Tricolored Heron: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — Take out under the observation blind at the end of what used to the the WildBirdsUnlimited trail along Blackpoint Drive. That sponsorship has apparently ended, but the trail is still there and so are the birds 🙂 This Tricolored was intently hunting and only maybe 30 feet from the deck. OM System OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Snowy Egret: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, December 2023 — The Snowy Egrets like to stand on the culvert gates and watch for fish swept through by the rising or falling waters. It is one of the few times you get a good view of their legs and feet…the well known golden slippers that are often sighted as field mark of the species. OM System OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. -0.7EV. Processed in Photomator.

Great Egret: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — Honestly, doesn’t that hurt your neck? Great Egret cocked a ready for prey. And close. OM System OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Painted Bunting: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, 2024 — Though the boardwalk behind the Visitor Center is closed, the Painted Buntings are still coming to the feeders in the thicket at the end of the VC deck. It is always too dark in there, but with patience the birds will set on perches on their way to the feeders. OM System OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 770mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. ISO 12800. Processed in Pixomator.

Green Heron: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — I like Green Herons, and there are always a few hanging out in the channel by the rest stop half way around Blackpoint Wildlife Drive. And as photos of Green Herons go, I particularly like the reflections in the water around this bird. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. -0.7EV. Processed in Photomator.

Tricolored Heron: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — I have never seen as many Tricolored Herons at Merritt Island as I saw this year. They were pretty much everywhere around Blackpoint drive. This one was not disturbed by my presence, standing less than 20 feet away as I passed him on the berm. 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.

Reddish Egret: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — I have probably said this before, but one of my favorite things to do is to watch Reddish Egrets hunting. Such a wild and wonderful dance. Such intense purpose and such unlikely postures. This was my first Reddish encounter on my very first day at Merritt Island, before the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival even began. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 614mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.