Weakening of the Endangered Species Act

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On August 12, 2019 I was awed by the number of birds and their variety of colors that I was able to photograph. Later that same day I learned that the Endangered Species Act had been seriously weakened in preparation for its total elimination. I am reminded of my grandfather who raised fancy pigeons from the early 1900s until the mid century. He immigrated from Pennsylvania to California where he must have witnessed the masses of passenger pigeons flying through the skies. What will my great grandchildren be seeing in the mid twenty first century?

Humpbacked whale removed from the Endangered Species List.

Sum, Sum, Summertime

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… and the living is easy. Bonnie’s Best from June, July and first of August:

Great Blue Heron Immature
Peregrine Falcon Fledglings Reunion, Jersey City
Peregrine Falcon Rescue, BM/18
Eastern Phoebe
Great White Egret
Swallowtail Butterflies
Great Blue Heron Preening
Wet Osprey
Wet Red-tailed Hawk

Bird Chirping Weather

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Spring eventually does get here.

House sparrow getting ready
Screech owl soaking up the sun
At least one eye of spring is upon us
Where the wood duck boys are
Hooded mergansers know where the girls are
Hi there, heron
Bath time for Birdies
Doctored recent eagle photo

Swimming Lesson

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Short Story: Saw a gold banded, MWR7, bald eagle catch a very big fish. The eagle went into the water trying to hold onto the fish. Turns out, the bald eagle is a success story from the 1980s. He was raised by captive parents, trained by a falconer to fly and hunt on his own, and then released as a first year in 2005. His grandparents were some of the first to be a part of the Massachusetts bald eagle recovery efforts.

The Snatch
Wowzer!!
OOPS!!
Swim to shore?
Or…
… fly out
Stayin’ Alive
There are more fish in that river.

Love Your Eagle Month

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What a week we have had along the Hudson River. The eagles are enjoying the open water and the snow goose is staying.

“Alice, come back!”
Youngster hoping for an easy catch of the day
Right spot, right time
The fishing has to be better over there
This may be my New Year’s Day bird – tail feather coloring looks familiar
Snow goose trying to get some uninterrupted sun
River watchers team

Eagles in the ‘Hood

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There’s one good thing about the polar vortex. It brings a Convocation of Eagles. Please enjoy photos of our recent arrivals. The local residents are protesting with signs that say, “Private Property, NO Trespassing!!”

Fresh sushi
Most likely a local bothered by the eagle invasion
My Gal giving me her eagle eyes
Gorgeous adult in breeding plumage
Youngster flying with the big boys
Kettle of eagles just before a major snow squall
The crows were not happy about this first year parking on their tree.

New Year Delights

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This 2019 year has started off on the right birds for me. Featured image is an American Tree Sparrow in the freezing cold.

This lovely lady landed in front of me as I was driving to breakfast on New Years Day.
An hour later, my red-tailed hawk was hunting on the landfill.
Not to be left out, one of my totem birds, a great blue heron, was engaged on a local pond.
Of course, the mute swans were around, too.
A very few days later, my local traveling companion joined me at my park.
The red-shouldered hawk was not to be left out of the photos, even in the pouring rain.

My local resident female eagle and I communed for fifteen minutes. I left. She stayed.
And in a severe ice attack, our wintering eagles arrived. I am blessed today.

Bonnie’s Best of 2018

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Most have seen these photos. I chose six that I consider to be superior.

Eagle pair – he brought a gift and she accepted – *they are not fighting
Purple finch in my yard
Cardinal on berries
Red-shouldered hawk at the train station
Great blue heron juvenile with its golden catch of the day
Peregrine falcon coming in to displace its father