p.1 #1 · Moonbird and other shore birds with BN Singh.
Congratulations to kdacharya for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 3 votes - View Previous Winners
B95 (bird)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"B95 (born c.1993), nicknamed Moonbird, is a red knot celebrated for its longevity as the oldest known member of its species.
The bird, a male red knot (a species of shorebird in the sandpiper family), was banded in Argentina in February 1995. It has been resighted many times since then, most recently during May 2014 in the Canadian Arctic.It also has been recaptured at least three times—the last time in 2007 (aged approximately 14) when it was found to be "as fit as a three-year-old". It is not known how long red knots typically live.
Although more formally known as B95 (from the "B95" label on the orange band on its leg), it is nicknamed "Moonbird" because its annual migrations along the Atlantic Flyway between Argentina and the Canadian Arctic have in total exceeded the distance to the Moon. It flies approximately 20,000 miles (32,000 km) a year. In its migration from Argentina, B95 stops off in Delaware Bay in the Northern Hemisphere in spring to feed on horseshoe crab eggs, before proceeding to breeding grounds on an island in the north of Hudson Bay. The red knot population has declined since the 1990s because of the harvesting of Delaware Bay's horseshoe crabs for bait; hence restrictions on harvesting have been put in place. Migrating back to Argentina in November for the Southern Hemisphere spring, red knots feed on mussels in the restinga tidal flats there."
For these very reasons, when BN and I spotted a flock of nearly 50-75 red knots in NJ, his excitement knew no bounds. I on the other hand was oblivious of the rarity of the event. All he asked me to do was to research "Moonbird" on google. Hence the intro above. He informed me that other photographers and he have tried to take pictures of this rare visitor many times in NJ without success.
The pictures of the red knots presented below are not of B95, but of his species
A big thanks to BN for educating me not only of the art and science of photography, but for showing me the wonders of nature and showing me how fortunate we are to enjoy it. Obviously if you are shooting with BN, you have to get down and dirty
p.1 #3 · Moonbird and other shore birds with BN Singh.
Very nice photos. Good light, shooting angles and details. I am pretty sure I know exactly where these pics were taken. BN is a good friend of mine and we talk all the time and shoot together often. Very few if any body in the US has a more expansive and more impressive portfolio tha he does.
p.1 #6 · Moonbird and other shore birds with BN Singh.
Very nice low angle shots and interesting background information. I can imagine that you were indeed pretty dirty after getting down for those shots. The results are excellent.
p.1 #11 · Moonbird and other shore birds with BN Singh.
aboutthelight wrote:
Very nice photos. Good light, shooting angles and details. I am pretty sure I know exactly where these pics were taken. BN is a good friend of mine and we talk all the time and shoot together often. Very few if any body in the US has a more expansive and more impressive portfolio than he does.
thanks Issac, yes indeed you are right on all counts. BN is a very special person and its so much fun to be with him and learn from him.
p.1 #13 · Moonbird and other shore birds with BN Singh.
You rarely ... correction - never ... disappoint us with the quality of your images, KD. Very well executed and rendered. The lighting and colors are exquisite. The skimmers are my favorites. Voted!
p.1 #14 · Moonbird and other shore birds with BN Singh.
KD, what a special treat these images are, pure magic . Love the light, low perspective,the reflections. Well , I guess I love everything about them. You got my vote
p.1 #16 · Moonbird and other shore birds with BN Singh.
JohnK007 wrote:
Love all the extra images ... makes the experience more immersive
thanks John for viewing and for commenting. It was an amazing experience and BN added so much more to it.
p.1 #19 · Moonbird and other shore birds with BN Singh.
KD, excellent set
Chris S.
Dec 22, 2018 at 01:38 PM
Herb Houghton Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #20 · Moonbird and other shore birds with BN Singh.
A very fine set indeed KD. Thanks for the info. I've photographed the red knots for many years on the delaware bayshore but I wasn't aware of the moonbird nickname. My picks are #2,3,9,11 and 15 as they all face the viewer. TFS
