npr, All Things Considered, July 12, 2009

On May 19th, I blogged about a Ruddy Turnstone and a Red Knot feeding on horse crab eggs on the Jersey side of the Delaware Bay. I was aware that the Red Knot populations have been decreasing since 1990; however I wasn't aware it's now a candidate species under the Endangered Species Act. Click here to read the story.

Terrapin's in the Road

If you're traveling to the Jersey Shore this weekend, be sure to keep a sharp eye out for Terrapins in the roadway. These links, between mainland and the barrier islands, are a growing threat to Diamondback Terrapins. In 2004 researchers from the Wetlands Institute began to install temporary barrier fencing along the coastal causeways, in an attempt to reduce road mortality of nesting terrapins in areas known to be major “kill zones.” While this has reduced terrapin mortality, on average, approximately 84 percent, not all of the causeways have barrier fencing. To read more about Terrapin Conservation at the Wetlands Institute, head here!

While this female wasn't on the causeway, she was hanging out in the middle of a dirt road at one of the wildlife refuges. She was more than willing to allow me to snap a few shots before heading back to the water.

Feisty Fella

The migration North, to the breeding grounds in the Arctic, brings a variety of shore birds to the Delaware Bay. It serves as a stopover to feed on an important food resource, horseshoe crab eggs. This fella, a Ruddy Turnstone, wasn’t too pleased to have this Red Knot searching for eggs so close. Red scurried away after Ruddy tried to look for eggs on its head.

Simple Shoot

I headed down to Cape May point again, to shoot the light house at first light. I later made my way down the beach when I came across this American Oystercatcher who was more than willing to pose for the camera.

Hatchlings

I visited Cape May Point to scope out some locations for upcoming shoots. While I was at the Cape May Light House I had an opportunity to capture some images of this Mute Swan and her young. The little guy on the right was obviously looking for some attention.

Like Plucking Fish from a Barrel

As most of you know the weather hasn't been cooperating, heavy rains were making it nearly impossible to shoot wildlife. Wednesday was a little better, with overcast skies. I was itching to shoot, but I only had an hour before I had to be on the road. So I headed into the tidal ponds.

At first it seemed like the wildlife was still hunkered down from the storm the night before. But then a Great Egret flew right over my head and into the pond behind me. This was definitely the hot spot and this Egret made it look easy, like plucking fish from a barrel. I shoot for a solid hour before the sky opened up and it started to rain. Guess my hour was up anyway.

Imaged captured with Nikon D3, 500AFS