On Martin Luther King Day, I woke up at 4:00am for a drive out to the beach. Wanting to arrive for dawn, I shot the beach the lazy way. Handheld and high ISO’s. I then quickly changed my lens to the beast – the 500mm L, in hopes of some beautiful birds along the sunrise.
While I thought it was a great idea, it turned out to be a bad idea. As I had discovered that I had left my iPhone at home, and didn’t have a second camera with a regular lens on it. As I turned around with the sunrise to my back, and the sunrise was reflecting beautifully in the clouds about Ocean City. The colors were muted purples and pinks. Alas, I was unable to capture the full scene as I wasn’t prepared.
I was in search for a number of wintering water birds in the inlet. Trolling the inlet for about four hours, I met a number of birders, even a couple from Illinois was there. Loons were bouncing in the waves. Every once and a while, you’d hear their haunting call.
When I had arrived at 6:45 a.m., a tourist went out on the rip-rap and flushed out a flock of little birds. It wasn’t until about 10:00am until 34 charming Purple Sandpipers returned to sleep on the rocks. Watching them, I saw several of them hopping around on one leg. I was starting to think that the flock had some kind of genetic defect. Come to find out, they like to hop around on one foot as the other one suddenly appears.
Bouncing up and down in the surf was a large number of long-tailed ducks. I could have spent all day trying to capture them. My poor lens and camera was having such a hard time keeping focus on a moving bird in moving waves.
Long Tailed Duck
It was a long day and when I returned, this is how I felt
Emily Carter ~ Nature as Art 
Emily this may ne one of my FAVORITE blogs of yours. There’s beauty, humor, movement, and REAL. I love it. Every inch. Right down to the last perfect shot to capture what you felt. And the shot of those purple sandpipers took my breath away. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. ………. Did I tell you that I really liked this post? 🙂
You are so sweet my dear. So happy you enjoyed this post so much. It was a glorious but cold morning. The suffering was well worth the beauty witnessed.
Thanks for putting such a big smile on my face.
🙂
Beautiful shots..! at 4am though wow early hour to head out for capturing it all 🙂
I know..I’m crazy, but it was well worth it.
The photo of the Purple Sandpipers is beyond awesome! Sorry, it’s late, and that’s all that comes to mind right now.
🙂 You are too sweet, you don’t have to say anything at all. Seems that photo is a big hit.
Once you hear the call of the loon it is a sound you never forget.
You’re absolutely right!
Brrr and yawn! Glad you weathered the storm to share with us these great birds!
Thanks Ilex ! How have you been?
Getting better, thanks! It’s busy at work and I’m trying to get some volunteer grant writing offers out there. I wish there was a day timer/ticker for spring for my blog… I really need it today. It’s -11F right now. Gaaa!
I think we are all ready for a reprieve from this winter. It’s been just so bitter. Let’s hope it ends soon.
Yawning so wide, you can look down his neck!
Isn’t that the truth? I love seeing his little tongue too.
You are a great photographer. Even as you didn’t capture the entire ferris wheel (?) the purple hue by itself is enough, there’s little more for it to compete with, like your awesome birding. These images, among so many of your others, really are inspiring to budding amateurs such as myself. The silhouette of the…gulls (?)… is artistic and priceless. Many years ago I saw some common Loons from a distance and they quickly became favorites of mine; I love their simple coloring and low profile to the water. These you’ve caught are no less wonderful.
Long-tailed duck, another first for me, but you did very well to capture it in moving water. I particularly like how this photo caught the water coming up over its breast.
Hats & Horses is right that this blog is full of character. The yawning bird at the end would make for a great picture to have framed around the house…then again, we wouldn’t want to be encouraged to be anymore tired!
😀
eLPy
I’m always amazed and humbled about your kind, thought provoking and extensive comments that you leave for me. LP. I’ve been photographing birds pretty intently this past year and a half, and I’m starting to learn how to make some of these images either more artistic, or show the personality and expressions of the bird (animal, etc.)
It’s what allows us to transmit our humanness to nature and find a deep connection.
Absolutely stunning photos, Emily, right camera or wrong! 🙂 (followed you here from Drake)