outdoor photography

Downy Woodpecker I decided to visit Oakland Nature Preserve for the first time in February after someone reported a Golden-crowned Kinglet there. There were actually 3 of them there, and they stayed round there for more than month. The park is wonderful. There's a very nice boardwalk that takes you to the southern shore of Lake Apopka, and the first time I was there, I found about 11 species of wintering warblers there--an almost unheard of total for the winter.  I decided that day that I needed to visit more often this Spring. Brown Thrasher So this morning I visited hoping to find migrating warblers. I walked the boardwalk and then some of the trails that take you through the pines. I was surprised at how slow it was. I tallied just three warbler species on the morning: Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat and Pine Warbler. There were lots of birds around, but warblers were really scarce. The biggest boardwalk highlight was a calling Yellow-billed Cuckoo, though even t...

Reddish Egret Last week my wife decided it might be fun to go to the beach on the Gulf coast (calmer waves), and she asked me if there was a good place there go visit.  Fort De Soto, of course!  So yesterday we spent the day there. My father and I got there early to do some birding and photography, and we were not disappointed. We found many terns and wading birds, including 2 Common Terns and a Black Tern, but shorebirds the most fun finds.  It's great to see them returning. Between the east beach turnaround and north beach we found 12 species of shorebirds, and most of them were pretty cooperative. Semipalmated Plover Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Willet Short-billed Dowitcher East Beach was filled with Least Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, and Semipalmated Plovers. There was also one Western Sandpiper there. Willets were everywhere. Spotted Sandpiper Marbled Godwit Piping Plover Wilson's Plover North Beach is great...

Glaucous Gull A few days ago I drove up to Daytona Beach in the afternoon to look for gulls.  An Iceland Gull and a Glaucous Gull had been seen the day before, and we were hoping to find them.  The Iceland Gull eluded us, but the Glaucous Gull was very easy to find near a headless Herring Gull.  This bird has come much farther south than it should have, but I'm not complaining. Glaucous Gull Well, there were other birds there too, though not as many as there were a few weeks ago, when it was estimated that 60,000 gulls were lining the shoreline every evening.  I suspect that when we were there, there were well less than 5,000 gulls along the 1.5 mile stretch of beach that we walked. Lesser Black-backed Gull Ring-billed Gull And there were even a few shorebirds around, mostly Willets, Black-bellied Plovers, Ruddy Turnstones, and Sanderlings. Willet  

Willet Canaveral National Seashore Merritt Island is finally open again after the government shut down.  I took the opportunity to go to Oak Hammock area this morning. I've never been there before, and I was told that there may be mosquitoes there, but I did not expect to be swarmed by them.  I will not go there again without bug spray.  I was there for 20 minutes and only found an Ovenbird and Swainson's Thrush, but I spent most of my time swatting mosquitoes.  I cut my losses and went to Blackpoint Drive.  That was pretty slow too.  Water levels were high, and there were few shorebirds.  It was nice to see Pied-billed Grebes returning as well as a Savannah Sparrow.  Then I decided then to go to the Canaveral National Seashore.  I wanted to drive up Bio Lab Rd if it was open.  It was open, but I decided I didn't have enough time to drive it slow enough to make it worth my while.  I drove about a quarter mile up the road and tu...

Least Sandpiper Yesterday I drove out to Merritt Island for the morning. It was a little slow, but it was still a pretty good morning.  Even though I see Least Sandpipers frequently there, I rarely get to see them up close and in good light.  Well yesterday I finally got some nice shots of these wonderful birds.   Black-necked Stilts are breeding here, so it was fun to see them just about everywhere, but it was also nice to see American Avocets in breeding plumage.  Even the Willets were sporting their new breeding looks. Black-necked Stilt and American Avocet Willet

Willets We had yet one more fun moment at Blackpoint Wildlife Drive this past Saturday.  Three Willets flew by, making a half-circle around us before landing in the water.  When they were far away, I was able to get all three in the frame.  When they were closer, I was only able to get one. When standing, you might be tempted to think these are drab and boring shorebirds; but when they take flight, everything changes.  That distinctive wing pattern brings out their subtle beauty.  I was struck by the way the light shined through the wings of the three Willets in flight. Willet

Black-legged Kittiwake I had plans to find a Seaside Sparrow this morning, but those were foiled by the weather.  The morning was foggy, rainy, and windy where I was going to look.  So I had a last minute change of plans.  I drove down to the Skyway Fishing Pier and found the Black-legged Kittiwake that has been seen there--a lifer for me. Black-legged Kittiwake Then I went to Fort De Soto, which is only about 25 minutes away.  I love this place.  On the way I saw a Nanday Parakeet, and once in the park, it was fun to see a mixed flock of gulls and shorebirds, and also this Red-breasted Merganser. Also seen here were Royal, Forster's and Sandwich Terns, a couple American Oystercatchers, and many Willets and Marbled Godwits. Red-breasted Merganser Marbled Godwit Willet Forster's Tern American Oystercatcher Then I found a Long-billed Curlew actively feeding on crabs. I think I remember reading that one was seen here, but I'd forgotten...

Willet At first glance, Willets may seem drab and boring.  But instead, I think they personify subtle beauty.  These are relatively large shorebirds and they don't seem too skittish about people, so you can often get a pretty good look at them.  And when they fly you get to see that distinctive black and white pattern on their wings, which make them all the more interesting to watch. Willet Willet Willet Willet Willet Willet Willet Willets

Sandwich Tern I've lived in Florida for over 2 years, and I've never walked the seashore on Merritt Island to photograph birds and wildlife.  But today I broke my normal routine and decided to give it a try, and I couldn't be happier.  Photographically speaking, I think I had one of my best days on the island.  In the parking lot, I found two Eastern Kingbirds, and then shortly after walking onto the beach, I found a Piping Plover , which I wrote about in my last post .  But I also found many other terns and shorebirds there.  I also found a couple Willets, Ruddy Turnstones, Semipalmated Plovers, Sanderlings, Royal Terns, Forster's Terns, Black Terns, a couple Common Terns and a Sandwich Tern. Black Tern Black Tern Royal Terns (the immature one is begging for food, but mom will hear none of it) The beach wasn't crowded, the birds weren't very afraid of me, and the lighting was pretty good.  This made it easier for me to crouch down and ge...