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.”
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.
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.
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.Mother duck and eight ducklings swim the other way across the lake. The light is different as they paddle toward the sun.
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.
Male anhinga with feathers like piano keys, swims for his supper.
This Great American Egret in his breeding plumage reminded me of a young woman in her wedding dress. Leaning over the delicate feathers with its slender neck, the egret examines and arranges the cascade of white finery.
Surrounded by green tropical plants that create an elegant backdrop, the Great American Egret looks like a June bride.
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.
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 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.
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.
Don’t pack up your picnic too soon as the sun sets. Sometimes the most vibrant colors paint the sky a few minutes after sunset. In April, the sun is setting here in Naples as late as 8pm.
Looking south toward Naples Pier near the horizon, I see a brilliant orange cloud that lights the way for these late beach walkers.
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.
High above me in the pine tree, this Palm Warbler perches for a moment.Palm warbler in flight. Think fast!The first rays of sunlight shine on this tiny Palm Warbler.
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.
A lovely close-up photography of the Grey Crested Flycatcher in Naples, Florida. Did you know this bird?
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.
As he faces the setting sun, the osprey’s eye reflects bright yellow and he opens his mouth to cry out.