Day 228: August 15th – Rained out

Thunderstorms, warm (low 80s)

       What started out as a very nice pleasant sunny day ended up with large cumulo-nimbus clouds shrouding our birding venue to the point that we had to abandon what looked to be a very promising site after only a brief look.  We were in the town of Westwood, NJ to have a consultation with the folks at Bergen County Camera (this is an unsolicited endorsement!).  I’ve been having a few issues with my Nikon 80 – 400 mm zoom lens, but I think it is more a case of being spoiled by my 200 – 400 f/4 Nikon than it is a physical shortcoming of the prior lens.  Anyway…..

       After talking with the always helpful folks at Bergen County, we found a neat little birding location called the Pascack Brook County Park.  The central pond is surrounded by a roadway that winds its way around the water and has several parking lots from where you can head out on one of the several woodland trails.  The trails are wide, hard surfaced, and easily traversed by those who don’t care for the more rugged and rustic trails we birders often walk.  The placid Pascack Brook is a haven for water birds such as this Great egret and a really nice Green heron that flew off just as I raised the camera.

        Painted turtles were hauled out on some of the trees which had fallen into the creek.  These reptiles have been around for more than 15 million years according to the fossil record and are the most common turtle across our nation.

       As I photographed this pair, the skies began to darken.  I pushed on a bit further and had a quick look at this chickadee which I captured in a pretty poor image as the skies became more and more ominous.

 

      Then came the thunder….very close and here I am out under all the trees you should never seek refuge under during such a storm.  I spun around and moved out with a bit more vigor than I normally use when walking and birding.  By the time I got back to the car, Sharon had already sought the dry safe sanctuary of the vehicle’s interior (she always has been the wiser of the two of us).  I made it just in time as the thunder, lightning, and the deluge began to turn into a real tempest.  So much for  Pascack Brook today, but we made a mental note to make sure we revisit this area for the fall migrants that will surely be here in a month or so.

       Back home, it is not yet 6:00 PM as I write today’s entry but it is as dark as night and the lightning has just begun to strike.  That being said, it’s time to get off the computer and unplug some electronics before they get fried.  Later…..