After weeks of searching for the return of Snowy Owls at Island Beach State Park, I finally found this gorgeous girl. She was sitting on a tree branch just off one of the designated trails from the parking areas to the ocean on 12/12/14. I have since made several trips back and have also spotted a male. Those photos will follow.
Looking for the Snowy
The foxes are looking much healthier this year. This was the first time I heard any sound coming from a fox. The female seemed to be giving the male some lip. She was playing in the sand and chewing on some bark while the male was following the fishermen looking to steal some bait. They were also performing their little mating dance.
The trail to the beach.
This guy kept me company while I photographed the trail.
The Nature Center from the beach.
Still trying to catch up on these posts, I’m getting there. Forgive me for blasting you with all these posts. The pain will be over soon. Here are some shots from Island Beach. As you probably noticed, I spend a lot of time down there. I’m only about twenty minutes away, its one of my favorite places. Wildlife, the bay, and the ocean all in one area.
Last winter was the first incursion of Snowy Owls in New Jersey in about eighty years. No one knew if it would be a one time occurrence or if they would return. Well, during the first week of November this guy showed up at the Forsythe Wildlife Refuse – Holgate Unit on Long Beach Island. After a two mile walk down the beach, I ran into the Snowy. What an exciting moment to see this magnificent creature on the Jersey Shore after his long journey from the Arctic. Since that day at least two more have arrived at Island Beach State Park and another at the main Forsythe location in Galloway Township. Photos from Island Beach will follow.
A juvenile bald eagle flew over at this moment.
A peregrine falcon was hanging out.
A cooper’s hawk flew over also.
I wanted to shoot the stars over the Judge’s Shack at Island Beach State Park. The moon was very bright and made it difficult to bring out the stars. It was still a beautiful night. A visit from a fox walking out of the darkness is always exciting. The International Space Station also passed over, which is always cool to see.
The International Space Station passed over.
I’m pretty excited that an 18 foot wide photograph of my Convention Hall image is now hanging at the newly renovated Pediatrics wing at the Jersey Shore Hospital in Neptune, NJ. Convention Hall was built between 1928-1930 in Asbury Park, NJ.
Here is a series from Cape May in September. I think Cape May has the prettiest beach on the Jersey shore.
Here is the second part of the Watkins Glen trip. These images were taken at Watkins Glen State Park in New York.
Back in October, my good friend, Marco Crupi (Nada Mas Photography) and I took our annual Fall photography run. This year we travelled up to the Watkins Glen area of New York State. These photos where taken along the way somewhere near Ithaca, New York. Thanks to Marco for scouting out such great locations. The photos from Watkins Glen State Park will be in my next post.
It’s been a while since I stopped to look for the foxes at Island Beach. I found a young kit. Later in the day I drove over to Forsythe Wildlife Refuse.
A Young Kit
Barnegat Bay – Seaside Park
Great Egret
Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
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