Snowy Owl Flight
I took a grand total of one photo of a Snowy Owl today, and here it is! Yes, literally one shot, but it was worth it to capture a bird on a very cool location – an abandoned hangar. I am so glad everyone has been enjoying all of the Snowy action and my photos here, but these are only the pretty parts of a busy year of conservation and education. If you want to make a difference with RTPI please show it by giving us and someone you care about a gift this holiday season! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreDark Snowy Owl
Today’s Snowy Owl was photographed in light snow and appropriately dark, arctic conditions. This heavily marked bird was a target of mine as the presumed juvenile female had been in the area for about a week. Do you notice anything else in the photos? You can see some bloody spots on the light from a recent meal. I only watched the bird for a few minutes as this was not a good place to linger, but others had reported seeing it eating rats in recent days. When I left the owl was still sitting there while countless drivers passed not knowing this special creature was right over their...
Read MoreSnowy Owl Take Two
Snowy Owl, take two! Here are photos from today after spending some time with what seemed to be the same owl as Sunday’s bird. The irruption is building as there are now four of them in and around Stratford, Connecticut. Let us hope some decide to stick around all winter long (Snowy in snow, please). I included a wider photo taken at 500mm because I wanted to show everyone concerned about giving them space what happens with my shots. I was at the same distance from the owl, the precise position, in all of the beach photos. I crop quite a bit to get the “close” shots. Every...
Read MoreSnowy Owl Arrival
Last week I posted a photo of a Merlin that I took after missing my first Snowy Owl of the season by a few minutes, lamenting my luck. I was hopeful I would be able to pick one up again soon considering the major Snowy flight south that is occurring now. Thankfully today I spent a few hours capturing the beauty of this bird! For the most part this time was filled with chatting with friends while observing it snoozing away. A few times the very calm bird (planes, diving gulls, unintentionally close beachgoers – no problem) did a bit of preening, and most of the eyes open shots came...
Read MoreSpring Peepers
Spring Peepers are a type of small tree frog. Truthful to their name, they emerge from hibernation in early spring. Soon after, the males – often hundreds at a time – will take over wetlands and call on warm and rainy nights to stake out a territory and attract a mate. Their surprisingly loud “peep” calls are usually produced from a safe location hidden in dense vegetation, and it can be difficult to spot them. An inflatable vocal sac on their throat serves as an amplifier, which allows them to call very loudly. The sound produced by a chorus of these inch-long frogs can be truly deafening...
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