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Opposite page, top: Herring Gull, Island Beach State Park.
I caught this gull just after it grabbed a crab from the Spizzle Creek near
the blind in Island Beach State Park. While shooting the ospreys, eagles, and
other exciting birds, it's easy to overlook the gulls. It seems like they are
always putting on a show and screaming out "take my picture." The gulls,
with their familiar calls, are intrinsic to the Jersey Shore.
Opposite page, bottom: Great Egret, Cattus Island County Park.
The pure white Great Egret is such a beautiful sight. I was photographing this
one fishing in the marshes off Cattus Island when it took to flight. Nothing
is more exciting to me than to catch a bird in flight. The egret is one of the
most graceful birds moving on the ground or in the air.
Above: Osprey, Island Beach State Park
An osprey returns to the nest with a branch. Usually, wherever the male
places it, the female will move it to another spot. In the spring, I can watch
the ospreys for hours bringing fish back to the nest. This nest is located along
the road near the Nature Center. There is also a webcam that monitors this
nest all season.
Ray Yeager's photography is inspired by
the beauty of nature, focusing on wildlife,
the ocean, and the night skies. While grow-
ing up, he vacationed at many of the beach
towns along the Jersey Shore and developed
a love for the coastal landscape. Many of his
works attempt to capture the natural beauty
of the local beaches, state parks, and star
filled skies.
His work can be seen and purchased at
Flying Saucers in Asbury Park, Everybody's
General Store in Point Pleasant Beach,
and OPI Gallery in Sea Girt.
For prints and more information, visit
www.rtyphotography.com
or www.facebook.com/RTYPhotography
or email: ray@rtyphotography.com. ◆
