The Fight For Food...

A couple of months ago when I got back from Florida and began posting photographs of birds I mentioned briefly an experience I had with two birds and the fight for food. I seemed to forget to post them. I will start with three photos today and finish with the best on Friday. I wanted to post more I just do not have the chance to get them worked up and posted so maybe I will revisit it on a later date.

I noticed this American Bittern setting on the edge of one of the ponds during one of my trips through Viera Wetlands. I got this photo before he decided it was time to fly. I watched closely as the bird traveled away from me to try and go to the place he landed. After a short time I got to the area and began looking around when suddenly this White Egret came up from the tall grasses and began flying. It was at that point I noticed the American Bittern come pout of the same grass and begin to fly with a frog in his mouth. Not knowing when they would fly again or if they would I set the camera up on the Egret and made adjustments for a darker bird in hopes of capturing the Bittern. In turn that blew out some of the details on the Egret. I was fine with that as long as it worked on the bittern if he decided to take off with his catch.

Come back on Friday to see if I planned correctly or if I screwed up again.

Bears Win! Bears Win!

I just could not pass up the chance to make a post about the Hershey Bears. Monday night the Bears beat the Stars 4-0 to clinch their 11TH Calder Cup championship and first on home ice since 1980. I thought I should make the post now because if they wait 30 years to do it on home ice again I may not be around. The Bears had the best season in the AHL's 74 year history. They set many records from win streaks at home to most wins to the first to come back from a 0-2 deficit to win the cup. It was special to be part of the celebration but something seemed to be missing. I think it is because we have been in the finals four of the last five seasons and it was our third cup in that time period.

Just my luck, I spent time researching point and shoot cameras (something small) over the weekend and purchased one on Monday so I would have it to photograph some of the game. If you remember we can not bring cameras into the arena that have removable lens. After setting down and pulling out the small camera I was informed that late afternoon the Bears announced that you could bring real cameras to the game. So there I set with a point and shoot and the D300 with the 70-200 2.8 at home. Just my luck I guess. Last night the Bears had a celebration open to the public so you may see a few more photos soon. Hopefully the video will work, I have been having problems since the blooger changes in the last week.

Blue Heron And Chick...

More from my spring Florida trip, these were taken at Viera Wetlands. This Blue Heron and chick were nesting in a tree in one of the ponds. This was the best chance I had to photograph a heron chick in the last two years. Unfortunately my best video found the delete button, just because it makes a good vertical photograph does not mean it will make a good vertical video. Yes that is right I video tapped the heron and chick vertically. After downloading the card and viewing the video it donned on me that the video will be displayed horizontally. I never claimed to be the brightest candle on the cake. The video last 20 seconds and shows the adult fixing the nest while the chick moves about.

Since I do not post on the weekends and I skipped yesterday this is a couple of days late BUT, Happy Birthday Shane. On Sunday June 13TH Shane turned 14 years old, he is out of middle school and will be going to High School next year. My how time flies. I think he had a good birthday and I feel certain he liked his gifts. Speaking of Shane's don't forget to visit his blog today for a new post.

Juvenile American White Ibis...

Juveniles are largely brown with duller bare parts; they are distinguished from the Glossy and White-faced Ibises by white underparts and rumps. Over all both sexes look alike.

Black-crowned Night-Heron

This is the Black-crowned Night Heron I photographed the same day as the Yellow-crowned Night Heron. For as much time as I spend at Wildwood Lake I had never seen this bird there. After photographing the Yellow-crowned I thought I would make a quick trip around Wildwood lake in search of a few more photographs, I guess I made the right decision for a change. I wasn't far from the truck when I spotted this bird on a log. He allowed me the chance to set up the tripod and get some photos.

Please stop by Shane's blog for a new post today.

Eastern Phoebe...

The most familiar flycatcher in eastern North America, the Eastern Phoebe nests near people on buildings and bridges. It can be recognized by its emphatic "phee-bee" call and its habit of constantly wagging it tail.

In 1804, the Eastern Phoebe became the first banded bird in North America. John James Audubon attached silvered thread to an Eastern Phoebe's leg to track its return in successive years.

It is Tuesday so please visit Shane's blog for a new post.

D-Day, A Day Late...

