Afternoon Birding and Photography at Gooseberry, Westport Massachusetts

Pair of Surf Scoters

After I had finished the beach ramble at Allens Pond, Bob Gagnon and myself went to Gooseberry hopefully to photograph the snowy owl but also any other subject that we could find. The causeway gate to Gooseberry was closed. We were not sure if this was because of the holiday and no one from the state came to open it or was it closed in preparation for the upcoming storm. Bob and I got out our cameras and slowly walked up the causeway where in the waters on the east side of the causeway there were a number of ducks present, Common Eiders, Buffleheads and and a pair of Surf Scoters. The Surf Scoters were close enough to give us a great look at their markings, especially the beautiful face and bill of the male surf scoter and the big white patch on back of its head. There are also a number of Common Loons swimming along with a Horned Grebe. We also met a number of photographers and birders who had been searching the island for the snowy owls and did not find them.

Horned Grebe

The tide was extremely low due to the new moon. This allowed us to walk out to areas that were normally under the water and photographs some of the seaweed and shells that were just waiting for the tide to return. There were some interesting abstracts in the sand due to the runoff of the water and a number of the boulders had sea ice on top of them. Flocks of shorebirds wheeling around and flying back and forth. I checked the skies looking for a raptor that may put them up but did not see any.

Sand Abstract

Rockweed attached to rock awaiting the return of the ocean

Slipper Shells

Sand pool with seaweed and crustatceans

Speaking of raptors, a Cooper's Hawk came down the middle of the island and flew toward the mainland. Right around sunset, a Northern Harrier came back from the mainland and flew down to the tip of the island where it was foraging for food. I had met another gentleman who was looking for and hoping for owls and we watched till after sunset hoping that a short-eared owl or snowy owl would appear flying around looking for food. Again no luck.

Cooper's Hawk

The clouds and sunset were interesting and the waves is starting to pick up on the west side of the island probably from the approaching storm.

SUn Hidden behind clouds with Phragmites blowing in the wind

Although we struck out on owls, any day out in our natural world around us photographing and observing is better than a day at work.

By the way, these pictures are some that people should obtained if they join me on January 12 for the workshop photographing Gooseberry and Allens Pond. You can sign up at http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog#program:sanctuary=25:program_code=30995

Checking out Gooseberry for the Snowy Owl

Sanderling feeding

Tuesday morning, my son and I went out to Gooseberry to see if we could find the snowy owl that was reported out there. We walked the up the east side of the island on the beach since it was low tide and searched all possible locations. The weather was completely overcast and the wind was blowing briskly. Mainly what we saw were gulls and peeps feeding in the water and the wrack. Even portion my ISO high and my f-stop the lowest it could go, my shutter speed was still 1/160 second and because of the wind and even being down low and holding my lens as steady as I could a lot of my pictures were blurred. I was able to rescue a few using Photoshop's new Shake reduction filter located in the sharpened filter section. At one point the peeps flew away and when I turned around a Merlin pass by very fast. We checked out the West side of the island and except for a few ducks far out the only thing with watching was the waves crashing on the rocks. Returning to the parking lot, I met my friend Dan, who walked the same route about 10 minutes ahead of us and he had a negative finding for the snowy owl. While we were talking a number of common loans flew by and I did obtain a decent picture. The one thing that I wish I had brought was my flash and Better Beamer which would help stop motion in the birds.

Another View of the Sanderling Feeding

Gulls and Peeps

Peeps Returning in after Being Scared by a Merlin

Gull Coming in for a Landing

Waves Crashing on the Rocks

Common Loon Flying

Sanderling (Calidris alba)

Besides photographing the black scoters and the interesting sky the other day, I also spent some time photographing a Sanderling. Sanderling (Calidris alba) is a member of the group known as waders and also as one of the "peeps.”.  Normally, we see them in flocks, running along the shore and following out the receding water and running from the incoming water, looking for small crabs and other small invertebrates.  They  winter locally and leave in the spring to travel to the high Arctic breeding grounds and then return in late summer and early fall.
In the winter, these sanderlings are unmistakable, because of their very pale color, which is almost white, except for a dark shoulder patch.

In the  summer the summer their head, neck and breast will become a reddish brown with dark streaking.

If you sit still low to the ground, the sanderlings will usually run back and forth in front of you.  If you try to keep following  them, they will usually fly away.  I approached the sanderling by walking not directly but laterally towards the sanderling and then I sat on the damp sand, with my tripod down low and waited for the sanderling to come to me.  The photographs were taken with my Nikon D 800 in DX mode, my Nikon or 500 mm F/4 telephoto lens with a 1.4 X converter on it.  I also utilized an external flash that was set above my camera and lens With a Better Beamer attach to the flash.  The flash was used as a fill flash with a -2 EV compensation.  I was not only looking for statics photographs of the sanderling, but some photographs that would show action of its head and body, while it was feeding.

feeding

looking for food

looking for food

"Here Is Looking AT You"