outdoor photography

Fork-tailed Flycatcher and Eastern Kingbird I don't know how often this happens in Florida, but it can't be often--a Fork-tailed Flycatcher and a juvenile Eastern Kingbird sitting right next to each other. I received an alert that these birds were found today in the Lake Apopka Restoration Area.  This area is normally closed to the public, but the person who found these birds arranged for regular people like me to come in and see the birds, though for today only.  So I made my way there to see the sight. There was a Fork-tailed Flycatcher not too far away from this one last July, so this is the second I've seen here.  Anyway, a storm was approaching as I found these birds, so the sky became gray and ugly.  I had to over expose enough that the background appears mostly white in these photos.  So we'll just call this an experiment in "high-key" photography, but really I just wanted to share the sight. Fork-tailed Flycatcher and Eastern Kingbird Fork...

Fork-tailed Flycatcher This afternoon I drove out to Lake Apopka to find a Fork-tailed Flycatcher that had been seen the day before. I drove to Magnolia Park and walked north along the Lake Apopka Trail up near the pumphouse (at the end of phase 1 of the trail). About a half mile south of the pumphouse, I came across the Fork-tailed Flycatcher. It's a beautiful bird, even though this particular specimen appears to have a worn or broken tail, making it look a fair amount like an Eastern Kingbird. Fork-tailed Flycatcher (note the worn/broken tail feathers.  In fact it looks shorter here than in the first photo) I also saw no less than 6 Fulvous Whistling Ducks, which I was very surprised to see. I also found a Purple Gallinule. Fulvous Whistling Ducks Fulvous Whistling Ducks Purple Gallinule And a Great Blue Heron posed very nicely in calm pretty water. Great Blue Heron Rabbit