Category: egret
+ Africa, Andy Nguyen, baboons, Birds, Crane, eagles, egret, Fish, Geese, giraffes, hippo, Kenya, lions, Maasai Mara, mirrorless, monkeys, Naivasha, Nakuru, rhino, Uncategorized
(In and) Out of Africa
by Susan
Kenya, to be specific. It was a truly unforgettable experience in many ways, not the least of which was the sprawling Maasai Mara and the incredible diversity of the wildlife it sustains. I left the Olympus cameras at home. We really wouldn’t be doing much walking, so lightweight gear was not a consideration. Instead, I used the full-frame Nikon d850 and the Nikkor 200-500 … Read More (In and) Out of Africa
Wild Wings Day 4: The Star
by Susan
The Star of the Day today could have been the pelicans, which were quite photoworthy. Or it could have been any of the number of small waders that ran along the shore and entertained us by pestering each other. But The Star of the Day was none of these. It was definitely the wood stork. And not just *any* wood stork. It was THIS … Read More Wild Wings Day 4: 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, Ducks, eagles, egret, Fish, Geese, grebes, heron, Migration, Montezuma, muskrat, osprey, swans, Uncategorized
Spring, Montezuma Style
by Susan
Winter is slowly losing its grip on western New York. Eaglets are hatching, osprey and herons are nesting, and ducks, geese, and swans have found their mates. Although spring arrived meterologically on March 21, it wasn’t really spring for us nature photofolks until April 1st, when the gate to Wildlife Drive swung open. Today was sunny (and warm!), so I packed a lunch and … Read More Spring, Montezuma Style
+ 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
Unfortunately, current practices would indicate that this is an appropriate name change for the (former?) Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. For the past three years each of its marsh pools have been sequentially groomed to promote a plant-based ecosystem to encourage the waterfowl population — ducks, geese, and swans, but primarily ducks. This strategy, however, has decimated the fish habitat upon which water waders … 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
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’!
‘Bye-bye Birdies!
by Susan
Traffic has resumed on the Atlantic flyway as fall migration begins. The songbirds have been gone for a few weeks now — the blackbirds, marsh wrens, and kingbirds have all left the watersides, leaving only tree sparrows behind. The osprey nests are empty, and just the hardiest egrets and herons remain, stalking the waters of Montezuma for fish and frogs. And there are … Read More ‘Bye-bye Birdies!
Seen by Susan: Fun with Flora and Fauna 
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