Famous baby oystercatcher at Fort Desoto

"I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky!"

" Wait for me!"

"This shell looks yummy!"

"Mom, get this gunk off my foot!"

"I swear mom, I don't see it."

"It's time for a nap."

Full disclosure - I did not just happen to stumble on the above. It's probably one of the most photographed babies this month in the Tampa Bay area. There have been other pictures of it on Flickr and Pinellasbirds.com. I got up early on Sunday and headed out to find the family of oystercatchers that everyone was talking about. I have never seen a baby oystercatcher in person. You don't see many adults around that often as well. There are two babies but they were never even close to each other the whole time I was there. The parents had a tough time keeping them together and close to the adults. They were running around crazy (like little human kids do). They were so cute and animated. I must have taken 150 pictures in 20 minutes. I just plopped down on the beach and watched them run around. It was early enough in the morning that there weren't a lot of people around, just a few fisherman who barely glanced at them. I'm sure later when the beach gets crowded they head back into the roped off area to rest.

Are the eggs done yet?

If you look close just to the top left of the green sprigs you can see a baby skimmer under the mom's right wing.

This mom's eggs aren't done yet.

This mom had 2 little babies, probably only 2 or 3 days old.

Another mom shading her babies. She also had one egg that hadn't hatched yet.

I've heard there are over 300 skimmers nesting in the roped off area at Redington Shores beach. It's quite the site to see and very loud. There were only a few babies there so far but still tons of unhatched eggs. I'm going back again this week to see if there are more babies and if any of them are out roaming around yet. The ones in the above pictures were only a few days old and all were hiding under a parent. Last week I had my 300mm lens but this week I'm going to bring my 500mm. I was standing a good 25 feet away from the rope and the skimmers were dive bombing my head. They did not want anyone stopping and looking into their area. They are very aggressive at protecting their space.

On a sad note about skimmers, a nesting ground for black skimmers was destroyed by crews shooting Sea-Doo watercraft advertisements last Wednesday. They had permits from the county to shoot the commercial but no one was there to supervise. The helicopter pilot admits he flew down too low and too close to the preserve where the skimmers were nesting. These birds are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A link to the entire article is below.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/feds-take-over-investigation-into-film-crews-disturbance-of-shell-key-nests/1104332

Drive home from work

Great blue heron taking a break.


Roseate spoonbills getting ready for bed in the mangroves.

Pinellas County waste plant is near my office. Birds love the bugs that hang out at the waste plant. A nasty storm was moving in behind it.

I stopped by the Safety Harbor fishing pier. No birds around but there was a manatee swimming around. I could see the snout coming up every once in a while.

A bad storm was heading my way so I headed home after the fishing pier.

I had my camera with me one day last week so I decided to make a few quick stops on the way home from work. I drive by the Pinellas County waste plant and there are usually a few birds in the ditches digging for bugs. There was a large group of spoonbills sleeping in the mangroves that night. (I stopped by the next night and they were gone.) I took a slight detour and stopped at the Safety Harbor fishing pier. There are usually pelicans and gulls there but I didn't see a single bird (maybe they headed out of town since storms were coming). I wanted to stop along the Courtney Campbell causeway to look for shorebirds but when I got on the bridge there was a storm coming behind me so I headed for home.

Bunche Beach Preserve Dedication

In the age of segregation in the United States, greatness and legacy was born.

Ranger Hitchcock with Lee County Parks and Recreation above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

In southwest Florida, in 1949, a half acre parcel of land was purchased on San Carlos Bay by those with foresight in Lee County which would in the following year be dedicated to Dr. Ralph Johnson Bunche and was called Bunche Beach.

At its dedication, an estimated 3000 people certainly reveled at one of the first "black" beaches during the historical age of segregation with Bunche Beach today part of and bearing Dr. Bunche's name at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

During this earlier period, Dr. Bunch had traveled a path that led him to receive the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his United Nations negotiations between Israelis and Arab States in the creation of the Palestine accord.

Dr. Bunche also received the Medal of Freedom from President Kennedy in 1963.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

The history of Dr. Bunche is very interesting and I encourage you to research his life.

A remarkable facility constructed for the use of future Bunche Beach Preserve visitors was dedicated on 19 June 2010, while also honoring D.J. "Petro" Petruccelli who served as an executive of the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce for 22 years and was a 25 year member of the Lee County Parks and Recreation Services Advisory Committee.

Tom Obrock above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

If it weren't for fellow Florida wildlife enthusiast, Tom Obrock, who advised me of the dedication and ribbon cutting at the preserve, I would always regret missing it.

The building on the current 719-acre preserve site has greatly benefited from further land purchases and donations while utilizing solar power for its electrical needs and has composting restrooms with no running water available.

The gentleman above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

The name of the road to Bunche Beach is John Morris, but I thought I heard it referred to as Bunche Road during the ceremony.

This road now terminating at San Carlos Bay from the north was once the primary route across the bay with its wooden bridge destroyed by a hurricane in 1926.

Ranger Miller with Lee County Parks and Recreation above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

The officials re-dedicating the preserve and its new facilities were all passionate in their words and well received by the crowd at hand.

While additional parking spaces were created in the 2010 renovation of the preserve, many were lost seemingly as a compromise.

Senior Supervisor, Cindy Carter, with Lee County Parks and Recreation above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Significant parking closer to the beach has been eliminated.

