Posts in Category: birds
Bittern!
American Bittern: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, USA, January 2025 — I was very excited to see this American Bittern along the boardwalk at Orlando Wetlands, and to be able to show it to my photography class. Others saw it along the Bobcat trail, and it has, if the photos posted on Facebook are anything to go by, been seen regularly ever since. Some have gotten better photo ops than we were given…it never did step out from behind the grasses, but we make do with what we get 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Note that this is an auto focus shot and the camera was able to focus on the eye even though it did not have a clear line of sight. 🙂 Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
The last Trogon
Gartered Trogon: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — This is the last of the Trogons to put in an appearance at Tico Rainforest B&B on my last morning there. You have to look closely to differentiate the Gartered from the Black-throated Trogon we saw earlier. The yellow eye-ring and the more vertical than horizontal banding on the tail are the give-aways. This bird never gave me a clear, unobstructed line of sight, but it is a great bird for all that. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Boardwalk Gallinule
Purple Gallinule: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, USA, January 2025 — This Purple Gallinule was in the exact same spot both days I visited Orlando Wetlands in January…right under the boardwalk not far in. The second day we had sun! Which, of course, presents its own photographic challenges. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 382 and 450mm equivalents. Program with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Sandhills in the sky
Sandhill Crane: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, January 2025 — Florida Sandhill Crane in the clear blue sky over Orlando Wetlands. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Black-throated Trogon
Black-throated Trogon: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — On this December trip to rainforest Costa Rica we encountered 4 different species of Trogon, 3 at Tico Rainforest B&B and another at Caño Negro. This Black-throated Trogon was the least likely of the 4 for us to see, so, of course, it is the most special. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Breakfast
Red-shouldered Hawk: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, USA, January 2025 — As I mentioned yesterday and in a post a while ago, the Red-shouldered Hawk we encountered along the berm at Orlando Wetlands dropped down right in front of us for a morning snack. If you look closely at the image you will see the last bit of a lizard’s tail disappearing down the bird’s throat, and that strange bulge in the throat is its body as it is literally swallowed whole. What a treat. Both for the hawk, and for the photographers watching. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, USA, January 2025 — We had a much more promising morning for my second Point and Shoot Nature Photography workshop at Orlando Wetlands…still unseasonably cold, but at least the sun was shining. We started out toward the end f the boardwalk, and just as I was thinking I should be looking for the Red-shouldered Hawk that hangs out there, one of my participants spotted in a tree right overhead. Facing the wrong way…but after swooping down to take a lizard right at our feet, it presented us with a nice belly shot at a slightly greater distance. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with by bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Mean Green
Green Heron: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025 — It is very rare for me not to see a Green Heron around the pool at the rest stop on Black Point Drive. I have seen as many as 3 different ones on a single stop. This year they were playing difficult…being mean to me. 🙂 The only one I found was this one, and it stayed well buried at the base of the mangroves right above the water line. Still, I always enjoy seeing green. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Difficult bird!
Rufous-tailed Jacamar: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — The Rufous-tailed Jacamar was one of the first birds we heard on my first morning at Tico Rainforest B&B, and one the last birds I saw on my last day at Tico Rainforest B&B…and I did not see it until that morning. They tend to say low in the undergrowth, and if my experience is anything to go by, low down in overgrown gullies and washes at that. This bird sat against a busy background in deep shade, with no completely clear line-of-sight. Not easy! I am happy to have gotten what I did…but I long for an easy Jacamar on one of these trips. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Lady Anhinga
Anhinga: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025. I am not sure what is going on here…whether that hank of shredded rope or fabric in her beak is nesting material, or if she has a fishhook caught. The light on our first sunny afternoon was glorious by the time I got to the little pond by the rest rooms. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 415mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.