Wildlife in Parker River Wildlife Refuge

Today I tried out a lens which I got at a yard sale a while back. It's a Sigma 75-200mm push/pull zoom with manual focus. It took some effort to maintain the focus on the subject of the photograph but I got used to this pretty quick. I also had some trouble with chromatic aberration which I believe is due to having neglected the aperture function which is built into the lens itself rather than being a setting within the camera like I am used to.

I took the lens out in the hopes of taking some photos of wildlife at Parker River Wildlife Refuge in Newbury, MA.

A bird's nest suspended above the sand dunes.

A red-tailed hawk keeps a close watch over the salt marsh

Two otters slink through the reeds in a freshwater pool.

One of the otters stops to have an afternoon snack.

The otters watch the humans as the humans watch the otters.




Overall the photos didn't come out quite like I'd hoped but I think they are alright for my first time using this yard sale find.

Maudslay State Park in January

Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, MA is generally known for its beauty during the warm summer months. It is home to hundreds of rhododendron bushes, overlooks the Merrimac River and was once the home of the Maudslay family's manicured gardens.

On a day in January I took a walk off the beaten path and came across some interesting artifacts. I enjoyed editing these photos with a darker atmosphere than one would normally associate with Maudslay State Park. 

Snowstorm in Newburyport

Portrait of our Cat

This is one of my favorite photographs of our cat. She loves sitting in the sunny window as most cats do.

Children at Crane's Beach

In August I went to Crane's Beach to see the Strandbeest exhibit which featured the art of Theo Jansen. Before the exhibit and demonstration started the children had a nice time playing at the beach despite the chilly weather.

Outdoors in November

I didn't take a whole lot of pictures this fall but managed to get out for a few short photo shoots. These first two photographs were taken in Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, MA.

On a cold November day we went for a walk in Maudslay State Park. I managed to get Mike to stop and take one photo with me on the condition that I wouldn't take any more pictures of him for the rest of the walk.

This photo was shot on the trail near the Maudslay homestead. Lucky for me the sun was setting over the Merrimac River.

On another quick walk to the Waterfront Park in Newburyport, I stopped to take a photo of the cormorants which adorn the docks. Across the bay are the buildings in Salisbury, MA. 

Just as we left my mother's house after our Thanksgiving visit we saw a band of wild turkeys crossing a neighbor's yard. Such a pleasant sight to see on Thanksgiving weekend. This was taken in Stoddard, NH. 

I continued my photographs of Black and White wet stones with this one at Goose Pond in Keene, NH on Thanksgiving Day. 

Bee on Flower

One of the first close up photos I have tried with my camera and lens. I hope to improve on these types of pictures since I don't have as much practice with them.

This one was taken outside of The Tannery in Newburyport, MA. 

Joppa Flats Sunset

The sunset over the Merrimac River mouth new Newburyport is a beautiful sight. One of the quieter places to watch it without straying far from the downtown area is at Joppa Flats on Water St.

Yankee Homecoming 2015 - Newburyport

Each year Newburyport, MA has a week long celebration of the town's history and culture. I attended the opening ceremony at the Bartlett Mall on Old Fashioned Day and took some pictures of the people enjoying the day.

Children played carnival games and enjoyed the bouncy castle and this blow-up obstacle course.

Children's shoes of all colors outside the bouncy castle.

Kids loved the train going around the Frog Pond.

The pony rides were also popular.

Meanwhile speeches took place as part of the opening ceremony. This little boy looked longingly at the carnival games from his seat on the stage.

Adults also socialized with their friends.

Once they had exhausted the games at the event, children made their own fun like these boys rolling down the hill.

By the end of the day the children seemed pretty tuckered out!

Flower Walk in Maudslay State Park

If you ever go to the Newburyport area I highly suggest going to Maudslay State Park. It is a wonderful place for a walk. In May and June it is full of blooming Azaleas and Rhododendron. Bald eagles nest there in the late winter and it has some wonderful paths through a pine grove, along the Merrimac River and in historical gardens.

They frequently offer programs for the public such as historical tours, painting days or flower walks. I was able to attend one of these flower walks. My favorite photograph from the one hour tour was this one of a flying ant suckling at a white peone.

It was difficult lighting at first but I was able to get the ant in mid-flight. The peone's were beginning to lose their petals so I made it just in time to get a good picture of the peone before it passed for the season.

I had good luck with insects that day. I was also able to get this pretty good picture of a bee at a Catawba Rhododendron. The photograph was underexposed but I thought I captured the bee well enough that it is worth posting. On the flower walk I learned that this is a rhododendron and not its close sister the azalea because it has more than seven stamen. Azaleas look very similar but have only five stamen and do not have thick waxy leaves like the rhododendron.

I hope to do much more photography of the special flora at Maudslay State Park over the summer. It is a truly beautiful place to visit.

Easter at Plum Island