Category: Ducks
Part II, Cameras I Have Known: Olympus EM Series
by Susan
I started with the EM10 beginning in late 2019, during my early days. Although this camera had raw capabilities, I didn’t bother with raw files back then. The jpgs it produced were. . .not bad, really. Besides, I dreaded postprocessing, which I knew nothing about. Besides, it was something (I thought) jpgs didn’t need, not when my Olympus did most of the work for … Read More Part II, Cameras I Have Known: Olympus EM Series
+ bridge camera, Coots, Crane, Ducks, eagles, Fish, gear, Geese, grebes, heron, Migration, mirrorless, Montezuma, muskrat, natural, swans, Uncategorized
Carnage Continued: Montezuma National Wildlife…Place
by Susan
Apparently little has changed since 2017, when the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge thought it might be a good idea to devote each spring and summer to cultivating vegetation, hoping to attract large numbers of waterfowl to the refuge during the fall migration. Sounds good on paper perhaps, but in practice this creates a wildlife nightmare. In order to provide sufficient acreage for their duck-food … Read More Carnage Continued: Montezuma National Wildlife…Place
+ about me, Andy Nguyen, Birds, Crane, Ducks, Fish, heron, mirrorless, Montezuma, osprey, Uncategorized, Wild Wings Photography
Wild Wings Day 5: The Star
by Susan
Today was SuperSaturday, so by definition The Star of the Day would be a SuperStar. And it was! No doubt about it, it was babies! Babies clearly were the Number One SuperStar of the Day! Our morning outing was delayed by thunderstorms, severe enough to prompt lightning warnings. But once they cleared we were off, looking for SuperStar candidates. It didn’t take long to … Read More Wild Wings Day 5: The Star
+ Birds, bridge camera, Crane, Ducks, eagles, egret, gear, Geese, heron, mirrorless, Red-tail hawk, swans, Uncategorized
Sony a7ii
by Susan
I really love my Olympus gear, but I can’t ignore the full-frame fuss any longer. So, I took the plunge and bought a (used) Sony — not the latest model and certainly not the most expensive — but one that Digital Camera World recommended as a very capable and affordable full-frame, as long as you don’t do video (https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/best-full-frame-mirrorless-camera). Although still a relative newbie … Read More Sony a7ii
+ Andrea van Beausichem, Andrea van Beusichem, Birds, Coots, Ducks, eagles, egret, Fish, Geese, heron, Migration, Montezuma, natural, osprey, sludge, swans, Uncategorized
Montezuma Waterfowl Refuge?
by Susan
If current practices persist, this name change would certainly be warranted. For the past three years (2018-2021) each of the pools here have been groomed for a single purpose — to create a habitat for ducks — as well as geese and swans but primarily ducks. And only geese and swans but primarily ducks. So, in early spring the pools are drained down to … Read More Montezuma Waterfowl Refuge?
Feeding the Waterfowl, An Update
by Susan
Well, this blog has definitely been seen, because Ms. van Beusichem has now issued a brochure, Draining the Main Pool, Feeding the Waterfowl, which is available without charge at the MNWR Visitor’s Center. Nice try, but in my opinion it warrants no cigar. She merely repeats the glib arguments that we have already heard, albeit with a bit more cheerfulness. “The Montezuma National Wildlife … Read More Feeding the Waterfowl, An Update
+ Birds, Caspian Tern, Coots, Ducks, eagles, egret, Fish, Geese, grebes, heron, muskrat, Uncategorized
West Shore Trail
by Susan
West Shore Trail is in the northern part of the Montezuma Wetland Complex. It’s rather isolated; nobody seems to go there much except me. That’s too bad because now that the simulated drought is over, the water levels at West Shore have risen even higher than those at the main pool in Seneca Falls, and the resident wildlife is even more varied here than … Read More West Shore Trail
+ Birds, Butler, NY, Coots, Ducks, Geese, heron, Uncategorized
Babies!
by Susan
Babies! Just hearing the word prompts a smile. . .remember the debut of Baby Yoda? Springtime in western New York means that there will be lots of babies born in the wild. . . little balls of fluff that elicit oohs and ahhs from each observer. Some of them eventually poke their tiny heads above the nest rim, waiting for a treat; others learn … Read More Babies!
So Weird.
by Susan
Grebes, they’re so weird. We have the (ubiquitous) pie-billed type here. They’ve come back stronger, I think, this year. . .or maybe I just didn’t notice them as much last year as I do now. They’re cute little things, like tiny ducks with a fancy-looking bill. But they’re definitely weird. They like to hide in the vegetation that grows in marshy water, but they … Read More So Weird.
Wildlife Drive Is Open, No Foolin’!
by Susan
Probably the most visited part of the sprawling Montezuma Wetlands Complex is Wildlife Drive, a 3.5 mile loop that allows visitors to take a hike from the comfort of their own cars. And today, April 1st, the gates were opened to welcome birders (and photographers) to the 2020 observation season. Even CoVID-19 could not prevent this long-awaited event — in fact, it’s one of … Read More Wildlife Drive Is Open, No Foolin’!
+ Birds, Ducks, Uncategorized, weather
Signs of Spring
by Susan
Maybe CoVid-19 can afflict the world population and threaten the global economy, but it can’t stop the world from turning or the seasons from changing. And yes, my dear readers, spring is here! If you don’t believe me take a look at some sure signs of spring: Pussywillows! Swans gliding upon silky water Winter aconite (?) Ducks, Daffodils Blackbirds singing … Read More Signs of Spring
Seen by Susan: Fun with Flora and Fauna 
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