Sunday, April 15, 2012

Bombay Hook NWR, 75th Anniversary

I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday

On Saturday, hubby and I drove to Delaware to visit Bombay Hook NWR. I included a link for Bombay Hook NWR which lists the many activities they will be having during their anniversary celebration. If you want to visit during this time you can check out the calendar of events. We did not know until we arrived at Bombay Hook, they are celebrating their 75th anniversary. The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1937.



 In my mosiac above I have a cute Pied Billed Grebe, tree blossoms, Great Egret, raft of Coots, Yellowlegs, three Black Crowned Night Herons in the tree, Blue-winged Teals, and Purple Martins at their house.



I believe the bird with the highest count seen at Bombay Hook were the Coots. Hubby and I were in disagreement over the count. I said there was close to a thousand Coots throughout the refuge and hubby had a lower count of 700-800. The other highest count birds were Dunlins and Sanderlings?  The Coots were in such large groups, I was never able to fit a group on one photo. We also saw some Yellowlegs and maybe Dowitchers. I am happy the shorebirds are arriving.


The Blue-winged teals were also plentiful at the refuge.

We saw lots of cute frogs too.



A few of the Black-Crowned Night herons look like they were napping. Their beaks are tucked into their chest. Do you see three of the Night herons? Their Black Crowns and white chest are pretty easy to see.







One of the activities they had on Saturday was a display of the wild birds of prey which are native or known to migrate thru this area.  Included were the Red-tailed hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Broad-winged hawk and a Red-Shoulder hawk.


The Wild birds of Prey program is a cool experience to see these beautiful bird up close and learn more about them. It is sad to learn each one had some kind of disability. The Red Shouldered Hawk was blind in one eye and the Merlin had a broken wing. The Red-tailed hawk was actually the western species and had a beautiful white chest which is different than the east species which has the dark belly band.


I thought the hawk in the back was beautiful and is the western version of the Red-tailed Hawk.

I hope you enjoyed my post and I appreciate the visits and the comments.

To see more wonderful mosaics, post  and photos click here Mosaic Monday  and Our World Tuesday. 
Thank You to Mary of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy.

52 comments:

  1. It looks a place crowded with birds, your heaven, no doubt. I love the bird of prey displays. I saw one in Darwin a few years ago. It was wonderful watching them fly and hunt and catch prey.

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  2. Wow! There really were a lot of coots there! It sounds like you saw tons of birds.

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  3. i like the mess o' coots! my favorite was the pied-billed grebe. i adore those little guys!

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  4. Wonderful wildlife shots, Eileen! I really do like your header too.

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  5. I like the coots best. And the frog--what a sweetie!

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  6. this sounds like such a great place to visit and enjoy nature. delaware is not too far for us....i am going to put it on my spring "to do list"!!

    i like the hawks, you got so close!!

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  7. Nice pictures of the birds; however, the frog stands out to me today !

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  8. Wonderful photos...I really love the herons. We don't get to see many of these birds in New Jersey, so this is a treat.

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  9. A great place Eileen, something I'd enjoy. Your photos are all nice; good to see the birds of prey up close.
    Judith

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  10. Bombay Hook looks like a wonderful refuge. Lovely mosaics. I think coots are so funny and I really liked the birds of prey. Have a great week!

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  11. What a fabulous place! You got some really great captures, Eileen. Seeing the birds of prey reminded me of some we saw at a castle in England. They were attached to their perches just like the birds in your pictures. It felt a little scary to walk by those huge birds! xoxo

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  12. Your area is a wonderful treasure trove of bird, Eileen!

    I loved the purple martins sitting together by their house in the first mosaic! Such a sweet photo!

    NYC lost one of its famous female red tail hawks last week as it ate a poisioned rat...so sad :(

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  13. I am sure this would be a birding paradise! Great photos of the birds - I always appreciate your naming of the birds, since I don't always know what kind they are!

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  14. That Bombay Hook is just wonderful for wildlife watching -- you got great pictures. I hope to see some of those birds when we get back to Oregon this summer. You do a beautiful job of mosaics.