Picking a photograph for today's post was very difficult for me. With yesterday being D-Day I wanted to post something World War II related. Over the last week I recorded many images that could be used for this post from five WWII veterans that marched in the Shippensburg Memorial Day parade, to the real heroes from band of brothers or the Pacific to the re-enactors portraying WWII soldiers at Reading this past week. But when it was all said and done one person came to mind, Jake "McNasty" McNiece. Jake was one of the Filthy 13 and sort of the unofficial leader. Jake wrote a book called the Filthy 13 that I purchased at last years show. It was one of the best books I have ever read and even though I met him and some of his fellow soldiers from the "13" last year this year I just had to shake his hand again and thank him. He is an amazing person, it is veterans like him that can choke a fellow up when talking to him.

For those of you that do not know, yesterday was D-Day. The largest amphibious invasion of all time, with 175,000 troops, 195,700 Allied naval and merchant navy personnel in over 5,000 ships. Some of the beach's taken by these men were Sword, Juno, Gold and Omaha beach.

Back to Jake, he was a fighter a drinker and had a total disregard for the rules, but he was a soldier. He never rose above the rank of PFC until his discharge from the Army when he obtained the rank of Sergeant. The face paint and hair cuts on the 101st Airborne on D-Day was Jake's idea. Jake completed four combat jumps in World War II including D-Day, during Operation Market Garden.

Thank You Jake and all other Veterans.

Tricolored Heron...

The tricolored heron is about 22 inches in length and has a wingspan of about three feet. It has slate blue feathers on most of its body except for a white chest and belly and a rust-colored neck. It has long yellow legs, a white stripe that runs up its neck and long pointed yellow bill. The bill turns blue during breeding season. Males and females look alike.

The tricolored heron wades in the water in search of prey. It mostly eats fish but it also will eat amphibians, insects and crustaceans.

The tricolored heron is also known as the Louisiana heron. It sometimes wades in deep water when looking for food and all that can be seen of it above the water is its body.

Please stop by Shane's blog today for anew post. I do not know what it will be but he has been on an aircraft roll lately, and guess what he will be shooting more this weekend.

Harrisbur Blue Jay...

This Blue jay was photographed at Wildlood Lake in Harrisburg a couple of weeks ago. No sense in saying anything else, no one has been reading this or the other blog lately anyways.

The Heron Trifecta...

Saturday morning I pulled off a Heron trifecta in Harrisburg. I have only been photographing birds for a little over a year now so sometimes I am a little slow on local birding. That being said I finally went to a local park in Harrisburg that was said to have nesting pairs of Yellow Crowned Night Herons. I arrived and quickly began to scan the area for the Herons, I was searching trees as I was told that there was numerous nest and that you could not miss them. With all the leaves I never seen a single nest but I did locate on Yellow Crowned feeding alone in the grass. Not knowing if I would get any photos by taking my time getting out of the truck and putting the camera on the tripod I began firing aways from the window with the D90 and the 70-200 f2.8 attached. The second photograph of the heron with the worm was from that encounter. I found a place to pull over and and got the D300 with the 200-400 f4 attached out and set up. He was kind enough to allow me to get a few photographs before flying away (the first photo came from this set up). Two other times I seen the yellow crowned fly by but this area is not open and has many trees so you do not get the chance to see them soon enough to get set up for flying shots.

These birds are considered endangered here in Pa and in New Jersey. Apparently one has been nesting here for years and recently one began nesting in the Lancaster area and just this year on in the York area. I hope to try and photograph them a few more times this season.

The trifecta occurred when I photographed a green heron in a tree at this location and then later in the morning I photographed a Black Crowned Night Heron at Wildwood Lake. All in all it was a good morning for birds.

Don't forget to stop by Shane's blog for a new post today.

THANK YOU!

Thank You, today's post is short as most everything can be said in those two important words. Please thank the Vets you see today and remember you do not need a holiday to thank them or remember them. Do it everyday, it is because of them that we still live in this great country as free people. Again THANK YOU.

Seeing Eye To Eye...

Have you ever looked eye to eye with an Anhinga? This male Anhinga was photographed at Viera wetlands this past March. Yes I know I need to go someplace else and photograph something other than birds. Please click on the photo and see it much larger.

Good Luck Lt. Bair, You Will Be Missed...

