OWLS & OTHERS FROM THE NORTH SHORE OF MASSACHUSETTS AND ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE USA

I'm an avid birder and nature photographer wishing to share some of my sightings & images taken while out in the "wilds" of Cape Ann and surrounding New England countryside. More images can be found on my web site at New England Birds Plus Enjoy, Phil Brown


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Monday, May 21, 2012

Recent Odds and Ends

A look upward at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield with a 14mm lens ended in a rewarding image.


Some 30+ years ago I drove a 1964 Buick LeSabre over this bridge on several occasions to fish the Ipswich River at the end of this 2 mile long canal in Wenham. As the 2 images below show time has not been kind to the bridge. They've since gated the road but walking the length is quite enjoyable.



A bit of software and a dandelion... Poof... Something different!


This is a pond created by a pair of Beaver off of East Street in Topsfield. The 1st image shows the beaver dam in the foreground, the 2nd is the view from water level, a shot I've thought about taking for over a year now...:)




A 14mm lens and a bit of software created the image below, one of my 1st HDR or high dynamic range images. The combination of 3 shots allows for the great tonal range throughout the image.


The "Super Moon" from earlier in May at 1000mm


and another view through a few clouds


A pair of Great Horned Owls, mother and young.



 Paperwhite, recently in bloom around the yard


and Johnny Jump-Up, one of my favorite little flowers that go unnoticed until you look closer.


Appleton Farms in Ipswich has a herd of cows that occasionally are close to the road for a photo or two. I converted two of these to black and white adding the color version of the 2nd shot for comparison.




and lastly my Grandson Nicholas, with his hair gelled by his Dad, shot at 14mm for the "cartoonish" look.


Ding Darling - Feb 2012

To say I'm behind in my posting to this blog would be a rather large understatement. With hopes of rectifying this and hopefully staying on track for the foreseeable future here we go....

A week in Florida this past late February and early March found several interesting "critters" in front of the lens. The 18" Alligators seen below were sunning themselves next to the boardwalk at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples.



Brown Pelicans are quite common in Florida so getting a shot like this is fairly easy.


Black Vultures are also quite common but getting head shots like these are a bit harder to come by. A large flock of Black Vultures were feeding on a road killed wild pig making the task a bit easier from inside the car.



Burrowing Owls are also fairly easy to find if you know where to look and most any vacant lot in Cape Coral usually has a few residing within.



Not as many Spoonbills at Ding Darling this year, perhaps my earlier vacation dates were the reason.



Egrets and Herons are quite abundant at Ding Darling during the winter months and this Snowy Egret with it's breeding plumes was a joy to see.


Yellow-crowned Night-Herons are also fairly easy to come by at Ding Darling with this adult roosting along the road for a drive by shot.


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Philip R. Brown
www.nebirdsplus.com