Thursday, May 1, 2014

Aubrey and Hazel

April 25th...When I arrived today I did not see Hazel in the nest. I watched for several minutes and when I was about to give up I noticed them both in a tree across the pond sitting on opposite branches about 20 feet apart vertically. I tried to get a few photos but even with my 300mm and 1.4x converter they were too far away. When I returned in the afternoon Aubrey was back at his favorite tree not far from the nest, I took a series of photos even though he was backlit by the afternoon sun and even managed to shoot about 5 minutes of video. Hazel was sitting low in the nest.

Aubrey on his favorite perch. © David Wornham Photography
© 2014 David Wornham Photography
© 2014 David Wornham Photography

This is one of the videos I took of Aubrey. He was exhibiting some new behavior for me, bobbing his head up and down and from side to side. I have been told this is common for raptors, I have seen this before when observing Snowy Owls this past winter. It helps them with their vision when focusing on something.


April 28th...I could not wait to get back to the nest today after 3 days. I arrived just after 8:30am and found Aubrey sitting across the pond eating a fish. Even with good light he was too far away to get any good photos so I just observed him for about 15 minutes. Hazel was in the nest as she is every time I visit now. I am convinced they have a clutch of eggs to protect and hope to see offspring by late May.

By luck I came across a male Osprey at Silver Lake in Athol this evening. I heard the unmistakable call when I brought my son to baseball practice. The fields are located across from the lake and I have observed an Osprey flying over on previous days. I walked toward the lake and ended up right under him as he was eating a fish only 30 feet or so above me. He was backlit by the overcast sky but I managed to get a few good photos from underneath as he enjoyed his meal.

male Osprey eating a fish. © David Wornham Photography
male Osprey giving me the evil eye as I watched him eat.
The markings on this Osprey are similar to Aubrey, the females are identified by the bib or barring on the chest, the males have less markings or nearly no markings depending on the individual.

April 29th...Today was the coldest morning without wind in the last couple of weeks, barely 37 degrees with a light rain. Even with the weather conditions I stopped by for a quick visit but saw no activity. It appeared that Hazel was in the nest but I did not see Aubrey. I could only spend a few minutes today.


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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Aubrey and Hazel

Since my last post about Aubrey and Hazel, I have visited the nest 5 times. Recent observations by myself and fellow wildlife photographer Peter Christoph indicate that Hazel may be sitting on eggs. We have seen Aubrey return to the nest then Hazel leave for a brief spell before returning so Aubrey can go off fishing.

April 22nd...I stopped by in the morning shortly before 9am and observed Hazel in the nest. It was overcast and cold, not the best conditions for taking pictures. Aubrey was circling the pond and at one point made a fly-by of the nest then continued off over the trees out of sight. I was able to get one decent shot of him as he flew over.

Aubrey on fly-by. © 2014 David Wornham Photography

After several minutes Hazel left the nest and flew to a tree across the pond some 200 feet away to relieve herself then returned to the nest and perched on a branch. I moved to a spot I had previously found that allowed me to shoot through the trees with a clear view of the nest. She sat only for a few minutes before jumping back into the nest.

Hazel. © 2014 David Wornham Photography
Hazel. © 2014 David Wornham Photography
Hazel. © 2014 David Wornham Photography
Hazel. © 2014 David Wornham Photography
Hazel. © 2014 David Wornham Photography

April 23rd...This morning it was extremely windy and cold, when I arrived at first I did not see Hazel in the nest. Every few seconds I noticed a wing tip appear just above the rim as the wind gusted. I moved to a location part way down the slope to the pond and that's when I saw Aubrey perched in a tree about 50 feet from the nest braving the cold wind. The sky was mostly clear and despite the wind I was able to get a series of photos of him from about 80 feet away.

Aubrey. © 2014 David Wornham Photography
Aubrey. © 2014 David Wornham Photography
Aubrey. © 2014 David Wornham Photography
April 24th...This morning was similar to yesterday, Hazel in the nest and Aubrey perched in the same tree in the middle of the marshy end of the pond 50 feet from the nest. I watched them both for about 10 minutes and took a few photos but nothing new from yesterday. In the afternoon he was seen returning to the nest then Hazel left and flew to a tree across the pond.

