platforms. Males arrive at the colony and settle on nest sites; from there, they court passing females. Colonies can consist of 500 or more individual nests, with multiple nests per tree built 100 or more feet off the ground. ( https://throughopenlens.com/tag/great-blue-heron/ )

Danger Mouth Operates Faster Than Brain!

April 16, 2020 — 6 Comments

F/10.0, 1/640, ISO 250.

Belted Kingfisher

What did the salad say to the fridge?

Shut the door, I’m dressing!

Interesting Fact: Pleistocene fossils of Belted Kingfishers (to 600,000 years old) have been unearthed in Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, and Texas. The oldest known fossil in the kingfisher genus is 2 million years old, found in Alachua County, Florida. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Belted_Kingfisher )