The Last Drive through Hollis.

This morning I left my house with a little bit of sadness. I grabbed my camera bag just as I have so many times over the last 2 years living in Hollis, patted my Kitty on the head and made my way downstairs out to my truck, it was 6:45am.

Today marks the last morning for me to drive the back roads on my usual route looking for birds, or animals to photograph before having to head into work. A route I have performed over a a hundred times in the past 2 years. Although I am very excited about my move tomorrow to Nottingham, and the amazing times that await me there, I will always remember the special times in Hollis.

Although I have put a pretty substantial amount of effort and time into wildlife photography while living here 2 species have eluded me. Coyote, and Ruffed Grouse.

Sure I have had a quick glimpse of both of them from time to time I can think of a handful of occasions just after sunset, a yote has run in front of me. Similarly I'd guess I must have flushed a grouse over 50 times, never a photo, until today!

Enjoy these photos, they feel like a gift! As always, click to enlarge.
-Bill

Return of the Osprey

I woke up to a very foggy morning today, every now and then the sun would just barley squeak through the clouds giving very brief glimpses of what heaven must look like. I figured this would be a good day to bring the camera on the way to work. Although I have not been shooting much recently with a very busy schedule, I figured it would not hurt to bring the camera, just in case. I have learned the hard way too many times. If in doubt, bring the camera.

On my commute to work I drive past one of those cell towers that try VERY hard to look like a pine tree. With it's awkward, stunted,  comical attempt to be branches, one must wonder if it were just a regular tower would it be less of an eye sore?

Apparently this breeding pair of osprey do not mind. I spotted one of them perched on the tower and pulled over, grabbed my camera focused in to make sure it was not a hawk or a crow, it wasn't!

Today marks my first osprey sighting of the year.  This is the same tower I reported a pair in last year. I can't help but wonder if it is the same pair as last year, or if it maybe one of the other 2 pairs that nested withing a 1/4 mile of this location last spring.

I had only a few minutes to watch as one of the osprey flew off, assuming it may be the male, I had a good idea he would be right back with a stick. Sure enough within 3 minutes the mature bird flew back over my head towards the nest. The size of the branch (or tree?) it was carrying was remarkable. Looking at the images I estimate 7-7.5 feet. As I continued to shoot these photos I could not believe it was actually gaining altitude with this log. Flapping hard and determined it struggled to continue its ascent. 

Just as the thought of "what would happened if he dropped that spear from the heavens and it hit a car, person, or house?" I saw one leg break loose from the tree. Within a second the bird released its' over sized payload sending the tomahawk missile plummeting downwards, as it gained velocity I peaked from behind my zoom lens to look at the landing zone. CRASH! the stick smashed into the metal roof of a storage facility and exploded onto pieces. No one else saw it.

This made me wonder how often this must happen, and thought, this must lead to some unexplained happenings around the world. Anyone ever hear of a stick falling from the sky with no trees around?

Surf and Turf

 2 for the price of one!

At the time I took these images earlier today I had no idea what I captured. Once
I opened these photos up on my computer I noticed this Blue Heron caught a frog AND a crayfish in once bite. As the high speed shots continued,  the crayfish shook free and fell into the water. The frog became lunch. After watching this heron for about a half hour he ate an amazing 6 frogs!

Action shot

Here is a video clip from today, I still have a lot to learn about video, somehow it got cropped in to much and you loose the heron a bit. Still cool to watch!

Light

 Old equipment barn at Woodmont Orchards, Hollis NH

I've never been so obsessed with light as I am these days. I realized this the other night when the National Weather Service warned of impending doom "frequent lightning and quarter-sized hail". It was a Monday night which I planned to keep it chill and relax after a long, hot day at work. Plans changed. I had already flipped the TV on and plopped down on the couch for a particularly funny episode of Two and a Half Men when I peered to the window and saw the sky evolving into an abstract set of colors and light. Right there I decided I need to go and find the tallest hill with a nice open skyline that was close to my house. I immediately  thought of an old apple farm called Woodmont Orchards. These orchards are part public land, part rundown apple orchards and part land that is about to be leased for agriculture in a creative way to save it from development.  The following photos are the result of walking around for 2 hours till sunset with no mission other than to wait for moments of particular beauty and try to capture them. While the true storm missed us to the south it was a surreal, almost dreamlike experience non-the-less.

-Bill

 The old abandon farm house

 Lightning off in the distance

 Old orchard in desperate need of pruning and love

Red-Tailed Hawk watching the approaching storm

Variety is the spice of life.

Yellow Rumped Warbler, Hollis NH

With all the cold, windy weather I have not been out with the camera for a week or so. This morning was a nice break, sunny, warm and calm. I headed out to the Hollis/ Brookline Highschool where spring break at the school makes for a nice peaceful setting to stroll around. I was very, very happy I went there. When I first got out of my truck I was blown away by a flock of about 40 Yellow Rumped Warblers ( one of my favorite little birds, they are beautiful!), I was shooting some pictures  of them when a coyote ran out into the field right in front of me. As if this was not enough, after the coyote ran off I walked a little further and noticed a duck that seemed different, I took a few shots and realized this was a new one for me. I identified it as a Blue Winged Teal. The on the way back to my truck I spotted a pair of Killdeer doign the hanky panky. Not bad for a half hour before work!
-Bill

Eastern Coyote, Hollis, NH

Eastern Coyote, Hollis, NH

Blue Winged Teal, Hollis NH

 Mating Killdeer, Hollis NH