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all creatures great and small

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Each time that I've past that well known heron's nest here at Clove Lakes since April, it has been empty. We regulars to the park have wondered what happened to beloved nesting pair. I captured some shots of one of the parents on the nest in March during a snow storm, so I expected to get many more shots of the new babies this spring, which never happened.<br /> <br /> Many of us speculated that a late winter storm killed the chicks before they hatched resulting in the parents giving up hope of raising a brood this year. Spotting this guy here today, makes me feel pretty good that the nest will not go empty next season, unless we have another brutal late winter freeze. So this nest should bring joy to the many bird lovers next spring who come to view the babies each year.
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Each time that I've past that well known heron's nest here at Clove Lakes since April, it has been empty. We regulars to the park have wondered what happened to beloved nesting pair. I captured some shots of one of the parents on the nest in March during a snow storm, so I expected to get many more shots of the new babies this spring, which never happened.

Many of us speculated that a late winter storm killed the chicks before they hatched resulting in the parents giving up hope of raising a brood this year. Spotting this guy here today, makes me feel pretty good that the nest will not go empty next season, unless we have another brutal late winter freeze. So this nest should bring joy to the many bird lovers next spring who come to view the babies each year.

Staten IslandClove LakesGreat blue heronbirdsnatureheronsNYCsummer

  • Back on this rainy day to try my hand at capturing a really nice shot of some jewel weed.
  • In addition to trying to capture more shots of jewel weed for my nature gallery, I was hoping to capture sots of animals hunting for food amidst the rain. This immature heron willingly complied.
  • DSC_4989 rainy day at the lake
  • DSC_5018 rainy day at the lake
  • DSC_5008 foraging for food early in the morning
  • DSC_5027 foraging for food early in the morning
  • DSC_5108 young heron
  • DSC_5151 hummingbird
  • DSC_5190 hummingbird
  • DSC_5191 hummingbird
  • DSC_5232 jewel weed
  • DSC_5358 jewel weed
  • DSC_5467 hummingbird
  • DSC_5478 hummingbird
  • DSC_5496 hummingbird
  • My last two trips here to Clove Lakes I've been capturing shots of jewel weed. It's special as it attracts dew to its leaves and flower parts more intensely than any other plant at the lake.<br /> <br /> While I was capturing shots of them at a particularly large pair of jewel weed bushes that straddles the brook that connects the first two lakes here at Clove Lakes I spotted a hummingbird, as it zipped on in, got nectar from several flowers and zipped on out faster than you could say "jack rabbit". <br /> <br /> I tried capturing pictures of it but I wasn't close to being quick enough. Today with some equipment a little better suited to the task. Still not as good equipment as I need, and just as important my skills at capturing these flighty ultra nimble fellows, is in sore need of improvement. But at least I captured some in the act this time.
  • DSC_5610 late afternoon at the lake
  • Attaching my new 18-400mm lens to one of my camera's once entering the park at Clove Lakes this damp morning at dawn, I looked around to see if anything interesting was worth grabbing a shot of. Nope not really. That is until I crossed the driveway that leads towards parking lot of the workers next to the ice skating rink. <br /> <br /> As I crossed the grass onto the pavement, a spotted this red crayfish crossing the grass on the other side headed right towards me. I stopped to grab a picture of him. Doing so made him think in his mind that I was probably going to try and make a quick breakfast snack out of him. So he got on his haunches and tried to make himself look as fearsome as possible.<br /> <br /> Now I really wanted to get a good picture of him once he did that! And getting down on my knees so I could get down to his eye level I started snapping away. Even better still, the headlights of a car of one of the park employees coming to start his day, lit the little crustacean just perfectly for me.<br /> <br /> Then I got up to let him on his way figuring at his size he had quite a trek ahead of him if he wanted reach the nice muddy banks of the lake on the other side of the road. But not before grabbing a few shots of the park worker who drove past me posing with this little guy. He was wondering what I was taking pictures of as he drove past, and liked this little guy as much as I did. Yes this crayfish was one popular little fellow this morning.
  • DSC_5735 jewel weed
  • Each time that I've past that well known heron's nest here at Clove Lakes since April, it has been empty. We regulars to the park have wondered what happened to beloved nesting pair. I captured some shots of one of the parents on the nest in March during a snow storm, so I expected to get many more shots of the new babies this spring, which never happened.<br /> <br /> Many of us speculated that a late winter storm killed the chicks before they hatched resulting in the parents giving up hope of raising a brood this year. Spotting this guy here today, makes me feel pretty good that the nest will not go empty next season, unless we have another brutal late winter freeze. So this nest should bring joy to the many bird lovers next spring who come to view the babies each year.
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