Saturday, October 10, 2020

Whale watching on the Jersey Shore

For the next 4 weeks or so, fantastic cetacean and also turtle watching along the Jersey Shore. If you dont know where to go, just take the train to Asbury Park at high tide and walk to the boardwalk. Point your binoculars at the water. Be patient...maybe eat a taco. Squeeee

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Summer Solstice

The Jersey Shore is really coming into its own now. Even tho the babies are out of the nest, the parents stick close by due to the incessant Osprey attacks! BE vs Osprey 2 The eagles have fledged and the peregrines are not too far behind. This year the Peregrines ganked the resident Osprey nest, thus they are up high on a gigantic stick nest. Peregrine Nest The Osprey that were evicted, built their nest on a nearby telephone pole. From the right angle, you can get both nests, with young in one shot! Osprey Nest/Peregrine Nest Highlight of the day was the presence of a kestrel nest! In one morning, I was able to see North America's largest and smallest raptors nesting, foraging and generally being the badass birdys they are! Kestrel vs Mockingbird

Saturday, May 23, 2020

The Osprey Maze

There's a certain corner of the Jersey shore where one can observe over 3 dozen osprey nests. MommaOsprey On the remains of the old Fort Monmouth, it seems that one can find their nests cheek by jowl down its abandoned winding streets. Amazingly in the heart of this sanctuary is a successful Bald Eagle nest with 2 chicks in it! EagleFamily Even more amazingly there are a few redtailed hawk nests sprinkled in there as well as a bold peregrine family that has stolen an Osprey nest for themselves! Peregrine Nest They take on any bird that dares enter its airspace. Peregrine vs Osprey Peregrine vs Baldie Last week I watched the dad track down this laughing gull and decapitate it while loudly eee-chucking. Who'se laughing now bitch? Peregrine nest