Out and About - Edwin B Forsythe NWR

Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Reserve was amazing - could have spent several days there!  Here are some pix I shot of a fledgling TERN (Forster's, I believe) being fed...

Begging youngster

Parent Arrives

Successful exchange

I was fortunate to have run into some birders who were happy to tell me about the shorebirds, terns, gulls and other birds I was seeing!

Out and About -- Atlantic City

Here in Mount Laurel, New Jersey because of my husband's work, the first day we went to Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell and visit the historic district.














Then we drove down to Atlantic City to visit the boardwalk and stick our toes in the Atlantic, just to say we had done it :o) The first thing I noticed were the many, many LAUGHING GULLS - yes, they really do laugh.  There were lots of juveniles being fed by parents - they hang around people like our Western Gulls do back home.

Laughing Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Next to them, the GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS looked huge!  There were a few HERRING GULLS around as well.






 

Herring Gull

SANDERLING

I was amazed to see SANDERLING chasing the waves right in among the crowds of people on the beach.

Two soaking wet eagles, nine vultures and a very large salmon carcass

Stopped off at Little Nestucca River boat launch a few days ago - in a tree across the river, an adult BALD EAGLE was drying itself. 

This guy is soaking wet!

Some movement caught my eye - oh my, there were seven TURKEY VULTURES in the neighboring trees.

Can you find all seven Vultures?

But, I said "Nine vultures" right?  As I walked closer to the bank, two Turkey Vultures flushed from below me.  Hmmmm.  Wonder what they were feasting on?  So I edged nearer and found a HUGE salmon carcass.

Scanning the opposite bank, I spotted the other adult Bald Eagle, also soaking wet, drying himself on another snag.  So I put the story together like this - one adult Bald Eagle spies a big Salmon in the river - looks like lunch is here!  So he dives in, only to find that the Salmon is TOO BIG.  But help is on the way - his mate arrives, dives in beside him, eager to assist. 

They struggle, half-swimming, and pull the Salmon up onto the bank.  Lunch time! 

Having sated themselves, they retire to the opposite bank to dry themselves off.  No sooner had they abandoned their repast (perhaps even while they were munching), the Turkey Vultures arrive - one by one. Each of them is able to eat their fill and move over to the opposite shore to rest.  And more vultures arrive.  Soon there are nine of them.  And not much is left of the carcass.

Wish I'd gotten  there sooner :o)