Tag: North Carolina

Killdeer…by Brad Marks

Sitting here killing time one keystroke after another. Now in the midst of the annual “digital clean-up” process and it is mind numbing. Part of this is making the final push to cross the finish line of the PC migration marathon. Some of it is due to massive procrastination last year (okay, maybe last TWO years) and need to get the birding folders/spreadsheets/trackers etc. updated. Then there is the standard annual rollover resets of the blog post backups and general archiving that needs to be done to keep my OCD from raging out of control (and NOBODY wants that). I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again, I need to go back to the corporate grind in order to get all my free time back! The good news is I think my North American Bird List folder (link here) is updated. That is my running gallery for the best shots of every bird on the list in case a client wants a specific species or if I want to author something someday. Even updated the left navbar with the latest count – 421 species! While I slash through minutes like Scooby through snacks, going to turn it over to Brad to bring you a North Carolina “killing” of a different sorts.

Take it away Brad…

There’s something about being warm during the winter months.  Jan and I live in the middle of Illinois, so February is usually a heavy flannel month.  Jan suggested we head southeast for a week to escape a bit of winter (really didn’t need much arm twisting).  We also wanted to see what we could see in a new part of the country for us.

Jan and I spent a week at Myrtle Beach, SC last winter.  During one of our “free” days on the trip (they are all “free” when you are retired) we headed to North Carolina since it was just up the road a piece from where we were staying.  The locals all said to go to a preserve a mile or two across the state line.  Our GPS was a bit confused for a while, taking us down unpaved roads to an empty lot at the edge of the water.  This can’t be right.  We stopped in a parking lot for a few minutes and picked a spot (on an actual map) that might actually get us to the coast, without having to stop to ask for directions.  Our new destination was Sunset Beach. 

After driving across the long and tall causeway bridge, we arrived in a small community of summer cottages on a narrow spit of land just a bit offshore in the Atlantic called Sunset Beach.  I’m not saying it was a ghost town, but there were very few cars around, and even fewer moving about.  Once I found the parking lot near the beach, I readied the cameras.  Before I closed the hatch on my car, there was some movement in the sparse foliage behind me.

Killdeer by Brad Marks

Hit the jump to read more about Brad (and Jan’s) adventure.

Continue reading Killdeer…by Brad Marks

Because They Make Me Smile…by Brad Marks

Good news, had an appointment with my doctor today and the elbow is healing well. I was getting concerned as my range progress had stalled a bit and was worried the arm wasn’t going to achieve the mobility I wanted/needed. Doc is still confident on nearly full range once they get the rest of the swelling released and break apart the scar tissue. I predict some fun therapy sessions in the near future. The best news is they released me to start strength training in my sessions and ….wait for it … wait for it .. I can “start” running again. This brought an internal chuckle from me and a stern disapproving look from Linda. Thankfully she didn’t reveal I’ve been running for weeks hehehe. Going to let Brad take the helm today while I get ready for a celebratory, and now, guilt free training run. Just hoping I can get back to the running efficiency of his featured subjects!

Take it away Brad…

No one ever said bird photography would be easy.  The Intrigued corporate employee handbook doesn’t mention it either.  Yes, much of the time my subjects are sitting still, nicely perched on a branch or twig out in the open.  A few are sitting on the ground as pretty as you please.  Sometimes they are flying gracefully through the air on a predictable line so I can follow them easily.  But more often than not, they are behind twigs so the camera can’t get an easy focus lock.  Or flitting between branches.  Or hiding in tall grass.

Not this time.  This past February, Jan and I were taking a morning walk along Sunset Beach, adjacent to Bird Island, in North Carolina.  The sky was overcast and the wind was blowing at a constant 15-20MPH straight along the coast from the South.  With waves crashing ashore, and sand blowing in our faces (yes, I had a filter on the front of both camera lenses) we were lucky to find a rather spastic set of little birds.  They are constantly chasing the surf line, running up and down with the waves in what should be a predictable pattern.  In fact, “chasing the surf” is the precise behavior listed in the bird books to aid with identification.  If you’ve ever seen a certain Pixar animated movie short, you will understand . . . it rhymes with “hyper”.

Sanderlings at Sunset Beach, NC by Brad Marks

Hit the jump to read more about these spastic little birds!

Continue reading Because They Make Me Smile…by Brad Marks

Osprey and Offspring Part 2

Last post you were introduced to a mother and chick Osprey that we were able to shoot on our North Carolina trip in July 2014. As luck would have it, we are still under a monsoon out here in the Midwest putting most of my planned outside work on hold, but still leaving plenty of worry as my 46′ free standing bridge over our creek is officially under water. Not a lot I can do about that right now, hell, I can’t even get to it as the end is currently sitting 20 feet out from the water’s edge! My fret is your gain allowing me extra time to crank out another bonus post.

Osprey and offspring from Outer Banks, North Carolina July 2014

This shouldn’t be a surprise if you noticed the last post title had a clue – that was not the only mother and chick Osprey sighting we were able to witness in Tarheel country. We were checking out the various sites in the Outer Banks area when we spotted something interesting in the parking lot of a restaurant. This eatery happened to sit on a water inlet and like the shots before, had a man made mast that had been claimed by another Osprey mother.

Osprey and offspring from Outer Banks, North Carolina July 2014

Hit the jump to see the rest of the shots from this second sighting – and there’s a surprise!

Continue reading Osprey and Offspring Part 2

Osprey and Offspring Part 1

Welcome to Blog Bonus Time everyone! Now that my mandatory post quota has been officially met, I can focus on burning down some of my backlog. This is typically when I release post of birds that have already made their way on the blog – usually not as exciting as when I get to show off a new entry on my Birding List, however, there is always the chance I’ve been able to improve on images previously captured in the tin or even some new element that makes the repeat visit interesting as well. The latter is exactly the case in this particular post.

Osprey and offspring from Outer Banks, North Carolina July 2014

For the non-birders out there, that is an Osprey. A female Osprey to be more exact. These skilled hunters have been featured a few times on the blog already – link here, here and here. Before I go any further, let me just apologize for some really poor pictures on that last link from Yellowstone. Those Osprey shots were done from a less than ideal distance and could have used a lot more light. One advantage of having a photography related blog is you have the opportunity to look back at your body of work and be your own best critic. I think you will like these pictures much much better.

Osprey and offspring from Outer Banks, North Carolina July 2014

Hit the jump to read a bit more about this Osprey … and maybe a surprise!

Continue reading Osprey and Offspring Part 1