Lt. Doug Bair at the Paxton No. 6 when we worked together on Tower 3 in 1995. By the way Elton John called he wants his glasses back.

Lt. Bair in 2006 teaching vehicle rescue at Station No. 2.

Lt. Bair and the Skin man working a Hazmat call on Commonwealth Avenue in 2008, gotta love those ears.

The Lt. being himself at HACC in 2007.

The Lt. doing what he really enjoyed, working a job on Labor Day 2008.

Always the class clown, after rowing his boat to shore on the ice covered Italian Lake, training in 2009.

On Tuesday May 25, 2010 Lieutenant Doug Bair retired from the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire. Doug worked for the Bureau for over 31 years, most spent on "B" Shift. He was promoted to Lt. in 1990 and was assigned to Tower 3 "B" at the Paxton before moving to the Squad on "B" shift. He was one of the best firefighters you could ever work with. If you were in trouble you wanted him to be working because if he couldn't get you no one could. Highly decorated the Lt. made many rescues in his career from burning buildings to the Susquehanna river.

On the personal side where do I begin? Doug was that young skinny Lt. that ran marathons when I hired on. He was assigned to my class for three weeks and had us running most days. Boy did I ever curse him out under my breath when we ran up the hills at Reservoir Park, and did I ever laugh when he got struck with a softball right between the legs. We ended up being partners on Tower 3 in the early 90's and took in many memorable jobs together. I remember being the last one with you at the Penndot fire and being along with you when we wanted to close down City Towers one day. We got the last laugh on that one when they had to do it in the dark in below zero weather. We suffered some pain also, like the glass in your back side, to me pulling the board out of you foot after the nail went between the web of your toes that was a classic, you sure could scream. Of course you got to laugh at me like the night I showed up after getting the tooth pulled and we ran all night including two working fires, boy did I scream every time I put that face piece on. There was many other great times like calling Headhog, or the time that the last thing I said to you was just don't wreck my truck, it wasn't long before the building shook and the pole had paint all over it. Sometimes I loved when you jumped calls like the garage fire one daylight on Regina Street leaving the multiple houses off on Catherine Street all to myself, other times I was just annoyed that you would get the fire and I would not .

Not all the funny stories were from work, I remember when we moved you into your new house, with a washing machine full of wet laundry, man was that heavy. And I will never forget you setting at Riverside Stadium with mayflies all over you and in your beer scared to death. For those of you that do not know Doug was scared of all bugs.

I could go on for days about you Doug but I will stop before I get one or both of us in trouble. You leaving leaves me as the last on B shift from the time I came on, I never thought I would see this day come. I felt like I was kicked in the gut when you read us your letter on Monday. We had great times together, I will miss you as a fireman and a friend. Good luck Doug, it will never be the same. I guess you will never call for another second alarm at the incinerator, LOL.

On another note, please stop by Shane's blog for a new post today.

Crested Caracara, Adult And Juvenile...

A few weeks ago I posted a photograph of a Juvenile Crested Caracara taken at Viera wetlands in Florida this past March. I mentioned then that you would be seeing more of him and here he is. At one point the adult landed on the same fence post but I was not quick enough to get a photo from the front. Of course that is the story of my life, plenty of tail photos and animals fleeing my camera. Note the leg bands and the difference in colors between the two. The head of the adult has much more color also, but you will just have to take my word on it.

It is Tuesday already so please visit Shane's blog for a new post.

Brown Pelican...

Yes another Florida bird this on a brown pelican and I think it is a juvenile. You know its Monday and all most post are uploaded in advance, after doing a few in a row I am at a loss for words so that is it for today.

More Green Heron...

I did mention last week that you would see more of the Green Heron since I spent so much time with it and I would't want to go back on my word. This is one of my favorite birds to watch or photograph. I have seen them here in Pennsylvania but they never allow me close enough to get quality photographs.

Please stop by Shane's blog today for a new post.

Armed Forces Day 2010...

This past Saturday was Armed Forces Day and once again my son and I attended the event at the Army Heritage Center in Carlisle. All aspects of American and the military were present from the French and Indian war to the Civil War, Revolutionary, WW1, WW2, Korea and Vietnam. This has been a favorite event for Shane and I the last four years and we always look forward to it. This year Woody met us again to take in some history and capture a few photographs. The local paper claimed it was there biggest event yet but Shane and I didn't feel that there was as many living historians this year. In today's two photographs WW2 American soldiers spend time in their fox hole while a German soldier looks on. Now we can't wait until June to attend the big event in Reading.

