nj wild

He Went Thataway!

January 16, 2021 — 21 Comments

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO 320.

White-breasted Nuthatch

A wife complains to her husband: “Just look at that couple down the road, how lovely they are. He keeps holding her hand, kissing her, holding the door for her, why can’t you do the same?”

The husband: “Are you mad? I barely know the woman!”

Interesting Fact: White-breasted Nuthatches live in pairs year round and chase other nuthatches from their territory. Agitated birds fan their tails, flick their wings, or raise the feathers of the back. A bird backing down from a confrontation typically raises its bill and tail, and droops its wings. In winter White-breasted Nuthatches join groups of chickadees, titmice, and woodpeckers to forage.  ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-breasted_Nuthatch/lifehistory#behavior ) 

Don’t Stick Your Nose Where It Doesn’t Belong

January 14, 2021 — 29 Comments

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 320.

Northern Pintail Duck

Father and son are talking over dinner in a nice restaurant.  A boy asks his father, “Dad, are bugs good to eat?”

“That’s disgusting. Don’t talk about things like that over dinner,” the dad replies.

After dinner the father asks, “Now, son, what did you want to ask me?”

“Oh, nothing,” the boy says. “There was a bug in your soup, but now it’s gone.”

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. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pintail/ ) 

Don’t Confuse Me With Twitter!

January 13, 2021 — 26 Comments

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 400.

Blue Jay

What do you get when you cross and smurf and a cow?

Blue cheese!

Interesting Fact: The black bridle across the face, nape, and throat varies extensively and may help Blue Jays recognize one another. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_Jay/lifehistory ) 

Monday Blues

January 11, 2021 — 6 Comments

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 400.

Eastern Bluebird 

Where does Capitan Hook go shopping?

Second hand stores.

Interesting Fact: Eastern Bluebirds eat mostly insects, wild fruit and berries. Occasionally, Eastern Bluebirds have also been observed capturing and eating larger prey items such as shrews, salamanders, snakes, lizards and tree frogs. ( Eastern Bluebird Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology )

 

 

I’m A Duck That Does Not Give A Quack!

January 9, 2021 — 39 Comments

F/6.3, 1/500, ISO 250.

Hooded Merganser ( Female )

2 Guys walking down the street.

One walks into a bar, the other ducks.

Interesting Fact:  The female chooses the nest site, and may start scouting for next year’s tree cavity at the end of each breeding season. Nest cavities can be in live or dead trees and are usually close to water. Cavities are typically 10–50 feet off the ground, up to about 90 feet. Hooded Mergansers nest readily in boxes, preferring those with wood shavings or nest material from previous uses. They prefer cavities with 3–5 inch openings. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/overview )

CAUTION! Headbanging In Progress!

January 8, 2021 — 9 Comments

F/6.3, 1/125, ISO 320.

Pileated Woodpecker 

What does a house wear?

Address.

Interesting Fact: Pileated Woodpeckers forage in large, dead wood—standing dead trees, stumps, or logs lying on the forest floor. They make impressive rectangular excavations that can be a foot or more long and go deep inside the wood. These holes pursue the tunnels of carpenter ants, the woodpecker’s primary food. ( Pileated Woodpecker Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology )

Like I Give A Duck!

January 6, 2021 — 2 Comments

F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 320.

Ruddy Duck 

Why do bees have sticky hair?

They use honey-combs.

Interesting Fact: Though Ruddy Ducks are native to the Americas, one population became established in England after captive ducks escaped in 1952. This population grew to about 3,500 individuals by 1992, and now appears to be expanding into the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Spain. ( Ruddy Duck Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology )

A Good Joke Always Quacks Me Up!

January 5, 2021 — 2 Comments

F/10.0, 1/400, ISO 320.

Bufflehead Duck ( Female )

Why couldn’t the bicycle stand up by itself?

It was two tired.

Interesting Fact: They hold their wings tightly against their bodies underwater and use only their feet to propel themselves. At the end of a dive, they may bob to the surface like a cork. Throughout the day they alternate between bouts of feeding, swimming alertly, preening, and sleeping. ( Bufflehead Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology )

 

 

Stand Tall, Stand Proud. Know That You Are Unique And Magnificent. You Do Not Need The Approval Of Others.

January 3, 2021 — 7 Comments

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 320.

American Coot 

How do you get a squirrel to like you?

Act like a nut.

Interesting Fact: The ecological impact of common animals, like this ubiquitous waterbird, can be impressive when you add it all up. One estimate from Back Bay, Virginia, suggested that the local coot population ate 216 tons (in dry weight) of vegetation per winter. ( American Coot Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology )

 

 

 

If You Keep Chasing Your Dreams, One Day You’ll Catch Them.

January 2, 2021 — 5 Comments

F/10.0, 1/400, ISO 320. 

Pied-Billed Grebe

What happened to the car with an engine made of wood?

It wooden go.

Interesting Fact: The Latin genus name for “grebe” means “feet at the buttocks”—an apt descriptor for these birds, whose feet are indeed located near their rear ends. This body plan, a common feature of many diving birds, helps grebes propel themselves through water. Lobed (not webbed) toes further assist with swimming. Pied-billed Grebes pay for their aquatic prowess on land, where they walk awkwardly. ( Pied-billed Grebe Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology )