There is no where for bird photography quite like Florida in January. The light is spectacular. The birds are mostly cooperative. It is just so much easier than anywhere else in the nation…if you are satisfied with the FL specialties. Herons and Egrets and Spoonbills and Hawks…dabbling ducks…Blue Jays, etc.

This is an image from last year, just to set the tone. I only got to FL late last night and went straight to bed trying to shake a nasty Vegas flu/cold. I may get out today, and I may have to let my body heal. We will see how strong the draw of birds becomes as the day goes on…and how I feel.

DigiScoped with the Canon SD100HS behind the 30x eyepiece on the ZEISS DiaScope 65FL spotting scope. 1/500th @ ISO 200. Equivalent field of view: 2140mm. f5.8 effective.

Processed in Lightroom for intensity, clarity, and sharpness.

And for the Sunday Thought: I forget, to often, how blessed I am to have a job that gives me the opportunity to do what I enjoy doing…being out in nature…capturing nature with a camera. Other people have to play for, sometimes years, to get to the Space Coast Birding Festival. I am there every year as matter of course. That is pretty special.And I am not going to let any Vegas Flu diminish my thankfulness! Spoonbills are waiting, and even if I stay abed today, I know they are there, just outside the door. That’s enough.

(And, checking the weather, the forecast has shifted. Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain all day today, and partially sunny tomorrow! God is good.)