Please do not forget to thank our veterans, it does not need to be Armed Forces Day or Veteran's Day to thank and remember our veteran's. They protect this great country every day not just on those holiday. Thank you veteran's.

Buck Rub...

It has been a long time since I have had the chance to photograph big game. Don't get me wrong I really enjoy photographing birds but I would rather be photograph deer and elk. I thought I would dip into last years files and bring up some whitetail photographs. This nine point buck has been posted on this site numerous times in the past and I am looking forward to getting back to SNP next month and hopefully photographing him again with new antler growth. These were taken last fall during the rut. I followed him for sometime waiting for him to look at me, he only did a couple of times real quick. He was kind enough to stop and rub this tree. I had trouble getting an unobstructed view of him and the whole time I was wishing the D90 was not laying in the truck so I could take some video, but in the end I was very happy to have spent time watching and photographing him.

Please stop by Shane's blog for a new post today.

American Kestrel...

These photographs just happened by accident. Our first Saturday in Florida we went to the Tittusville airport for an air show. While waiting for Linda and Shane while they were taking a ride on a military Huey helicopter this American Kestrel just happened to land on a post close to me. The sun was a little harsh as it was mid afternoon but I was not about to pass up this pretty bird, it was also my first chance to photograph one. I could not help but include one of the sign on the post that he landed on, it made me think that he was cleared for take off.

Sandhill Crane On Nest...

While driving through Viera wetlands we spotted this Sandhill Crane sitting on a nest. Going past this spot about 20 times the bird was always setting on the nest, but my very last trip past the area proved different. For a change the Crane was standing and making some adjustments to the nest. If you look close you can see two eggs in the nest. The photographs do not do justice to the size of these birds their nest or the eggs, they are quite large. With the male and females looking the same and both the males and the females tending to the nest during the day it is difficult to tell if this is a male or female. At night only the female tends to the nest. The eggs generally take 28 to 32 days to hatch.

Merritt Island Turtle...

I know nothing about turtles other than if you stick someone else finger out and it bites it then it is a snapping turtle, if it doesn't bite it, then it is not a snapping turtle. I do know when I see one at Merritt Island climbing out of the still water with a nice reflection that I photograph it. I also know that it is Thursday so please visit Shane's blog for a new post today.

Green Heron...

This Green Heron was photographed at the Viera wetlands this past March. I have posted photos of these birds and facts about them before so I will not go into any other detail. I spent some time with this Heron at two different locations this particular afternoon so expect to see a few more photos of it.

Brown-headed Cowbird...

This Brown-headed Cowbird could have been photographed just about anyplace in the U.S. but like many of my post lately it was photographed at Viera wetlands in Florida this past March. I will not bore you with facts about this bird and plan on keeping this post and all my others this week short. With that said, it is Tuesday so please visit Shane's blog for a new post today.

Roseate Spoonbill...

Hey what do you know another bird photograph from Florida. In the last two winters I have learned a lot about Florida birds and birding. The more I learn about them the more I want to learn. The Roseate's numbers declined in the early 1800's when the wings of this bird were made into fans. There pink color is a result of eating crustaceans that have fed on algae and a group of Roseates are known as a "bowl" of spoonbills. Last year I captures a number of these pretty birds in flight, that was not the case this year.

Linda And Shane...

I have been sharing many bird and baseball photographs with you from Florida but none of my favorite subject to shoot while visiting the south, Linda and Shane. In the first photograph they have become bored with me photographing birds and are heading out of Viera wetlands. In the second photo, they share a touching moment during sunrise at Merritt Island. Happy Mothers Day Linda and Mom.

Red-bellied Woodpecker...

This is a female Red-bellied Woodpecker. This bird was photographed this March in Florida, she stayed still long enough for me to get a few shots but she was a ways off. This was taken with the 200-400 f4 at full zoom and then cropped in. Did you know that a group of woodpeckers are called a "descent", "drumming", and "gatling" of woodpeckers.

It is Thursday already so please stop by Shane's blog for a new post.