April 8, 2024 Solar flares and diamond rings during total solar eclipse

This is my second and likely last total solar eclipse. There is no opportunity to practise or learn from previous experience. Everything I did as a photographer was a best guess.

2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 100 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 101 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 102 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 103 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 104 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 105 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 106 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 107 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 108 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 109 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 110 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 111 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 112 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 113 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 114 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 115 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 116 2024-04-08 Eclipse copy 117

Apr 8, 2024 – Total Solar Eclipse in Cape North, Prince Edward Island, Canada

2024-04-08 Eclipse

Most of our diving birds, ducks, loons and scoters can be photographed from shore. The problem as always is finding a safe place to park adjacent to the target birds.

Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeye 250

Common Loon

Common Loon 340

Long-tailed Duck

Long-tailed Duck 350 Long-tailed Duck 351 Long-tailed Duck 352 Long-tailed Duck 353

Surf Scoter

Surf Scoter 100 Surf Scoter 101 Surf Scoter 103 Surf Scoter 104 Surf Scoter 105 Surf Scoter 106 Surf Scoter 107 Surf Scoter 108

Long-tailed Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Thick-billed Murre

Thick-billed Murre 100

This unusual, for me, utility ship, the Multi Ocean is visiting from Norway. It can be seen at Sambro Harbour.

Multi Ocean

Multiocean 100 Multiocean 101

There is a stretch of shoreline from the Fisheries Research Station at the end of Sandy Cove Road to Inner Sambro Island that is prone to spectacular surf when the wind is right. This stretch of shoreline is usually protected by Sambro Island but when the gales switch to north north-east this place is worth a visit.

Oceanside Surf

Ocean Surf 100 Ocean Surf 101 Ocean Surf 102 Ocean Surf 103 Ocean Surf 104 Ocean Surf 105 Ocean Surf 106 Ocean Surf 107

There was yet another gale along our coast in eastern Nova Scotia last week. The trick as always is to take photos in the wind and rain without ruining one's camera. The bold claims made by manufacturers; Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Panasonic, et al, about being water proof, does you no good when your expensive camera is destroyed by mold. Take care.

The Angry Sea

Angry Sea 350 Angry Sea 351 Angry Sea 352 Angry Sea 353 Angry Sea 354 Angry Sea 355 Angry Sea 356 Angry Sea 357 Angry Sea 358 Angry Sea 359 Angry Sea 360 Angry Sea 361 Angry Sea 362 Angry Sea 363 Angry Sea 364 Angry Sea 365 Angry Sea 366 Angry Sea 367 Angry Sea 368 Angry Sea 369 Angry Sea 370 Angry Sea 371 Angry Sea 372 Angry Sea 373 Angry Sea 374 Angry Sea 375 Angry Sea 376 Angry Sea 377 Angry Sea 378 Angry Sea 379 Angry Sea 380 Angry Sea 381 Angry Sea 382 Angry Sea 383 Angry Sea 384 Angry Sea 385 Angry Sea 386 Angry Sea 387 Angry Sea 388 Angry Sea 389

I was lucky enough to find these Surf Scoters close enough to shore to photograph however definition is seriously lacking due to hand holding my 1200mm lens and camera coupled with the excitement of the opportunity.

Surf Scoter

Surf Scoter 100 copy Surf Scoter 101 Surf Scoter 102 Surf Scoter 103 Surf Scoter 104

