Day after Christmas

Fishing boat leaving Rye Harbor

Saturday morning, the kids and I woke up at oh-dark-o'clock to travel up to Rye, New Hampshire.  Hopefully to photograph the snowy owl that has been present at Rye Harbor state Park.  When we arrived there were a number of cars in the parking lot with a lot of people looking for the snowy owl, however, no one had sighted the snowy owl.  We struck a conversation up with one fella who said that it looked like the snowy owl had not been present for a week.  Oh well, that is photographing the nature.

The large moon was slowly setting and I got a picture of it by a large conifer.

Setting Moon

The sun was rising and I got a silhouette of the Quadricentennial Monument, looking out to the isles of shoals.  The monument celebrates the 400 anniversary of Capt. John Smith reaching and naming the Isles of shoals after himself and the area that we know as New England.  "John Smith’s map and widely read book “A Description of New England” detailed the region’s teeming fishing banks, abundant game, clean rivers, vast forests and native people. The book had a major influence in the subsequent wave of English migration to these shores. The map guided the Pilgrims to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620 and led John Winthrop to the Charles River and the founding of Boston in 1630."  

Silhouette of the 1614 Monument

With no snowy owl, we decided first to stop at Rye Harbor, which at times can be very good for photographing loons and seabirds as they fish near the docks.  Again, we were shut out.  On on the road again to Salisbury State Park, where at the boat launch ramp.  We met a number of photographers that I knew.  And again, everybody stated everything was quiet.

We ended up at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, the major sighting were a large number of ducks in the pannes, a song sparrow,  a Mockingbird and a  Harrier, gliding over the grasslands looking for prey.  Prior however to reaching Parker River, at the pink house on the plum island Parkway.  We photographed a hawk on the chimney.

Hawk on a Chimney

Northern Harrier Over the Marsh

Black Ducks

It was a comfortable, sunny day, and again, it was enjoyable just being out.