Back to the Refuge
Hooked by my first trip to the refuge last week, I knew I had to go back sooner rather than later. I knew that if I wanted more osprey photos, I would need to return before they left for the winter. The ospreys' migration depends on the availability of fish. As temperatures drop, fish swim deeper in rivers and lakes to stay warm. In the back of my mind, I knew the cooler weather earlier in the week was not helping my chances.
An opportunity to stay overnight in Wildwood presented itself on Saturday, and I jumped at the chance to head down. I woke up early on Sunday morning, and after a quick cup of coffee, made the short trip to the refuge, arriving just after sunrise.
I wanted to capture more than just bird photos this time, so for the short walk from the car, I mounted a standard zoom lens. The sun was just peeking over the dunes, and a thick layer of fog hung over the water.
The boardwalk to the bird blind is short, yet interesting. It's well-designed for a public area, and I like how you're surrounded by coastal vegetation, giving you the feeling of walking through a swamp. My favorite section is where you pass through a tunnel cut through what looks like a wax myrtle hedge.
After taking my time on the boardwalk, I arrived at the blind and quickly set up my gear. Before attaching my telephoto lens, I took a few more landscape photos, making sure to be quick before the remaining fog disappeared. After mounting the 150-600mm, I surveyed the landscape and noticed what appeared to be a belted kingfisher perched in a dead tree.
For the next 30 minutes in the blind, I didn’t spot a single bird close enough to photograph. I didn’t see a single osprey and began to fear the worst—that they had already begun their journey south for the winter. With some time left before I planned to head home, I left the blind and walked down the road through the refuge. I explored one of the dune trails and captured a few images of smaller birds, like the Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Before heading home, I decided to return to the observation platform, hoping for better luck. Though I had taken a few decent photos during my two hours at the refuge, what I really wanted was more osprey! As soon as I sat down in the blind, I spotted ospreys fishing in the distance across the water. Despite having nearly 600mm of reach, they were still too far away. I sat for a few minutes, admiring two ospreys as they fished. Every 30 seconds or so, one would dive into the water.
Just as I texted Victoria to say I was packing up and heading home, I spotted one of the ospreys hovering over the water, about to dive for a catch. I tracked it as it splashed into the water, then watched it take off and fly toward my position. The next ten seconds produced my best bird-in-flight photos to date.
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Cape May National Wildlife Refuge