Bonaparte's Gull

These have to be the sweetest gulls that we get on a semi-regular basis on Cape Ann. They are quiet, don’t make a fuss, don’t steal stuff out of your beach bag and are generally peaceful gulls. However when I get good shots, something else comes along and they get push aside.

Well, to make amends, I’m using them to make my introductory post on Bird Photography Weekly. Enjoy.



To give you an idea how small these gulls are, here is a shot of one with a Ring-billed Gull and a Herring Gull.


Big Stretch.

Sleeping Dragons

I went out early this morning to see what it would be like to shoot dragonflies with overcast skies. The dragonflies didn’t seem as plentiful because there were not flying around and were harder to find. I had to keep a sharp eye out in the grass because it was still cool and the dragons were not warmed up just yet.

Male Meadowhawk. We have three red Meadowhawks here that are indistinguishable.
Female Meadowhawk


This Blue Dasher is still covered in dew.


Wake up little sleepy head.


You gotta look sharp! This is a Female Common Green Darner. She's a big one, about three inches long. I found here low in the grass.

Fishing at Bass Rocks on Sunday Morning

Going out on a limb

Cicadas alway remind me of August when I was young and I would hear them behind my Grandmothers house. I had know idea what was making that noise, only that it was coming from hight in the trees.

I'm going out on a limb and calling this a Lance-tipped Darner.

On the rocks

Tropical Storm Danny is coming through this weekend, so there is lots of soggy weather. We have had several wonderful days in a row, but today is Saturday which is a play day.

Last Tuesday night I went to Eastern Point to see what was migrating through. There was a little activity.

Least Sandpiper


Spotted Sandpiper


Semipalmated Plover

Forgotten Photo Friday, Plum Island Light

I cannot believe that I have not shown you this lighthouse yet. This is Plum Island Light in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

When you go there in the spring and summer, you will see Purple Martins.

Black-shouldered Spinyleg

I shot this Black-shouldered Spinyleg dragonfly in Ipswich last Saturday. I found it when I was walking back to my car after doing a shoot. It was located very near the ground, just as the guide book said it would be.







Then all of the sudden, this big spider crawled up on a leaf to check me out. I cropped this photo so the spider is apromimately life size.

SkyWatch, Front moving across Gloucester.

We had a cold front come through Gloucester, MA. Although the clouds looked very restive, it was very calm. Note that there was lots of movement in the clouds with many layers. Here I'm looking east. Jay got some shots looking west from the other side of town and got the setting sun.



Later, I was walking through Staint Peter's Square and took these two shots.

Salt Marsh

There have been lots of Bill shots of big, pounding waves, people playing in the surf and even light houses. This photo is something a little different and quite aesthetic. And it couldn't be shot without the tide surge of Bill.

This salt marsh is behind Lobsta' Land along Rt. 128 coming into town.
Essex County has one of the North America's largest continuous salt marsh systems stretching from Gloucester up through Newburyport and beyond. This was taken Saturday morning when what was left of Hurricane Bill was passing by. At high tide the salt marsh was flooded.

Saturday Night Arrivals

We had a couple big schooners come in Gloucester Harbor Satureday night.

Harvey Gamage


Harvey Gamage


The Bald Eagle and the Spirit of Massachusetts

Presents from Bill

On Sunday monring, what was left of hurricane Bill went up the coast past Maine and into Nova Scotia. We had wonerful weather and some waves. I didn't have my attention on shooting Eastern Point Light, I wanted to see if there were some shore birds migrating through. When I arrived, I didn't see shore birds, but this is what I saw.







The rock formation is know as Mother Ann which you can see on an earlier post.



Since my target was shore birds and not Eastern Point Light, I was packing my big 70-300 mm lens. When I went back to the parking lot it was emptying out. The Eastern Point Security was only allowing folks to stay in the parking lot which was a poor vantage for shooting the action. In a couple of hours the area that I was standing would be awash. I would have been long gone by then anyway. Mom didn’t raise no fool. But I couldn’t go back with the shorter lens. Oh well, I’m happy with what I shot.

Wondering Glider

Tenpound Island from the Schooner Maine

Here are some random shots of Tenpound Island that I took from the Schooner Maine a couple weeks ago.

How did Tenpound Island get its name? I’ve heard three theories. There were 10 sheep pens or pounds on the island. The British bought the island from the natives for 10 pounds, Sterling. (This seems unlikely according to local historians). The third story I heard was that there were 10 pound cannons placed on the island. We may never know.

Now I know that it's been hot and sticky. Should you need to be reminded of a time when you were dreaming of this kind of weather eight months ago, have a look a this January 09 post of Tenpound Island.

Meadowhawks

Massachusetts has three Meadowhawks of the genus Symptrum which are listed as "indistinguishable". These Meadowhawks are damn beautiful and fun to shoot. These were shot in Gloucester up near the Blackburn Center in Dogtown.