outdoor photography

Purple Swamphen Lake Apopka has been spectacular over the last month or so. For starters, a month ago, a Brown Booby was blown inland by a storm, found Lake Apopka, and now apparently doesn't want to leave. It's been living on the lake for the last month, usually too far away to see with binoculars. However, today I got some good scope views of this incredible rarity--too far away for photos, though.  A week ago, I found a Purple Swamphen (aka Gray-headed Swamphen) on Lust Rd.  This is an exotic species that escaped from south Florida a few years ago and has been expanding its range throughout south Florida, and now Central Florida. Two days ago, a Tropical Kingbird was seen here as well (I've chased it three times and not found it). Ash-throated Flycatchers have also been coming in. At least three have been seen between Magnolia Park and the pump house a the end of Lust Rd.  I found two yesterday when I was striking out on the Tropical Kingbird. Fulvous Whistling...

Bank Swallow The Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area arguably boasts the best inland birding in the State of Florida.  But until recently most of the area has been closed to the general public most of the year. During the annual Christmas Bird Count, birders are granted access to the restoration area, but most of the area has been off limits for most of the year.  However, earlier this year God smiled up on the lowly birders of Central Florida and opened up a Wildlife Drive that takes you through the heart of the restoration area.  This has opened up a huge area for birders and wildlife enthusiasts to visit during the weekends (and national holidays).  The drive is 11 miles long, and I normally take about 4 hours to get through from one end to the other. Northern Rough-winged Swallow So this morning my father and I arrived around 6:15 am and took our time making our way through the drive until we left around 10:30 am. We saw a Great Horned Owl on a t...

Bobolink I had a great morning at Marl Bed Flats today.  I found two Seminole County life birds: Semipalmated Sandpiper and Stilt Sandpiper. Of course, these birds aren't all that unusual along the coast, but inland they're a little more uncommon.  I've been keeping an eye out for both species this year, hoping they would turn up, but I didn't expect I'd see both in one day. Neither species was all that photogenic though, and other species were much more cooperative. Bobolink Bobolink Red-winged Blackbird Bobolinks and Red-winged Blackbirds were everywhere, particularly Bobolinks. I estimated that there were 150 of them there. Roseate Spoonbill There were about 8 Roseate Spoonbills, and these were the first I've seen this year in Seminole County. Semipalmated Sandpiper and Least Sandpiper One of the Semipalmated Sandpipers did pose for a photo briefly along with a Least Sandpiper in the background.

Bobolink Not all black birds are blackbirds, and not all blackbirds are black. This morning at Marl Bed Flats I saw lots of black birds, and some of them were blackbirds. My favorite blackbird, though, was only partly black, and it's not even called a blackbird; it's called a Bobolink. Bobolinks are blackbirds, and the males are mostly black, but the females aren't. I like the males, though, not so much because they are black blackbirds but because they just plain look funky. It looks like they have their bills on the wrong side of their head--very strange looking to me.  They come though Central Florida usually in late April or early May. This is the earliest I've found them here, though I don't think these are particularly early. Bobolink Eastern Meadowlarks are blackbirds that aren't really black birds--at least they're mostly not black.  But they are very fun.  This one grabbed a tasty morsel, a spider, I think, and I believe it's headed ...

Red-winged Blackbird In my last post I shared some photos of a Snail Kite at Orlando Wetlands Park. That morning I basically walked to the kite and then walked back, but I did take some photos of other birds I'd seen along the way. Along with these, I saw about 5 Least Bitterns, but none stayed in the open long enough for photos. Swallow-tailed Kite Red-shouldered Hawk Purple Gallinule

Black-bellied Whistling Duck This morning I dropped by Orlando Wetlands Park for about an hour before heading to work.  It was fun to see a Roseate Spoonbill and three American White Pelicans, though they did not want to pose in good light for me.  The most interesting find, though, was a Belted Kingfisher, which is unusual here this time of year. Belted Kingfisher Also fun to find was a young Sandhill Crane; it's nearly full grown and getting new feathers.  All the normal wading bird were there, and a Cattle Egret flew by in good light for a photo.  Snowy Egrets were flying low over the water picking fish out of the water.  At one point, it appeared to be running on top of the water. Sandhill Crane Cattle Egret Snowy Egret Boat-tailed Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Red-winged Blackbird I also found this Florida Green Watersnake, the first I've seen and photographed. Florida Green Watersnake

Bobolink This morning I drove out to Marl Bed Flats this morning. I was hoping to see a Long-billed Dowitcher that was reported here a few days ago.  I didn't find him, but I did find a lot of other birds.  I was surprised to see about 100 Bobolinks.  These are the first I've ever seen, so I was pretty amazed to see so many. Bobolink Bobolink Bobolink Bobolink Bobolink I also saw many other birds there.  American White Pelicans and a Red-winged Blackbird on posed nicely for photos. American White Pelican Red-winged Blackbird These pretty flowers were also blooming, which a friend identified as Sensitive Briar. They're so pretty I might have to return with my macro lens. Sensitive Briar

Sunrise Beyond finding the Brown-crested Flycatcher and other flycatchers I was looking for, I had fun finding other birds as well.  Several birds posed for photographs, most notably Red-winged Blackbirds, Eastern Phoebe, and Ospreys.  Also a Red Admiral landed on a tree trunk for me. In my haste to find the flycatchers, I didn't stop much for photos, but here are a few I did take. Red-winged Blackbird Red-Admiral Eastern Phoebe Osprey