Osprey Young

It is incredible to me how quickly the osprey young have mastered flight; not just learned, but mastered.  I have watched them do maneuvers I have not even seen their parents perform.  Sometimes, it is out of a lack of experience, but still, they succeeded at what they were attempting. I would have thought they would be up in the air practicing almost constantly, but that has not turned out to be the case.  They spend long periods of inactivity just like their parents (sigh) sitting in trees preening, sleeping, and simply looking around scanning the horizon, hoping to spot a parent returning with a fish.

Their cry is one way to tell that a parent is headed in their direction and I will look for the small dot in the sky that they spotted thirty seconds earlier with their keen eyesight. They have spread out more too as the days have passed since leaving the nest.  They use to stay fairly close to the nest, but now they are just as apt to be found in the treeline a quarter mile down the river or up the river as to be near the nest.  Except for one who still sits in the sycamore tree and whom I assume is the runt.

Golden Days

I wish you could experience the beauty of the river at sunrise.  The sun spills out over the water through gaps in the treeline and spotlights an area here and there. Since it is confined to one area and the surrounding space is in shadows, the effect is very much like watching a play where a spotlight is used to draw your attention to a character. The golden light emphasizes the areas of the marsh where the growth, once so green and vigorous, has already begun to decline. The frontal lighting is beautiful, but the high contrast lighting coming from the side can be even more dramatic.

The light in this image is coming in over Fishing Creek to the right.  The lighting isn't quite as dramatic as it is at other times, but you still get the idea.  One of the young osprey is in the water having just attempted to catch a fish. It wasn't successful, but success is often built on a foundation of failure.  I don't know what you call it, but one of the chick's parents is sitting on the metal swing arm on the other side of the dock and appears to be watching the babies efforts. I think the metal arm is used for transferring a heavy load from the dock to a boat. I am always enamored by this view and have taken many pictures of it.  I love the way the pine tree in the back leans out over the marsh. Even the tool shed doesn't look too out of place.

Here is the same view under more dramatic lighting. Notice the big pile of sticks under the light post from the osprey's unsuccessful attempt to build a nest there a couple of years ago.

This pine grows just to the right of the image area in the last two photos.  This is such a beautiful sight at sunrise with the sun striking the trunk.  It demonstrates how dramatic side lighting can be.  Early this spring, I thought the tree was dying.  A pine beetle infestation has been killing a lot of pines in the region, but it turned out to be a pine close by and not this one.  This is the only time I have seen two great blue heron sitting here. It just seems so strange to see heron perched in trees.

Double-crested Cormorant

I guess most people would consider this bird to be u-g-l-y.  Despite their looks, they are fascinating creatures. I don't know of any other bird that has a emerald/blue eye AND a bright yellow/orange bill.  Most fish-eating birds hunt at the interface between the aquatic and atmospheric worlds.  Eagles, osprey, great blue herons, kingfishers and more, all hunt no more than maybe a foot below the surface.  Cormorants, on the other hand, enter the world of the fish, sometimes staying submerged so long, I begin to wonder if they havent' drowned!  They meet fish on their own turf, so to speak.  Can you imagine being a fish and coming face-to-face with a bird deep in the water where you think you are safe from such predators?

The reason I posted this photo is because you can get a good look at their feet which are so well-designed for underwater propulsion.  Those are some big honking feet when you consider them in proportion to the rest of the bird. Some diving birds also use their wings for propulsion, but cormorants mostly use their feet.

In the area where I film, I have seen them almost exclusively catch catfish between about eight and twelve inches long.  That downturned "nail" on the end of the upper beak makes it difficult for the fish to escape - and, actually, I have never seen a fish get away once caught. All they can do is spin around on that nail.

So, they dive below the surface, catch a fish with their mouth, bring it to the surface, reposition it so that they can swallow it - all without the aid of anything but their mouth.  If you enjoy a watermelon eating contest or dunking for apples, you'll love watching them catch fish.

When you see one just sitting on the water, don't be fooled.  They may look like they aren't doing anything (and occasionally they are not), but most of the time they are resting for a minute and catching their breath before making another dive.  Wait for them to resurface and see if they have caught a fish.  It is fascinating to watch.

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens IV

Toward the back of the park is a nature walk (boardwalk) through a marsh along side the Anacostia river.  It is not planted by the park, but is made up of naturally occurring marsh habitat. The water is tidal, so depending on the when you get there, there may or may not be water in the marsh.

You are apt to easily see many species of birds such as geese, ducks, egrets, herons, sandpipers and much more.

All kinds of flowers that love wet conditions bloom in the marsh and can be seen from the walkway which meanders nicely until it reaches an area where there are bleacher seats under some trees. You can spend as much time as you like watching birds.

I love the way the sunlight was lighting up just the purple flowers in the background.

The great egret in the opening between the two wider water areas is like seeing a classic image of the kind of place you would expect to see such a handsome bird.  Note the geese that are swimming around too.  There were a lot more earlier in the series of pictures I took at this spot.

If you love water lilies and you live in the area, you owe it to yourself to visit this park.  You won't be disappointed.

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens III

There are plenty of traditional lilies in the park.  Most of the ponds have some trees around the edges so photographers can find spots where the lighting is better for taking photographs.

This is my favorite photo of a lily that I have taken.  I liked it so much, I had it printed large and it hangs in my living room.

Here is another photo of the gorgeous lotus blossoms.

The park sits on the edge of the Anacostia river which, believe it or not, is one of the nation's most polluted rivers. You have to wonder how much more beautiful could this place be if it were not polluted.

I'm going to do one more post tomorrow on this unusual park.

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens II

This is probably the peak time of year for visiting this one-of-a-kind park.  There is a lot more to see than water lilies, although the various ponds do make up a significant part of the park.

The park opens early during the peak flowering season to accommodate photographers and those who would like to see the park before the real heat of the day. Water lilies close over night, so they don't open again until the sun hits them.

The park is open, so there is nothing to stop birds and other wildlife from entering and poking around in the ponds.  The birds that do inhabit the park, like this great egret, are much more tolerant of humans than "in the wild."

They have some very unusual lilies like the ones pictured here.  These things are huge - three or four feet across.

Here is one that is just beginning to open up.  I'll post a few more pictures of this scenic park tomorrow.

Sacred Lotus

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens has a series of ponds with a variety of waterlilies. This pond, close to the entrance of the park, doesn't contain any lilies.

The "sacred lotus" may not actually be a water lily. It is indigenous to Asia and is the national flower of India.  When the blossoms newly open, they are a lovely pink color and the seed pod in the center is a beautiful yellow.

As the blossom ages, it turns a light pink and yellow while the seed pod slowly dries out.

The petals fall leaving the seed pods which eventually turn brown. I have seen them used decoratively.  They are kind of cool and look like a salt shaker.

The lotus leaves are huge.  If you could turn them down, they would probably make a pretty good umbrella.  More on this park tomorrow.