Workshop, and Daniel Webster Sanctuary

Canada geese flying into land

First an announcement.  On Saturday, March 19 starting at 6:30 PM at the Stone Barn of Allens Pond Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary, I will be holding a program on doing nighttime macro photography, and we utilize a vernal pool.  This event is limited to 10 participants.  The fee is $20 and will include drinks and snacks.  Equipment DSLR with a Macro lens or a lens in the 70-200 External Flash a Flash extension cable or remote flash trigger Boots Flashlight or headlamp and appropriate clothing.  Anyone that is interested, please email me at mborn@photobee1.com.  By the way, half of the proceeds will be donated to the sanctuary.

Yesterday, it was a beautiful day and warm with the temperature starting out in the 50s and going into the 60s.  My son and I spent the morning at Daniel Webster Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary in the morning blind.  The sanctuary has two blinds, one at each end of the pool, morning and afternoon blind, so named because the location of the sun.  There was a lot of passerines flitting around in the brush and bushes.  However, none of them perched in a location where we could photograph them.  The two main species that we photographed were painted turtles and Canada geese.

We started out with three painted turtles on the log and by the time we left, there were seven painted turtles all enjoying the bright, warm sun.

Painted turtles on the log

Initially, there were only a few Canada geese in the pool but as the morning wore on large groups flew in.  The Canada geese put on a show with many of the geese bathing and preening.  The geese would raise large splashes a water duck underneath the water and even bays upside down with their feet in the air.

Canada geese landing

Canada geese swimming and preening

Canada goose bathing

Canada goose flapping its wings

While watch and the Canada geese, around the corner of grass, swam some ducks.  There was a pair of mallards and for my first time visiting here a Northern Pintail.

Northern Pintail and mallards

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A Morning at Daniel Webster Sanctuary

I decided to visit the Daniel Webster Sanctuary in Marshfield, Massachusetts, the other morning for some bird watching and photography.  I spent most of the morning in the morning observation blind. 

View from the blind

Well I was walking to the blind and leaving the blind, I did stop and photograph the Purple Martins. 











I captured a nice image of a Willow/Alder flycatcher.  These species are hard to tell apart, except by their vocalization.  This bird did not vocalize so I have to accept that as a either/or.  An interesting fact is that these flycatchers used to be classified as one species and was known as the (Trail's) flycatcher.



I did obtain a picture of a life dragonfly-- Needham's Skimmer
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In all, it was a beautiful morning to be out observing nature and photographing the natural beauty around us.

Song Sparrow

Brown Thrasher

"Noise Makers"

Painted Turtle with Duckweed

Water Lillies

Little Blue Heron-Egretta caerulea

The Little Blue Heron is another infrequent visitor to our area.  It is normally found in the southeastern United States, but does show up in this area every year.  In fact, we had a little blue heron fly over us while we at Plymouth Beach during bird-a-thon.  Presently, there is a single specimen of the Little Blue Heron being observed at the Daniel Webster Audubon Sanctuary.
An interesting observation about the Little Blue Heron is that the first year immature herons have a different and distinct color morph from the adult.  The juvenile or immature little blue herons are white as opposed to the slate-blue color of the adults.  Shark Valley In the Everglades National Park is a great location for viewing the different color morphs.
The adult Little Blue Heron at Daniel Webster has been in the pannes, in small pond area between the two observation blinds.  The day that I was there I was able to observe and capture photographs of the Little Blue Heron capturing and eating a frog.

		Little Blue Heron Feeding on a Frog VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

The observation blinds was set up to take advantage of the sons location.  From the entrance as you look down toward the small pond, the blind on the right is the morning blind and the blind on the left is the afternoon blind.  The day we were there.  It was cloudy and overcast with no harsh Sun to cast shadows, so therefore we were able to utilize both blinds in the morning for photography.  In each of the blinds at 2 of the Windows there is a screw in place so you can fasten your tripod head to it for an ease in utilizing your camera lens.

More Birds at Daniel Webster

Purple Martin - male 

Purple Martin - Female

During my visits to Daniel Webster Sanctuary, besides the cattle egret and the Canada geese mating, I did encounter a number of  interesting  and also common birds.

Purple Martin in Nesting Gourd

Eastern Phoebe with nesting material

Eastern Phoebe

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis eating a frog

Red-winged Blackbird - female

Red-winged Blackbird - female

Swanp Sparrow

House Sparrow

Wood Duck - Male

Wood Duck - Female

Tree Swallow with nesting material

Tree Swallow

Greater Yellowlegs



Wild Turkey



Belted Kingfisher

Wilson's Snipe

Canada Geese Mating Ritual

During my visits to Daniel Webster Sanctuary, I was lucky enough to observe a pair of Canada Geese mating.
A few facts about Canada geese that they usually will mate for life and start breeding when they are two years old.  The pair of Canada geese would alternate dipping their heads into the water, then.  The male then mount the female and with it's bill holding the head of the female they would make.  Afterwards, the male raises his head to the sky.