Posts in Category: Florida
Florida! Great Blue
Great Blue Heron: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — Though we have had lots of Great Blue Herons this year in southern Maine near my home, and well into the winter, I am always happy to the Great Blue wherever I travel. This Florida Great Blue was standing in the pond across from the trail and birding tower along Blackpoint most days I visited during the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival. It seemed to be his spot. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 246mm equivalent (right close, and the advantage of shooting with a zoom). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. -0,7EV Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Little Blue? Heron
Little Blue Herons: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — I have to admit that Little Blue Herons have never looked very blue to me…but then Great Blue Herons are not blue either. And then there is the completely white immature phase of the Little Blue, easily mistaken at first glance for a Snowy Egret. I was happy to get shots of both within an hour of arriving at Merritt Island. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 472 and 800mm equivalents. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Rosy trio
Roseate Spoonbills: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — The Roseate Spoonbills were already in full breeding plumage along Blackpoint Drive when I got to Florida, and at least for the first few days they were feeding with the large mixed flock of waders…everything from Wood Storks to Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons. They became harder to see up close as the week went on, separating from the mixed flock and finding other feeding areas in the Refuge. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 570mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Feeding buddies
Little Blue Heron and Glossy Ibis: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — One of the first photos I took after arriving at Merritt Island on my first day of the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival trip this year. The Ibis seems to be having more luck than the Heron…but then the Ibis is somewhat of a show-off when it catches anything. I have a couple of shots of this bill toss thing going on. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Wood Stork
Wood Stork: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — A couple of Wood Storks in all their January finery. Is there a more handsome bird anywhere? Of course there is. Still the Wood Stork has an undeniable presence. I can remember my first sighting in Georgia, years ago, and how hard I worked for it, and how happy I was. My second sighting was in a ditch along the highway leaving the airport in Florida the very next year, out in plain sight in broad daylight, as they say. I have seen hundreds since, mostly on Blackpoint Drive at Merritt Island. These were among the first birds I saw after entering the loop this year. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Great Egret in proportion
Great Egret and American White Pelicans: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — I don’t know about you but I think of Great Egrets as being big birds. The largest of our Egrets and Herons with an impressive wingspan and elegant carriage. Then you see them standing in front of a group of Pelicans and you realize just how small they really are…or how big the Pelicans are. Wingspan: Egret 4.5 feet. Pelican, twice that at 9 feet. Weight: Egret 2.2 lbs. Pelicans between 11 and 20 lbs, and up to 32 lbs. Pelicans are big birds! Egrets are just not even in the same class…so they cannot be big birds. Case closed. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Nothing so elegant!
Great Egret (2, and a Snowy looking on): Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — Nothing so elegant as a Great Egret in display. After taking a 1000 shots of the Snowy Egrets dancing on the water one morning at Blackpoint Drive, I turned to concentrate on the Great Egret action…trying to catch wings open and some of the confrontational displays. Again, this was in a pool where there were at least 50 Snowies and 25 Great’s feeding avidly, so I had non-stop action to choose from. Spoiled for choice! OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 454mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds in flight and action modifications. -0.3EV. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Red-shouldered at the moss
Red-shouldered Hawk: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas Florida, USA, January 2024 — There were quite a few Red-shouldered Hawks working Orlando Wetlands Park when I visited during the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival last month. This one came in close and got itself out on the more precarious spindly branches of the tree, apparently in search of the moss, or something in the moss. I suspect it was attempting to gather nesting materials, as a google search turned up the fact that Red-shouldered Hawks are known to line their nests with moss. The light was subdued, but it was fun to watch as the hawk struggled to maintain its balance while busy with the moss. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Osprey eye
Osprey: Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville Florida, USA, January 2024 — Biolab Road at Merritt Island can sometimes be productive, and sometimes turns up birds not seen on Blackpoint or views not gotten. This Osprey, perched on snag at the edge of the water at eye-level and near the road, was the highlight of the one trip I made down Biolab on this visit to the Space Coast. It honestly does not get any better than this! I just pulled up. Shut the car off to eliminate vibrations, and shot out the open window. The bird was totally unimpressed by my regard 🙂 It was still sitting there when I drove on. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. -0.7 EV. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Great Blue flyby
Great Blue Heron: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville Florida, USA, January 2024 — Photographing Pelicans and Spoonbills in the distance, I looked up just in time to see this Great Blue Heron on approach. I got the camera into Birds in Flight mode with a switch of the control dial, panned with the bird, and shot off a burst as it passed me. Such a beautiful bird in flight. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.