Bunche Beach Preserve is one of my favorite venues to visit at any time, but particularly at low tide when one can walk over a large expanse of the bay to observe the often prolific bird activity there.

The gentleman above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

At the time of the ceremony, I was fortunate to observe an Osprey with prey while a few other bird species also passed overhead.

Bunche Beach Preserve has a proclivity to attract the endangered Piping Plover which currently receives federal protection.

Lee County Florida District 4 Commissioner, Tammy Hall, above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

My first observation of the Piping Plover was in the infancy of my interest in birding while at Bunche Beach Preserve.

My interest was of course heightened when I observed this bird species with evidence of numerous captures of it due to the bands on its legs.

The blessing above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

My research of banding has led me to believe that there can be great importance in the pursuit of birding.

While the Piping Plover is rarely seen, wading birds, and shore birds such as Wilson's Plover and Black Skimmer are much more frequently observed at Bunche Beach Preserve and are equally welcome and seen nearly year round.

Lee County Florida District 3 Commissioner, Ray Judah, above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Least Terns were again observed near the west channel of Bunche Beach Preserve this past week and were actively feeding.

I'm now in my second year of observation of the Least Tern at Bunche Beach Preserve and am wondering where these particular birds are nesting and feeding their young.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Many of my very favored wildlife photographs have been taken at Bunche Beach Preserve and include an image of the Little Blue Heron that I was humbled by having published in the 2010 Jan/Feb issue of Audubon magazine as an editors' choice in the inaugural photo issue of the periodical.

Another photograph taken at this must see venue involves interesting feeding behavior of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

This particular image which I have chosen to use on my contact card was culled from hundreds of thousands of images taken at wildlife venues around Florida.

Google maps has a current snapshot of the site available which was interestingly captured at an apparently very high tide.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Additional writing of my experiences and observations at Bunche Beach Preserve can be seen by clicking here.

A representation of what might be seen through photography at Bunche Beach Preserve can be seen by clicking here.

Roger Clark with Lee County Parks and Recreation offering a tour of the preserve's grounds above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Visit this astounding venue ideally around sunrise or sunset at low tide when you can.

Be prepared to walk in the water in the bay, while swimming is now an available option at the recreation facility which also offers two kayak launches, two fishing piers, and 310 feet of boardwalk for wildlife viewing.

The ribbon cutting above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

There was a tremendous amount of activity and hard work by many in the hours preceding the dedication.

Bunche Beach Preserve is open from dawn to dusk year round.

Skywatch Friday - Went kayaking

I went kayaking in the upper Tampa Bay channels (my backyard) last weekend. When I paddle out to the end of our channel this is where I end up. There were storms across the bay but it took a couple of hours for it to reach me. I kayaked for 2 hours before I could hear the thunder and then paddled quickly back to my house. Of course the storms fooled me and never made it to my house that afternoon.

For more skyscape photography from around the world, visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/.

Least tern sitting on a crab trap.

Osprey sitting on a channel marker.

There's always cormorants sitting on the channel markers.

Last weekend was a quiet trip. Again, I didn't see any dolphins or manatees. This is my 2nd trip out in a couple of weeks without seeing either. Last summer I didn't see manatees until August. They hung around until mid-November, then headed for warmer waters for the winter.

Feeding time at the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary

This wild great blue heron found a snack to eat. I think it was a piece of crab that was dropped on the ground.

A permanent resident at the sanctuary. This pelican had no problem swallowing the fish he was fed by hand. I'm sure he wouldn't be able to scoop up the fish on his own.

Snowy egrets were getting a handout as well.

Lots of good eats at the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary. Even the wild birds come in for a handout. Occasionally they are able to get a bite when someone drops something. When I was there one of the volunteers were feeding the pelicans in the aviary and I noticed the above had his pouch unattached. It must have been caught on a hook. He seemed to be getting along pretty well there.

Fort Desoto fishing pier

Snowy egret looking over my head.

One legged snowy egret. He was getting around pretty good.



These snowy egrets were looking for a handout.

He finally got one.

Laughing gull flying by.

Keeping guard of the bait fish.

Great blue heron taking off.

You can always find interesting characters hanging around the fishing pier at Ft. Desoto. When it's too hot to walk in the parks, the best place to catch a breeze is the pier. The tiny snowy egrets are aggressive birds. They wait for the fishermen to bring up their bait fish nets and will walk up to them and steal their fish. The strange thing about my trip there last weekend was there were very few pelicans around. Usually, there are tons of them diving and swimming around the pier. I've always seen the below there swimming around.

Birds at Honeymoon Island (and a crab too).

Two baby opsrey letting me know it's their trail I'm walking on. (It is called Osprey Trail at Honeymoon Island for a reason.)

One of the parents looking around.

Willet

Cormorant going for a swim.

Loney least tern on the beach.

Last weekend I went to Honeymoon Island to walk the Opsrey Trail. I hadn't been there in several months. It was so hot, even early in the morning. There's not much going on there except for ospreys. Lots of them still hanging around the nests. I didn't see many other birds until I got out on the beach. There was a controlled burn done recently on the first part of the trail, so that may have scared off some of the birds for a while. The northern beach did not have much bird traffic as well. I think my next trip out to the trail will not be until the eagles come back, hopefully December. I did see the below crab on shoreline.