outdoor photography

Northern Shoveler I spent the last morning of the year at Merritt Island. We went by Blackpoint Wildlife Drive and then Biolab Rd.  I was hoping to find one more species for the year, but it looks like I'll have to end the year at 259 Florida birds.  Still, it was a nice, sunny day, and there lots of fun highlights.  I don't think I've ever seen so many spoonbills on the island.  There were easily upwards of 50 Roseate Spoonbills, plus many Glossy and White Ibises.  Ducks were also plentiful, and at times the lighting was pretty good to photograph the numerous Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, and American Wigeon and Hooded Mergansers. Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Northern Pintail Hooded Merganser Hooded Merganser Wood Stork Roseate Spoonbill Glossy Ibis White Ibis Caspian Tern Red-winged Blackbird On the way back, we decided to drop by the visitor center to check the bird feeders for Painted Bunti...

Hooded Merganser (male) These little birds are easily one of my favorite ducks.  Mergansers have bills with serrated edges to help them catch fish and other prey, which they usually do after diving under the surface of the water.  They're beautiful birds, and even though I see them frequently here in FL, I can't help but stop to photograph them whenever I see them. The above photograph was actually taken at a retention pond at my son's school. Hooded Mergansers (Female) with one returning to the surface As you can see, males and females look very different from each other, and they also have different looks depending on whether their "hood" is up or down. Hooded Merganser Hooded Mergansers with their "Hoods" Up