Sunday, May 20, 2012

Birding Bombay Hook and Delaware

I am linking up with Mosaic Monday  and  Our World Tuesday

I have been posting so many photos from my trip I have been ignoring other outings I have been on since being home. We visited the Delaware shore and the Bombay Hook NWR the weekend of the Super Moon.


 Above Bonaparte's Gulls, Dowitchers, Super Moon, Swallow at the Dupont Nature Center, last bottom right more Dowitchers.




The mating season of the horseshoe crabs happens during the spring full moon when the tides are high. The female horseshoe crab will dig a hole in the sand and deposit her eggs and then the male will fertilize the eggs with his sperm. Nature is cool. Somehow the migrating shorebirds, especially the Red Knots find their way to the Delaware shore to feast upon these horseshoe crab eggs. Apparently, the birds know the schedule better than I. We were a few days to a week early to see the large count of shorebirds. But, I was happy to see all the Dunlins with their spotted black bellies, the Ruddy Turnstones, Dowitchers and hundreds of gulls.



 From a distance it was hard trying to id all the smaller shorebirds mixed in with the gulls. But, I did see a few Red Knots, Ruddy Turnstones and lots of Dunlins.



During this visit we also make a quick stop at the Bombay Hook NWR. The wildflowers looked beautiful and enjoyed seeing more birds.

The Yellow Crowned Night Heron  was seen near the Black Crown Night Heron rookery. The BC Night Herons were perched in trees between the leaves so it was difficult to see them much less take any photos. I did count at least 7 BC Night Herons but I am sure there were many more.

 The wild irises were gorgeous.


We saw many BC Night herons, Great Egrets, GB Herons, Snowy Egrets,  along with Dowitchers and more Dunlins.


Back at home we were able to see the full moon setting over our lake.


To see more wonderful mosaics and photos please visit Mosaic Monday  and Our World Tuesday. 
Thanks to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday and thanks to the hosting group at Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy.

Also, thanks for stopping by to see my post and I hope everyone has a great week ahead.

47 comments:

  1. I do love to see your birds, Eileen as I don't get much chance to photograph birds here in Tanzania! I simply LOVE your moon shots, the cheese coloured one and the reflection on the water. Awesome. Have a wonderful week. Blessings, Jo

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  2. Wonderful images Eileen.. I must try collages myself.

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  3. Great series of beautiful shots!
    Love to see the birds and flowers and of course the stunning moon.
    Wish you a wonderful week, Eileen.
    Mette

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  4. really pretty, eileen. love the night heron and your moon shots. :) and cool shorebirds i don't get to see!

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  5. They're ALL gorgeous, Eileen. Love the moon shots--of course, we had clouds that night. I'm glad other folks got to see it (and share their pics!!!)
    Hope you had a good weekend!
    :)

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  6. Flowers, Birds and a Full Moon..... Wow---awesome post, Eileen.... I'm ready to move in and go with you on some of your trips...ha

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  7. you are lucky to have so much to share. the super moon shots are really amazing, i have yet to take a good picture of the moon.

    love the purple iris, it's hard to believe that they grow wild!!

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  8. Beautiful shots, Eileen. That moon is breathtaking. We had clouds :( Your lake is so pretty and so peaceful. Have a great week.

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  9. Beautiful moon, wild irises, and birds. Am I correct in thinking that the horseshoe crabs are missing out? Nature is definitely interesting.

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  10. Beautiful shots of the Super moon, and I love your mosaics. Gorgeous place and gorgeous photographs.
    Karen

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  11. The photo of the moon over the lake is spectacular! Wonderful mosaics! Happy Monday!

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  12. Eileen ... gorgeous mosaics. Always love to see your bird friends. I love shore birds ... such funny little guys to watch scurry around!

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  13. Some amazing photos. I have never seen a night heron. The Iris was beautiful. Valerie

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  14. I always enjoy your photos, and the descriptions! I don't know so much about birds, so I have learned a lot from the different blogs of birders. Loved the moon shot on the lake!

