Mike’s Photo Blog: April 2025

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Waterfall Birds

Mid morning I looked out of the full glass door to the left of my computer desk just as a cracking Baltimore Oriole flew in to have a bathe in the waterfall stream. I waited until about 3pm when the light was better and got set up in the chair blind. It was about 82f (27C) air temperature and sitting in the blind about 122f I reckon. Damn, it was hot. The first bathers were the Song Sparrows, they were having a good old splash. The majority of bathers were the Grackles followed by the Robins. The Oriole came back and the Catbird only managed a drink before a squadron of Grackles scared it off. Around 4pm it went very quiet and I gave up around 4:30 to feed the beasties. As we had a Hoageez hoagie for lunch I made myself beans on toast to fill me up a bit because I cant eat after midnight due to Carpal Tunnel surgery in the morning. I went back out for a while until the light started fading. As I was packing up there were 4 Catbirds taking turns to bathe and then display to the lady catbirds, I left them to it.

Song Sparrow

Common Grackle

Baltimore Oriole

American Robin

Gray Catbird

Jacobs Ladder

American Robin

Northern Cardinal

Friday, April 25, 2025

Waterfall Day 2

Again the light was very nice this morning, bright but hazy which is just how I like it. I decided to have a quick go before lunch, Even though I was in the Tragopan chair blind the birds were very wary and the slightest movement of the lens and they were off. The main visitors were Robins and Grackles and they were spooked very easily, I'll have to move it back a few feet and see if that helps. I think part of the problem is that the light in the morning is shining towards the viewport whereas I'm usually out there in the mid to late afternoon when the light is behind me. Anyway here's a few I took this morning.

American Robin

Northern Cardinal

Gray Squirrel

Common Grackle

Thursday, April 24, 2025

First Session at the Waterfall.

This morning I noticed a gorgeous Baltimore Oriole at the waterfall and decided there and then I'd have a go this afternoon. Mid afternoon was bright but with a nice layer of high, hazy cloud which nicely diffused the normally harsh afternoon light, it didn't do much for the temperature though at 82F (27.7C). Not a lot showed up as I supposed they were getting used to the blind. I went back out after dinner and the light was even better and there was a fair bit of activity.

Common Grackle

Gray Squirrel

White-throated Sparrow

Chipmunk

Gray Catbird

Virginia Bluebells

Carolina Wren

Northern Cardinal

American Robin

Song Sparrow

A few from a short session this morning.

Looking out this morning I saw my first Gray Catbird of the year, they're one of my Summer favorites.

Gray Catbird

Song Sparrow

Common Grackle

Monday, April 21, 2025

Easter Sunday

It was a pleasant still warm Easter Sunday and I was mostly in the yard planting flowers and watering my soon to be new lawn, that is if the birds haven't eaten all of the seed. I did spend a little while taking a few photos however.

Mourning Dove

Common Grackle

American Robin

Blue Jay

Starling

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Bombay Hook

Normally by mid April I'd have been out to Brigantine, Bombay Hook and Barnegat Lighthouse several times, not this year. I took myself off down to Bombay Hook in Delaware. I left at 3:30am, way before the first Sparrow farted. I got down to the National Wildlife Refuge a minute after 6am in time to photograph the sunrise.

Bombay Hook

Bald Eagle at Bombay Hook

The tide was going out and the majority of the birds were out on the Flats including loads of Bald Eagles. I was shooting towards the rising sun giving the golden coloration to the images.