Some odds and ends

These are some odds and ends photos I took out in Water Mill and Bridgehampton. This first one is of a Downy Woodpecker. This one is a male as distinguished by the red on the back of his head. It is very similar to the hairy woodpecker but is smaller and has more white on the wing. I stopped at the Sagg Swamp Nature Preserve this day and when I got out of the truck, I heard what I thought was the tree above me creaking. It sounded similar to two trees when the make contact. I looked up and didn't see any trees making contact with the one hanging over me and then I saw him move from one limb to another not more than 20 feet away. I snapped several shots of him and liked this one the best. He wasn't hammering away but rather like he was testing the wood. Looking for soft spots and listening for insects within. I did have to lighten him in photoshop just a bit.

This first one was an Osprey perched over its nest in Bridgehampton. I also lightened him a little to show more detail. Check out those talons. Several years ago I was fishing with my brother on a local lake and we heard a tremendous splash behind us. As we turned around, we saw one of these magnificent birds taking off from the water with a fairly good size Large Mouth Bass in its talons. It was an awesome sight. The second shot is one in flight over the pond at The Old Mill in Water Mill. He was actually hunting and watching the water below. I also had to lighten it as the sun was above it and wanted to show the color pattern on the underside of its wings.

This one is of a Great Egret just taking off from the water. It has been cropped and lightened just a smidge. A smidge is just less than a bit in case you were wondering.

And this is the scene looking south over Mecox Bay in Water Mill as seen from the main road just accross the road from where the above photo was taken. I might photoshop the sky from the fist shot and put on the seond shot as I like the railing in the view but the sky is better in the first one. Judge for yourself.

After seeing the two side by side I would lean towards the first shot being slightly underexposed. I was playing around with it and can darken the shy a little to make the clouds pop a little more. Will post when I do it.
        It's such a serene setting and full of wildlife but with the beauty of the place comes people, and lots of them. With them, they bring ignorance and lazyness. I know it sounds condescending but how else can you explain this 

and this

and this

Need I say or show more? Is it any wonder the Heron I called to have resued got trapped by garbage on this very lake? This makes me sick. We only have one planet. It sustains our existence. Once it's destroyed, so are we. It's that simple. Please respect our planet and don't be a slob. Think about what kind of world you want to leave for your future generations to inherit. The "precious" vehicles that were so important to keep clean will have been long gone to the shredder before these plastic bottles decompose.