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  15. lovely mosaic and beautiful nature photos, it's always inspiring to see the gifts of nature here in your site.

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  16. Wow Eileen these photos are gorgeous. Lucky you, you were able to get the super moon. It's very pretty!

    Kim,USA

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  17. Lovely post! Your mosaics are beautiful, and I love the shots of the night heron and the irises. It'll be several weeks before we see the iris blooming here.

    Sorry that I had the setting wrong on the video of the frogs. I've went in and changed the setting to public.

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  18. Those shots of the moon are wonderful but so are all your photographs. Great blog, I love to visit and see where you have been and what you have seen and photographed.
    Many thanks, Jackie in Surrey, UK. x

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  19. Hi...There as so much I had to say...
    I love your header!
    I lobe those birds...by the beach...
    I love that moon...and i LOVE YOUR PHOTOS: I can travel throughout your eyes! Thank you for that!

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  20. So glad to read your post and learn about all these birds. I have never seen most of them. Maybe I need to visit somewhere nearer the water.
    QMM

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  21. Gorgeous moon shots! I love the YC Night-Heron... Saw my first ones in Texas. Awesome birds.

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  22. Lovely photos! You take fantastic birdshots.
    Love to see the iris (one of my favourite flowers).
    Hope you'll have a nice week.

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  23. The moon looks spectacular, fantastic! just perfect

    Greats from portugal =)

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  24. Beautiful sequence!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  25. The pictures are wonderful! I am always in love with your Bombay Hook pictures and what a great place you had to view that moon. Marvelous.

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  26. Just delightful Eileen ... I'd didn't know there were so many different types of gulls. Your capture of the moon over your lake is gorgeous.

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  27. that´s a giant moon. We usually see it like that in August. Strange! We don´t have tides, maybe that´s why we don´t have that many birds.

    Have a great week.

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  28. One continues to be amazed by the beauty you live in. Thank you for sharing. Please have a good Tuesday.

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  29. You always get such great bird shots during your outings. The flowers are also lovely and magnificent shots of the super moon.

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  30. Brilliant shots as always. Loved your supermoon photo, and the shot of the Yellow Crowned Night Heron. The wildflowers were exquisite as well.

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  31. Terrific series of shots Eileen.

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  32. Wonderful shots of birds and the moon.

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  33. Gorgeous moon and skies, Eileen!! I love the gulls and the herons! Lovely mosaics and beautiful flowers! Always a delight to visit your blog! Enjoy your weekend!

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  34. A lovely series of shots. Those moon photos are breath-taking.

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  35. You have captured the beauty of the full moon so well! I liked the bird pictures a lot.

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  36. Gorgeous photos, Eileen. That heron is so majestic on his perch. And the moon - sensational!

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  37. I love that patch of red-pink wild flowers. How big was the patch?

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  38. Hi Eileen, a very nice mosaic entry. That super moon, wow, and your birds images are great. Happy week~

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  39. On that night, I also enjoyed viewing the biggest and brightest full moon. Your moon photos are breathtaking. I also like herons, birds, and “ayame” (Iris sanguinea) growing wild.

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  40. Wow Eileen you are lucky you took a photo of the moon. Love your other photos too.

    Kim, MI

    Inviting you to join Water World Wednesday

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  41. What beautiful captures of nature, from birds to waterscapes, to the beautiful moon.

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  42. Beautiful photographs of the shore birds and wildflowers. That super moon was sure pretty. I love the picture of the moon setting over your lake.

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  43. lovely photos! Super birds and super moon! Shore birds are very confusing from a distance. Some of them are confusing up close too.

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  44. Beautiful shots, I especially like the moon pictures.

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  45. Your world is beautiful, Eileen. And I am fortunate to view it through your lens and this thoughtful post.

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Have a happy day, Eileen

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