outdoor photography

Florida Soft Shell Turtle Yesterday morning I went to Central Winds Park, and I'm finally getting around to posting the photos from the morning.  It rained overnight, so I was hopeful that I'd find some new species there.  There were lots of birds there, but sadly no species that I haven't seen earlier this year.  Of course, that doesn't mean I didn't have fun. A Florida Softshell Turtle was out in the sand.  I also went down to the water and watched several Osprey and Bald Eagles fishing (most too far away for photos), and a Snowy Egret walked right by me.  It was severely backlit, so I decided to to photograph him as a silhouette.  As I was leaving, a Downy Woodpecker gave me a very nice pose. Snowy Egret Downy Woodpecker Osprey The Osprey that came down close enough for a photo, but missed the fish... figures.

Florida Softshell Turtle When I moved to Florida a year and a half ago, I began seeing these strange-looking turtles.  I found out they are Florida Softshell Turtles.  I was amazed with their snorkel-like noses and shells that looked like they were made of wet leather.  They are pretty common at the places I visit, and they're always a joy to watch.  On two occasions, I've seen broken shells from these turtles that had been obviously caught and eaten by predators, though I don't know for sure what predator caught them.  These turtles grow very large, and they can bite, so whatever caught them must have been pretty substantial--I'm guessing they were alligators.  At any rate, here's a couple photos of the Florida Softshell Turtle. Florida Softshell Turtle