outdoor photography

Red-cockaded Woodpecker This year I decided to try my hand at a little competition, called a 12 day big year.  You pick one day per month for 2014 and count as many species that you can find within those 12 days within the State of Florida.  I decided to join January 30th, giving me one day to get my January totals in, and it rained that day.  Then in February, I picked a day when I needed to be home by a little after lunch.  So I began the year woefully behind the leaders.  Not that it would matter much, since even on my best days I can't do a lot of traveling, and there are some very experienced birders in the competition. I'm not really in it to win it; it's just a fun little competition to participate in. I enjoy the atmosphere of friendly competition embodied by the competition. But yesterday was a pretty great day.  I totaled 103 species on the day and added 27 to my total for the year, giving me 131 so far.  I started out at Three Lakes Wild...

Long-billed Curlew It's always fun when you get two lifers in two days. Yesterday a Lincoln's Sparrow  and this morning a Long-billed Curlew.  I drove down to the Joe Overstreet Landing and had a great time there.  The Curlew was very cooperative and easily found.  It was hanging out with numerous Wilson's Snipe. Then I found a Crested Caracara perched on a fence post, and it took off when I was focused on it, so I had sharp photos.  Eastern Meadowlarks were very vocal on the drive into the landing, and I love hearing their calls. Occasionally one would pose on the fence for me.  And on a sad but fascinating note, I found a couple Turkey Vultures that were working on a Raccoon carcass by the road. Long-billed Curlew Wilson's Snipe Crested Caracara Crested Caracara Eastern Meadowlark Eastern Meadowlark (I normally don't photograph birds with with lighting like this, but this one had such an iconic pose, I had to try it) Tur...