Wednesday is photo day

[John P]

I am stuck on shore resolving some medical issues, so no new photos. Piscator is still on the hard in Sicily, we are not sure we will make it back there this summer.
So, here is up close and personal with an osprey that fell into the cockpit in the middle of the night five or six years ago in Barnagat, NJ. The osprey rescue guy came and got her, and we later heard that she had been released after her broken wing had healed. We think something disturbed her in the middle of the night, she took off from her roost, hit our sternstay and fell into the cockpit.

 

[Tod]

An Osprey bathing in Queen's Creek (at the mouth of the Piankatank River, Chesapeake)

 

[TomY]

Look at those eyes! Great photo and story, John.

5 year old photos: I was going through this memorable sunset 5 years ago. Someone mentioned that it's the sunsets effect on the people and animals that adds a lot.

Here's the timing of a few of the shots:

6:44 A pretty boat next to us is photographing the sunset as it unfolds.

6:46 The sun is still above the horizon. I put a hatch in line with the sun, so I can get a shot. My dog is hypnotized by the sunset. Notice the color of the clouds.

At 7:00, the sun dips below the horizon, and everything changes as the clouds transform from the light below the horizon.

Finally, at 7:05, with my wife rowing and me shooting, the light begins to cool, and turn blue. The presence of the light made everyone (and everything), go quiet.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

On the sunset topic- on the Texas ICW with the usual traffic

 

[seaojoe]

taken from virgin gorda yacht harbour looking at tortola

this guy gives us the pleasure of his company most every day

 

[Ron20324]

Joe, I'd like to see a picture of what's left of the guy that gave the eagle the bloody nose

 

[seaojoe]

not sure what tangled with big bird

 

[Justin_NSA]

I read in a bird watchers magazine that a bald eagle nest average weight is 2000 lbs!

From Google -
The average bald eagle nest is 4 to 5 feet in diameter and 2 to 4 feet deep. Each year the adult pair will add 1-2 feet of new material to the nest. The largest recorded bald eagle nest, located in St. Petersburg, Florida, was 9.5 feet in diameter, 20 feet deep and weighed almost 3 tons.

 

[DArcy]

Staying with the bird theme, there is a wetland across the road from our harbour with a lot of wildlife. I love the coloring of wood ducks.

 

[Tod]

Staying with the bird theme, there is a wetland across the road from our harbour with a lot of wildlife. I love the coloring of wood ducks.

I have several big old maple trees in my yard and have noticed wood ducks nesting in one for several years. One morning several years ago I happened to be standing outside my back door when I heard a thump about 30'away and turned to see a duckling on the ground. It hopped up and walked over to its mother, who was walking around nearby. Just then another hit the ground with a thump. It too hopped up and got in line behind the first duckling. And then another, and another, until there were at least a half dozen of the little buggers following mom around under the tree. These ducklings were jumping out of their nest which was at least 40' in the air. It is amazing they weren't hurt, because their wings were of no help. After all were lined up, Mom marched down to the creek that flows across my property, ducklings struggling to keep up. What a sight! Unfortunately, the only pic I got was a very poor quality one with my cell phone. Not sure where it is on my computer now.

 

[DArcy]

I have several big old maple trees in my yard and have noticed wood ducks nesting in one for several years. One morning several years ago I happened to be standing outside my back door when I heard a thump about 30'away and turned to see a duckling on the ground. It hopped up and walked over to its mother, who was walking around nearby. Just then another hit the ground with a thump. It too hopped up and got in line behind the first duckling. And then another, and another, until there were at least a half dozen of the little buggers following mom around under the tree. These ducklings were jumping out of their nest which was at least 40' in the air. It is amazing they weren't hurt, because their wings were of no help. After all were lined up, Mom marched down to the creek that flows across my property, ducklings struggling to keep up. What a sight! Unfortunately, the only pic I got was a very poor quality one with my cell phone. Not sure where it is on my computer now.

Funny you bring that up. Last spring, I was at my aunt's cottage and my daughter saw a baby duck on the ground. She called us over to look at it and another one plopped down. I pulled out my phone and managed to get a video of most of them "flying" out of the tree. There were a mix of merganser and wood ducklings. Mommy duck was in the lake, probably avoiding the humans. The first one headed for the water, peeping the whole way. The rest seemed to follow the sound of the first one, except for one rogue that I re-directed.

 

[TomY]

That's an amazing video, DArcy. Thanks!