Cappy0161's photostream  

Lots of these sandpipers around:o)

Lots of action at Barnegat Lighthouse and this immature gull was still getting feed by parents in January. I have never seen such a beautiful big brown gull:o)

This dark and light colored feathered friend was really tough to photograph. Sometimes the 1/3 stop needed to be 1/6 stop as that 1 click will either blow out the whites or kill the dark feather details. To have any detail in the dark colors, it seems like one must almost blow out the whites. This was already in setting sunlight with some clouds.

On the day we went to Barnegat Light to photograph harlequin ducks, we only saw 3 - even though others posted that they saw more than 30 around the jetty. We were there for about 4 hours and these 3 were lightly chased up and down the jetty. I lightly because they were not frantic and preened casually, dove for mussels, and slowly moved away as birders (groups) moved them around. I stayed in one spot about 1/2 way up the jetty and soaked in the warm sun sitting on a rock. They all swam right up to me many times for 100s of full frame shots and the light was wonderful as the sun was setting behind me. I will call this one tight family as they stuck together all day long. Father, mother, and the mmature male.

Bonaparte's gulls are just beautiful and seem to float in the air - very dainty I my say:o) They guys were all over the place and many came near the rocks for good picture opportunities when the Harlequins weren't around.