Some Winter Scenes in Nova Scotia

Some Winter Scenes 100 Some Winter Scenes 101 Some Winter Scenes 102 Some Winter Scenes 103 Some Winter Scenes 104 Some Winter Scenes 105 copy Some Winter Scenes 106 Some Winter Scenes 107 Some Winter Scenes 108 Some Winter Scenes 109 Some Winter Scenes 110 Some Winter Scenes 111 Some Winter Scenes 112 Some Winter Scenes 113 Some Winter Scenes 114 Some Winter Scenes 115 Some Winter Scenes 116 Some Winter Scenes 117 Some Winter Scenes 118 Some Winter Scenes 120 Some Winter Scenes 121 Some Winter Scenes 122 Some Winter Scenes 123 Some Winter Scenes 124 Some Winter Scenes 126 Some Winter Scenes 127 Some Winter Scenes 128 Some Winter Scenes 129 Some Winter Scenes 130 Some Winter Scenes 131 Some Winter Scenes 132 Some Winter Scenes 133 Some Winter Scenes 134 Some Winter Scenes 135 Some Winter Scenes 136 Some Winter Scenes 137 Some Winter Scenes 138 Some Winter Scenes 139 Some Winter Scenes 140 Some Winter Scenes 141 Some Winter Scenes 142 Some Winter Scenes 143 Some Winter Scenes 144 Some Winter Scenes 145 Some Winter Scenes 146 Some Winter Scenes 147 Some Winter Scenes 148 Some Winter Scenes 149 Some Winter Scenes 150

A container ship becomes a work of art if seen from a different perspective.

Container Ship 100 Container Ship 101 Container Ship 102

The "runway model" hawk, the Red-shouldered Hawk, posed for me in good frontal light and minimal focus trashing branches. It sat intelligently facing the warming sun with its back protected from the wind by the forest. How smart? Any small mammal running across the field it faced is an easy target for this patient hawk.

Red-shouldered Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk 650 Red-shouldered Hawk 651 Red-shouldered Hawk 652 Red-shouldered Hawk 653 Red-shouldered Hawk 654 Red-shouldered Hawk 655 Red-shouldered Hawk 656

I rounded the curve just outside of Sambro heading towards Grand Lake when I spotted a Turkey Vulture in display mode. I don't often see this and even when I do see them in display being close enough for decent photographs is rare.

Someone had tossed a dozen or so fish onto the ice so a feast was to be had for two Turkey Vultures, five Bald Eagles and bunches of gulls, ravens and crows.

Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vulture 100 Turkey Vulture 101 Turkey Vulture 102 Turkey Vulture 103 Turkey Vulture 104 Turkey Vulture 106 Turkey Vulture 107 Turkey Vulture 108

I toured the Sambro loop in search of winter photos. It was a pleasant day and the light was excellent. While I type this another three day winter storm has just visited Nova Scotia, depositing up to 150cm of snow in the north of the province to 50cm-ish of snow in much of the rest of the province. To add to this weather event the snow was blown around by 60-80 kph winds creating lofty drifts in some locations. I will venture forth tomorrow to capture some photos of this latest weather event.

After a Snow Day in Nova Scotia

Snow Day 100 Snow Day 101 Snow Day 102 Snow Day 103 Snow Day 104 Snow Day 106 Snow Day 107 Snow Day 108 Snow Day 109 Snow Day 110 Snow Day 111 Snow Day 112 Snow Day 113 Snow Day 114 Snow Day 115 Snow Day 116 Snow Day 117 Snow Day 118 Snow Day 119 Snow Day 120 Snow Day 121 Snow Day 122 Snow Day 123 Snow Day 124 Snow Day 125 Snow Day 126 Snow Day 127 Snow Day 129 Snow Day 130 Snow Day 131 Snow Day 132 Snow Day 133 Snow Day 134 Snow Day 135 Snow Day 136 Snow Day 137 Snow Day 138

During my recent circuit of the Sambro Loop I photographed a few diving birds. They are usually far off shore so the images require severe editing and enlarging. Sometimes one is in the right place as they surface and the photographer is not spotted. Nova Scotia diving birds are wary due to the Nova Scotia habit of killing them for sport. I never understood the need to kill diving birds since their flesh is necessarily fishy tasting and not in a pleasant way so I have been told.

Bufflehead

Bufflehead 450

Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye 450

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser 450 Common Merganser 451 Common Merganser 452 Common Merganser 453 Common Merganser 454

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe 450 Red-necked Grebe 451

Hooded Merganser

Hooded Merganser 450