outdoor photography

Purple Gallinule On April 8, I drove out to Orlando Wetlands Park, one of my favorite destinations in Orange County (second only to Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive). I was not disappointed. I decided this year I would try to diversify my photography and make a special effort to photograph scenery, wildflowers and wildlife other than birds. Orlando Wetlands Park is a great place for this. Thee were lots of Prairie Irises blooming all over the park. Prairie Iris And a Blue Dasher dragonfly was also perched photogenically. This is to me a stunning male. Blue Dasher But I simply can't tear myself away from the birds entirely. There was so much there to photograph and enjoy. The only rarity was a group of three Stilt Sandpipers mixed in with a flock of Long-billed Dowitchers. Stilt Sandpipers with Long-billed Dowitchers The Purple Swamphen has left the park (or was removed?), but the Purple Gallinules are still abundant and as beautiful as ever. Purple Gall...

Savannah Sparrow Savannah Sparrows are so common in the winter time here it's easy to overlook them. Sometimes, though, they pop up and pose so nicely, they're hard to ignore. They're pretty smart-looking sparrows. In the mornings you can find them along the fence lines on Canal St, my favorite sparrow spot in Seminole Co. This December Canal St has been pretty slow. I've found one Lincoln's Sparrow there, but apart from that, I've just seen Savannah, Swamp and Song Sparrows. So far, not even a White-crowned has shown up. I keep checking the area, though, in the hopes that something more rare will appear. One of these days, a White-throated Sparrow will show up here, I know it. Savannah Sparrow

Snowy Egret  Every June in Florida we have the opportunity to participate in a friendly competition called June Challenge. The competition is designed to encourage people to get out there and do some birding during a hot summer month when many birders take a break. Migration is over, and there's often not much new to find, so the competition keeps us out and birding.  Pick a county, any county, and find as many birds as you can in that county during the month of June. The only caveat is they have to be seen; heard only doesn't count. This is my third year participating, and I was very pleased with my June Challenge results.  Every year I've done a little better. In 2012 I found 80 species; in 2013 I found 95; this year I found 104, not including two species I heard but never saw (White-winged Dove and Red-headed Woodpecker). I found 12 species I hadn't seen last year, and I missed out on three I had seen last year (White-winged Dove, Canada Goose, Black Skimmer). ...

Semipalmated Plover Yesterday morning I visited Marl Bed Flats again.  I'm pretty amazed at how good this place has been in May.  It's given me several Seminole County firsts, including a Short-billed Dowitcher, Stilt Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper and now a Semipalmated Plover. Black-necked Stilts are still here, though in much smaller numbers; now only about 4 remain (out of over 40 in April). I've seen 12 species of shorebirds here over the last week--I'm not sure what it is about this inland location that's attractive to them, but I'm not complaining. Greater Yellowlegs Black-necked Stilt And strangely enough there's also at least one Savannah Sparrow still here.  It's three weeks late in leaving us. As best I can tell it's healthy, so it's really puzzling to me. Maybe it wants to stay for the June Challenge, but I suspect that's too much to hope for. Savannah Sparrow

Sedge Wren Every year in March I make a trip from my home in Central Florida to a conference in Dothan, Alabama. It's a perfect opportunity for me to get up early and visit Payne's Prairie, La Chua Trail just south of Gainesville. So Friday morning I left before 6am to arrive at La Chua Trail before 8:30am.  I was hoping for some fun sparrows, but it's getting a little late in the year, I think, and it was a little windy. But I did get my best photos of White-crowned Sparrows in Florida, as well as a few others. White-crowned  Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Savannah Sparrow There were also plenty of wading birds. One Snowy Egret was particularly photogenic, and an American Bittern came out in the open to at least get to see most of him, even though surrounded by grasses.  There were several Black-crowned Night Herons here too, some immature.  The immature below I found quite interesting. It kept its head raised and neck extended the whole time I watched i...

Least Bittern I arrived at Orlando Wetlands Park early this morning hoping to find a Gull-billed Tern that was reported here yesterday.  As I approached the spot where it has been seen recentlyI began to get disheartened.  I could see that there were no terns flying, and I was becoming convinced that I would miss the bird for a second straight time.  But the bitterns seem to have taken pity on me.  A Least Bittern came out to hunt for fish, as if to say, "I know you won't get what you're looking for, but at least you'll have some fun pictures of me." Then an American Bittern also decided to make itself known.  It was like I could see what it was thinking.  "If I stand really still and point my bill up, you won't notice me, I know it." Least Bittern American Bittern But no terns.  I had given up hope and, hanging my head in shame and misery, began walking back to my car.  On the way I happened to look to my right and suddenly there we...

Canal St. Fence It doesn't look like much, but this little fence on Canal St just south of Lake Jesup is quickly becoming one of my favorite places for photographing sparrows and other perching birds.  This morning was one of my best sparrow photo days.  I was hoping to find a White-crowned Sparrow here, which I didn't find, but I did find many Savannah Sparrows, two Grasshopper Sparrows, one Vesper Sparrow and one Swamp Sparrow, and all but the Swamp Sparrow posed nicely for photos.  And if you stand in the right place, you can sometimes get photos of birds with the sun behind you and nothing behind the bird, giving you a clean background.  Oh, and this morning I also found an Eastern Phoebe perched quite nicely, and the photo below may be my all-time favorite phoebe photo. Vesper Sparrow Grasshopper Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Savannah and Grasshopper Sparrow Eastern Phoebe