Month: April 2018

Feeling Frazzled?

How is it that the “common cold” can reduce a vibrant and productive adult into feeling like this? My head aches; my appetite is gone; my nose is running, and when I try to talk, I cough. My husband takes one look at me and says, “You look terrible.”

#reddishegret, #sanibel, #dingdarling, #sanibelisland, #florida, #heron, #wadingbird, #nikon, #tamron, #birdphotography, #wildlife
This Reddish Egret on Sanibel Island, Florida shakes like a dog. Weeks after I observed this fantastic bird, I recalled this image and relate to the feeling it projects.

While I have not been well enough to write or post for several days, I am starting to feel better today.  I look forward to smoothing my feathers, clearing my vision and taking flight again soon.

Eight Ducklings and Mom

This morning my neighbor called me to come outside and see a mother duck with eight ducklings in tow. Careful not to stress the mother, we kept our distance, but I took photos with a 400mm lens of the new family.

#ducklings, #mother, #ducks, #wildlife, #spring, #babies, #lake, #naples, #florida, #sony, #morning
In the lake right in front of my home, mother duck leads her ducklings on a morning swim. She kept a watchful eye out for any predators.
#ducklings, #duck, #mother, #lake, #swim, #morning, #sony, #family, #wildlife, #naples, #florida, #nature, #spring
Mother duck and eight ducklings swim the other way across the lake. The light is different as they paddle toward the sun.

Swimming Anhinga

Some people call the lovely Anhinga a “snake bird” because it swims completely underwater to spear a fish and then tosses it up in the air to swallow the fish head first. When the anhinga first surfaces from its underwater swim, the long bill, head and  neck are the first parts to emerge.

I think that “snake bird” is a bit unfair and rather unpleasant, not being a fan of snakes, and being an admirer of the Anhinga and the way it dries out its wings after a swim. They are also pretty tame around people, and don’t mind if you walk right past. A bird that doesn’t fly away fast upon spotting a human? That’s a photographer’s best friend!

I was pleased to capture this image of a male anhinga swimming where you can see his feathers underwater.

#anhinga, #maleanhinga, #corkscrew, #underwater, #snakebird, #action, #bird, #sony, #sonyzeiss
Male anhinga with feathers like piano keys, swims for his supper.

Bobcat Scare

The craziest thing happened while Susie and I were birdwatching at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The scene was perfectly serene at Lettuce Lakes. Roseate Spoonbills, Great American Egrets, Anhingas, Ibis and turtles were everywhere, quietly feeding. The only question was which bird to follow with the camera. If anything disrupted the serenity, it might be an alligator, but most of these birds ignore the gators.

Suddenly a brown animal emerged from underwater, got his footing and ran into the brush. On cue, every bird — perhaps 30 large wading birds — took flight. There was massive splashing and wing flapping. What happened? A bobcat! He scared the living daylights out of all these birds. My friend Susie was lucky enough to see it.

At first we suspected the rare Florida Panther which has been sighted in this Sanctuary, but the Corkscrew Docents told us that the panther is mainly nocturnal, not a big swimmer and lastly is identified by a long tail. Susie’s description of the culprit led us to the conclusion of bobcat.

While the Roseate Spoonbills didn’t return to Lettuce Lakes for the afternoon, I was successful in making this image of their retreat to the trees above.

#inflight, #egret, #roseatespoonbill, #roseate, #Americanegret, #wings, #escape, #survivalinstinct
When the Roseate Spoonbills spread their wings to fly, you can see their beautiful pink coloring. Here two spoonbills take shelter in the high treetops with a Great American Egret.

The Elusive Roseate Spoonbill

The beautiful pink Roseate Spoonbill has been hard to find this year (2018), so I was super excited to find five of them at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, feeding and happily ignoring a handful of nature enthusiasts. In this image, two of them walked up on the bank to survey the scene. In the next moment they were back in the shallow water, sweeping the ground for food.

#roseatespoonbill, #corkscrew, #portrait, #bird, #color, #pink, #pinkandgreen, #sony, #sonyzeisslens
Looking right and left, these Roseate Spoonbills stand tall in the dappled light. You can see the shape of their bills and the color of their wings.

Palm Warbler

The Palm Warbler is a small yet brilliant bird. It flits around in a manic manner, and it is very challenging to photograph. Shortly after dawn, I had some luck with a 600mm lens and a tripod tracking this tiny golden beauty.

#palmwarbler, #yellow, #dawn, #bird, #birdphotography, #nikon, #tamron
High above me in the pine tree, this Palm Warbler perches for a moment.
#palmwarbler, #bird, #birdphotography, #dawn, #inflight, #yellow
Palm warbler in flight. Think fast!
#palmwarbler, #sunlight, #bird, #birdphotography, #nature #nikon, #tamron, #pine, #florida #naples
The first rays of sunlight shine on this tiny Palm Warbler.

Birding with Brian Beckner

The great thing about birding with Brian is being introduced to many more species of birds than you knew existed. This Grey Crested Flycatcher is apparently pretty common in the East, and I might have heard its call many times. But now I will recognize this sweet little bird in the woodlands by its appearance.

#bird, #birdphotography, #nature, #nikon, #tamron, #nature, #naples, #florida, #rpgolfclub
A lovely close-up photography of the Grey Crested Flycatcher in Naples, Florida. Did you know this bird?

Osprey On Watch

It’s March and nesting season on Sanibel Island, Florida. While the mother osprey are tending eggs or new hatchlings in the nest, the fathers can be spotted nearby on the high branch of a tree. This father osprey is manning his high branch perch, even as the branch bobs in the wind.

#sanibel, #osprey, #eye, #male, #perch, #dusk, #dingdarling
As he faces the setting sun, the osprey’s eye reflects bright yellow and he opens his mouth to cry out.