2010 in review

Many thanks to all of you who took the time to read this Blog . I hope in the year to come I can bring you more photos of the local wildlife along our Rivers in the Norfolk area.

Many thanks; KennJ

 

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is doing awesome!.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 3,600 times in 2010. That’s about 9 full 747s.

 

In 2010, there were 4 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 43 posts. There were 30 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 3mb. That’s about 3 pictures per month.

The busiest day of the year was October 4th with 50 views. The most popular post that day was River Otters in Tidewater Va..

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were elizabethriver.org, facebook.com, thenewjames.com, flickr.com, and ohamerica.us.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for ocean view, reflections in water, river otter, sunrise, and elizabeth river.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

River Otters in Tidewater Va. February 2009

2

Ocean View Sunrise February 2009
1 comment

3

Elizabeth River Sunrise March 2009

4

Baby Great Horned Owls May 2009
1 comment

5

Alabama Days October 2009

Winter of the Crow

Crow Playground

While on my daily wanderings I came across the 26th St. Bridge about one in the afternoon following the sound of a large group of crow vocalizing their “I have a Hawk” sound . When I came to the end of the bridge I could see a Red Tailed Hawk heading up into the sky followed by several dozen crow. Needless to say he gained altitude so fast I did not even have an opportunity to get a photograph of him. Looking over to the Dog Park I realised there were many more Crows having a get together in the park. They seemed indifferent to anyone as I waked up to within 10 feet before they headed to the safety of the trees.

This is a recent phenomenom  and one I hope will come to an end soon . I have no trouble remembering large groups of crows traveling through the area but these guys seem to be content to stay and create havoc. Lets hope they do not become permenant residents.

Kenn

Odd But A Pretty Bird

Strange Coloring For An Egret

I have seen alot of different waders out on the river but this is a first for me and I am still stumped as the books and sites have no listing for this coloring on this type bird I can find. By size and body type this is an Egret but for the markings. As it was a bit skittish I had to shoot through the grasses to keep it from flying away on me.

UPDATE:  This is an imature Tri-Colored Heron

Reflections in Water

Egret Reflected

I noticed that this shot has an extra head reflected in the water   that seems to have it’s mouth open This shot was taken early in the morning at slack tide on the River by 27th St. Bridge

Killdeer in Action

Worshipping the Ancestors ?

It looks like this Killdeer is knealling in prayer at the carcass of a relative. What is really happening here I do not know but if anyone has a notion please post and give a heads up on this.. Looks like a mating ritual but I find it hard to believe this bird is not aware of how dead the bird in front of it is.

Shot taken off of Norview Ave. after the RR tracks on the right by the creek. There is a large sand embankment leading back to the RR crossing and down to the river that attracts Killdeer and Swallows along with Ducks ,Geese and a variety of Heron and Egrets at this time of the year.Unfortunatly condos are being built on this spot removing it from the available land stock for wild life to use.

About our City Osprey

Out on the Lafayette River the Osprey are out in force hunting for fish to take back to their nests where chicks wait to enjoy a meal. On a recent late afternoon I could count seven working the section of the river you can see while standing on the 27th St. Bridge .

Many of the city nests are in cell phone towers and atop other man made structures like channel markers and buoys on the river with some few conventional tree nests still in evidence from a trip down the river by boat. Most noticable to the local citizens are the nests along roads in the area atop cell towers.

More on this soon.

Trees Full of Flight

One of Many Busy Trees

Coming onto Indian River rd. off Campostella rd.in the early light these trees might seem to be Magnolias full of flowers on first glance but these flowers are moving about and creating a din to anyone still enough to listen.At low tide only the very young and a few adults are still about as the rest head out to fish.

As beautiful a sight as it is I have great pity for the houses situated under these trees full of fish eating (and excreting) birds as for 3 plus months the occupants are in a war zone with bird bombs dropping all day and night. Nature can be very mean.

Nests are full of young all over town

Yellow Crown Night Heron Nest Overflows

Yellow Crown Night Heron Nest Overflows

There are trees full of Egrets around town and the Night Herons are busting out of there little nests quickly. Urban Osprey are in abundance at every creek and river working to keep the nestlings feed. Truly a busy time for bird familys right now.

View from the Willowwood Bridge 4th of July Sunrise

Sunrise 7-04 -08

I try to spend an hour or more around first light traveling around the Norfolk, Va. Beach (aka Tidewater & Hampton Roads) area getting what is left of the hidden world of nature in the area on record. I hope to use these pages to show what is left of the natural world and the mixture of our modern world with the other to anyone who might want to see the surprising amount of wildlife and beauty still left in the area .

The above photo was taken with a Pentax K10D and 18-55mm Pentax lens.

Kenn