Wild Delaware

With claws made for catching birds mid-air and short, rounded wings designed for speed and agility Sharp-shinned Hawks are a songbird’s worst nightmare. These long-tailed woodland hawks feed mostly on small birds in the forest and sometimes near bird feeders. This particular Sharp-shinned Hawk is one of a pair that is the first documented pair to nest in Delaware. Their nest is high in the trees at Ashland Nature Center in New Castle County. Last year they successfully fledged four babies.

Wildflowers surround a Canada Goose at Winterthur Museum.

I have been seeing lots of Green Herons lately but usually in wilder places. This one is nesting in a backyard in Lewes and is raising four babies. The nest is so well hidden that I couldn’t get any good photographs of the young ones.

I spent an hour yesterday afternoon with the Goldfinches that I have shot twice recently. Their bright yellow color and jaunty attitude make them a favorite for me. Here is a male (right) and female.

Could the devil himself design a more annoying, bloodthirsty creature? I know the greenhead fly has an important role in the life of our salt marshes. And I also know this abundant and persistent female has a powerful and painful bite. Thousands of emerald eye facets give the greenhead fly a visual advantage in tracking its target. It bites the victim with scissor-like mouthparts that tear flesh and suck blood. Young adult females lay their first egg mass of 100 to 200 eggs without seeking blood. Then in order to lay a second mass they need a blood meal. If you have ever spent much time on the salt marsh in the summer you are probably familiar with this determined lady.

Bumble Bees and Carpenter Bees are our only native social bees. Here, a common Eastern Bumble Bee is a busy bee indeed as it gathers nectar from a field thistle on the grounds of Winterthur today.

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I have been shooting Wild Delaware for almost a year and I have photographed lots of foxes. All of them have been red until this week when I met a gray fox kit. I have to say, these less common foxes are very cute.

I knew a fight was brewing when these two snowy egrets stopped fishing, puffed up their feather sand started toward each other. Sure enough, these two snowy egrets got into a bit of a tussle over fishing rights this morning on a Sussex County salt marsh.

Growing up in a woods I learned early it is best to avoid these little guys. Fortunately, these boldly colored creatures are reluctant to use their unique and smelly weapon. A skunk’s threatening to spray is usually more than enough warning for most predators and people.