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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Nesting Osprey - Massachusetts

In the winter of 2013-14 I began to photograph wildlife, beginning with Snowy Owls along the MA and NH seacoast. As the warmer weather has sent many of them home to the arctic I started to look for a new subject to focus on locally. A friend pointed out a local spot for birding and I jumped at the chance to check it out. Among the many species of small birds present I was surprised and delighted to see an active Osprey nest at one end of the pond.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) are a distinctively shaped hawk with slender bodies, long narrow wings and long leg . They have been nicknamed "fish hawk" or "fish eagle" as their diet consists almost 100% of fish. They are diurnal hunters meaning they hunt during the daytime. They can be found worldwide in a variety of habitats but are commonly found near the seacoast and in swamps or marshes. Similar to the Bald Eagle in that they are proficient in fishing they are somewhat smaller in size weighing 49-70oz (3-4.5lbs) and 21-23 inches in body length with a wingspan of 60-70 inches. They are a unique hawk in that they have a reversible toe that allows them to more easily grab slippery fish.

This is Aubrey and Hazel, named after my grandparents who were a big influence on me when I was growing up. My grandfather taught me about the outdoors and fishing, I would spend much of my summers with them working in the garden and fishing with my grandfather. I first met Aubrey on April 12th when I saw him circling the pond with a fresh catch. I did not see Hazel this day but it would not be long until I made her acquaintance.

Aubrey and Hazel in the nest © 2014 David Wornham Photography

Aubrey with lunch. © 2014 David Wornham Photography

This pair is nesting near the top of an old dead tree about 60 feet above the marshy end of the pond. In the mornings between 8:30 and 9am I usually find Hazel sitting low in the nest. I presume that Aubrey is off fishing or collecting material for the nest. When I visit in the afternoon after 2pm on many days I have found both present. Some days Aubrey sits in a tree at the far end of the marsh watching over the nest.


Hazel calling for her mate © 2014 David Wornham Photography
April 16th...I stopped by for a visit shortly before 9am to see how they were getting along. Hazel was again sitting in the nest but I did not have to wait long for Aubrey to show up. He arrived with an offering of nesting material for his wife, she seemed pleased. He stayed long enough to give her his present and sit for a minute then went off again for more. I assume they are getting the nest ready for breeding and hope to see chicks in several weeks time.

© 2014 David Wornham Photography  


© 2014 David Wornham Photography

I will be posting updates weekly here and daily photos on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/david.wornham.9 or visit my photography page below. Be sure to check back to stay updated on their progress over the next several months.

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Monday, January 6, 2014

Snowy Owls invade Northeast US


The winter of 2013-2014 is proving to be a banner year for spotting Snowy Owls across the US, especially in the Northeast along the seacoast. I have had the chance to view these majestic birds on a couple of visits to the Salisbury Beach State Reservation in MA since late December. Although they are indigenous to the Arctic every few years many young owls make their way south to winter along the dunes and salt marshes. Many have been spotted from Rye, NH to Plum Island, MA by fellow photographers. These images were taken of one individual I spent almost 4 hours with on 12.29.13.




After this one sat in the marsh grass for nearly 2 hours it flew across the marsh and ended up in the top of a pine tree by the road. It remained there for another couple of hours as several photographers watched to snapped away. This particular bird appears to be a juvenile female where it has more color along it's wings and crown.



 On my next visit 1.5.14 my sons Nick, Logan and I spotted 2 individuals over the course of 2 hours along the entrance road to the State Reservation and one that was deceased along the dunes near the beach by the pyramid. They generally tend to rest on the top of the dunes or on rocks and driftwood above the grass. We were fortunate to get one decent shot of the young male pictured below when we flew alongside the road and perched at the top of a tree for only a couple of minutes before flying deep into the marsh just as the sun was setting on an overcast day. The owls that are seen in the US are regarded as immature, the adult males appear nearly all white while the females retain most of their brown or black colors on the tips of their feathers and atop their heads. I believe this one is a juvenile male where it has very little brown on it's feathers and the head is almost completely white.



Many bird experts speculate that this may be the best year for many to to come to viewing these owls. Scientists are not completely sure why they tend to show up every few years and in many only a handful arrive and are seen. Some thoughts are that they come south due to food supply in the Arctic or after a successful breeding season the previous year and may be driven away by mature adults when there is an population explosion up north.