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.

Oddities in the Woods: Amesbury, MA

It's the beginning of the New Year and winter feels as if it has just begun here in Amesbury. On a few wintry walks I took some photographs which could be summed up as oddities in the woods.

We are all used to seeing vertical trees standing strong and tall. What I like about this first image is that it bends our expectations. This fallen pine tree brought the earth with it and challenges our perception of which way the trees should be reaching.

Although the snow crystals and the mushrooms have similar forms, you can sense their difference in texture. While the mushrooms are organic, vibrant and soft, the snow is geometric and lifeless. The beauty of the winter woods often lies in the small bits of colorful life that can be found in unexpected places.

As the daylight turns to delicate gold, the snow melts slowly off of mossy bark.

In the shadow of a snowstorm, a vine climbs up this tree like a snake, stopping the snowy wind in its tracks.

In Celebration of the Conservation of Whittier Hill

Although it is still winter, I wanted to post these photos from early fall. I took these on a walk with my husband up Whittier Hill in Amesbury, MA. Today I am posting them in celebration of the conservation of Whittier Hill by the Essex County Greenbelt Association!

Whittier Hill was Amesbury's last unprotected ridgeline which overlooks Woodsom Farm.

The land that has been conserved will now connect Amesbury Town Park to Cashman School and the soccer fields at Woodsom Farm.

This will be a lovely area for Amesbury residents to enjoy for generations!

Snowy Hike up Mt Tom

Mike and I are hiking all of the 4,000 foot mountains in New Hampshire. This has lead us on many adventures during the past year. Our last big hike of the season was up Mt Tom and Mt Field. 

Although we didn't see any views from the peaks due to the snowy day, we enjoyed beautiful scenery the whole time. 

Fall Colors: Amesbury, MA

Lake Gardner and Powow Hill

Battis Farm

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. 

A Brook in Southern Maine

Mount Agamenticus: A February Hike

On an unseasonably warm day in February, I hiked up Mount Agamenticus in southern Maine. It's a great way to stop off if you are going up 95 and could use a break to walk around a bit and see a great view of the White Mountains and the Maine coast at the same time.

I found these deer tracks on the hike up the less travelled backside of the mountain.

Agamenticus was once a ski mountain so several of the trails follow the old rope tows up the slopes. 

At the top, the sun shined through the trees as they towered over me,

This is the view looking over into New Hampshire from this peak in southern Maine. 

The rope tow leads down the northern slope as you look out deeper into Maine.

Hiking Mt. Lafayette

For Mike's birthday we hike part of the Franconia Ridgeline Trail in the White Mountains. The trail we hiked is about nine miles long and goes along the treesless ridgeline over three 4,000 ft peaks - Little Haystack, Lincoln and Lafayette.

The cairn on Little Haystack is reflective of the shape of the peaks Mt Flume and Mt Liberty in the distance. 

This is the view of Mt Lafayette from the top of Mt Lincoln. It's a lot further away than it may appear!

Here you can see the ridgeline which we hiked with Lafayette, Lincoln and Little Haystack from left to right. 

Shenandoah National Park

The main stop on our honeymoon was Shenandoah National Park. We spent four days hiking, camping, driving the 100 mile Skyline Drive and visiting waterfalls and mountaintops.

Skyline Drive in Northern end of the park

Big Meadows Campground

Hawkbill Mountain

Stony Man Mountain