Other Photos – Page 11 – CrazyM Bird & Nature Photography

Phalarope & Muskrat

The last afternoon of the May long weekend I spent volunteering and helping out on the trails at the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. I was kept busy speaking with visitors and answering questions. Particularly about the Sandhill Cranes and their new arrival. The chick is still doing well and they are staying in the closed off trail area. Good views can still be had from the adjoining trail.

I did manage one distant photo of an interesting migrant.

This Wilson’s Phalarope was hanging around one of the inner ponds. Stopped by a few times during the course of the afternoon, but it was not moving any closer.

One other critter entertaining visitors along the inside trails,

… was this Muskrat busy foraging for and eating roots. Not much in the way of photos, but still a great day to be out and taking it all in.

Muskrat

The rain did eventually let up this afternoon and I headed out for a walk. It was not long, however, before it started again. It was still fairly windy as well, so not much on the bird front. I did manage to find a Muskrat foraging and eating in the marsh.

It would swim out, dive to retrieve a root, and then return into the reeds to eat it.

The only chance for a photo of it in the open was while it was swimming above water.

Fun to watch, but difficult to get a clear shot of it today.

Full Moon at Lunar Perigee

This evening presented a non birding photo opportunity, the lunar perigee. The point the Moon is closest to the Earth in its elliptical orbit.

What made it of particular interest is that it coincided with the full moon (about 12% larger and brighter than the average full moon).