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  15. Fascinating! I did see the three night herons...they look so different from any herons I've seen. Lovely mosaics and lots of great information, too.

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  16. Hi Eileen, As I've said before, you are so lucky to get to visit so many NWR's not far from where you live. That is awesome.

    Bombay Hook looks like a great area --and you certainly got to see lots and lots of interesting birds.... Wow---that is alot of coots...

    Thanks for sharing.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  17. I enjoyed your post, Eileen, your pictures are fantastic. Looks like an amazing day at the Wildlife Refuge. Cool frog :)

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  18. I would love to visit there! Nice mosaic...my favorite is the bird with the tall yellow legs. Looks like a fun day for sure!!!

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  19. This looks like a great place to spend a day. I love the cute little frog.

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  20. What a fantastic place to visit. So many wonderful birds. And your photos are great!

    We saw a hawk at the gardens we visited today, but I didn't get a photo of him.

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  21. What a lovely place to visit. Great mosaics Eileen!

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  22. I would definitely enjoy something like this. It looks like a blast....and a feast for the camera. Love love love the bird shots!

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  23. Lovely place, great photographs and I really like your header.

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  24. Wonderful sightings & photos! We have a few coots in our lake~ so fun to watch them go underwater and try to guess & watch where they'll pop up :)

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  25. This is the reason for protecting these precious spaces of nature so that we all can enjoy the beauty of nature. This week we have begun to see the migrating birds making their way back for the summer months. Beautiful photos. V

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  26. Your header is beautiful, it would make a great painting. You should frame this one.

    Great post Eileen, you always manage to go places that have such beautiful birds, many that I have never saw before.

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  27. Great pics Eileen. This looks like a wonderful place to visit. Mr. frog looks awfully content.
    Hugs,
    Jann

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  28. Wow what a beautiful place to visit. I love your blue-winged teal and the pied-billed grebe is wonderful...

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  29. That frog is too cute. I love to hear these croaking in early spring.
    Sherry

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  30. I enjoyed your photos very much. They are always fantastic. Great mosaics too.

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  31. Beautiful sequence!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  32. Terrific post and photos of such a wonderful looking place, Eileen! I really enjoy all of your bird shots -- a chance to see so many that I've never seen before! Beautiful collages! Hope you have a great week!

    Sylvia

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  33. nice to se the birds. but so sad to see them chained like that.

    We have lots and lots of Coots too. :)

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  34. Wonderful bird shots and I also love the frog.

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  35. What a lovely area, great shots. I've never been able to photograph a frog!

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  36. Wonderful wildlife photos! What a beautiful place to visit!

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  37. I'm continually amazed at your skill in capturing images of birds. These are great.

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  38. Great pictures, love the mosaic and the raft of coots.

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  39. What a beautiful place! I love mosaic.

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  40. Beautiful birds in a wonderful place.

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  41. Eileen, it looks like you all had a a marvelous time and those birds, oh my, you got to see so many and the photo shares are wonderful!

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  42. the birds are gorgeous. i also love the frog.

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  43. Must be a nice place to visit, unfortunately a little far for me !
    Love the curious frog !

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  44. It is always a joy to read your posts and pictures of the birds and wildlife. So many information that I can read only in books.

    Ha, Mr, Toad looks pretty!

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  45. What a lovely place this is. More great shots Eileen, thank you!

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  46. Hello
    magnifiche queste foto :))
    Questo è veramente un luogo che mi piacerebbe visitare.
    Myriam :))

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  47. Eileen...I am wondering how far this refuge is from Chestertown. The next time we go up to see my daughter, I would love to bop over there. Your photos look so similar to the sights we saw at Christmas at Eastern Neck Refuge. Like your collage. Nice choice of pictures for it. genie

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  48. Very nice series of photos!

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  49. It's been so miseraby wet and cold here I haven't wanted to venture out and take photos of the birds on the lake behind our house.

    Mayb when we get back from Krakow Poland next week I will.

    BTW I commented on your husband's riverbodysurfacing blog, but then realized he hasn't been there sine the end of 2010.

    Tell him he has a phone call over there. LOL

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  50. Such a great series of photos today Eileen, loved them all.

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