Birding at the New Jersey shore

Since we are about to be in the month of September I figured it was time I post some of my pics from the shore in July.

First stop is in Stone Harbor at the Wetlands Institute. Here is a beautiful Snowy Egret hunting around in the shallow water.

Here is the back of the Wetlands Institute building.

One of the adult Osprey's flying over. They nest here in one of the nesting platforms built for them.

Way up high the male and female having some alone time away from the kids.

This message was edited Aug 31, 2009 8:12 PM

Super shots, Pelle. Love the Osprey especially. I didn't know we had to wait 2 months to post photos :) I mis-read the clock, sorry for the interruption!

This message was edited Aug 31, 2009 7:02 PM

As I was walking along the trail towards the dock I saw this beautiful Barn Swallow sitting on the line. It did not seem the least bit afraid of me.

Yeah, there's a waiting list to post photos here . . .

(no, not really!)

;-)

Just a little further down the line were all these other Barn Swallow juveniles!

The Barn Swallow is a fresh juvenile, note the very short tail streamers.

Resin

Here is one of the parents delivering what looks to be maybe a smaller dragonfly.

Here they are feeding one of the kids. They are so sweet; I just love them!

In the meadows a female Red-winged Blackbird with her little one.

This message was edited Aug 31, 2009 8:13 PM

Flying off to find the chattering youngster some food.

An adult male Red-winged Blackbird

A Willet making a racket! :-)

Female or juvenile Red-winged Blackbird.

I'll be back in a little while with more.

Thanks GP! Hi Resin,Yes I forgot to put the word juvenile in; thanks.

Hopefully I'm right in saying this tern is a Forster's Tern.

You cannot imagine the noise level from all the Laughing Gulls,Terns etc. that were nesting in these meadows. It was so loud!

A blurry pic of a black Skimmer flying by.

A beautiful Glossy Ibis in the meadows.

The sweet Snowy Egret again. Isn't she precious?

On the way back to the car, some of the gardens in front of the building.

They are all awesome pics. I adore the Swallows, I've never seen one except high in the air. The Black Skimmer is neat, and the Glossy Ibis......so many beautiful birds. You must be getting to be a regular visitor there.

Thank's GP. I try to get down every week. I wish I lived closer.

I just realized I missed 2 Barn Swallow pics. Two juveniles huddled together on a branch.

Oh I will miss them so much. They were not there last week when I stopped in. Too sweet huh?

Okay staying in Stone Harbor but going down to the point. When I lived there this used to be a place where people would walk their dogs. Now it's been wonderfully transformed to benefit birds and other wildlife. This trail is just beyond the dune on the beach.

Lots of butterfiy with plants they enjoy.

A blurry pic of 2 Northern Mockingbirds having a territorial dispute. The action became quite intense.

Another Northern Mockingbird that had just caught an insect.

Looking back down the path towards the homes and parking lot.

Many beautiful plants all around.

One of the signs along the path.

Some Gulls.

Another sign, the whole area is roped off except for the path that you can walk down.

Here is a lake. I don't remember it being there when I lived in Stone Harbor.

More Barn Swallows at this location. It's amazing how many there are down the shore.

Another large sign. I really fouled up with my settings on the camera at this location so some of the pics had to be dramatically altered.

More plant life.

This is one of those pics I really had to play with because it was too bright. Anyway these Terns are so adorable! You can see he has brought her a little fish. He greets her by turning his head side to side over and over again. Then when he is done she does the same greeting for him. I watched this couple for some time and I was actually getting choked up watching how sweet they were together. :-)