Christmas Morning At Harns Marsh Preserve

It was a very foggy and chilly morning at Harns Marsh Preserve on Christmas Day 2010.

The sunrise above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

That didn't deter me from an attempt to have a very rewarding time observing the wildlife which I did.

The first active flight observed was that of Roseate Spoonbill from the area where Limpkin are sometimes seen while always heard.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The vultures were seen across the lake on the ground perhaps in their attempt to stay warmer while they're typically observed in the trees at first light.

A juvenile Great Blue Heron was very docile seemingly waiting for the sun to warm its bones.

The Great Blue Heron juvenile above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Limpkin were observed in flight more so than I had observed at Harns Marsh before.

This species has a tendency to stay very low to the ground even while in flight.

The Cattle Egret above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Snail Kite were active in their search of Apple Snails shortly before the fog burned off.

Osprey were again observed hunting successfully for their prey.

The Glossy Ibis above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

What would become a remarkable observation for me was an inbound flight of a solitary Sandhill Crane that landed directly in front of me from the north.

As I observed this bird in amazement, two more cranes were walking toward me along the marsh's frontage road and emerged from the fog a short while later.

The Snadhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Before the Sandhill Cranes arrived, a small flock of Cattle Egret appeared to become active from their slumber.

It was at this time that I was chiding myself for failing to bring the flash and Better Beamer.

The Snadhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Always have them at the ready in case they're needed if you have them.

It was a special occasion to meet Hemant Kishan again at the preserve.

Hemant Kishan above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Hemant, a prolific American Birding Association contributor, was intently observing an American Bittern that he sighted at relatively close range.

He was kind enough to point my camera in the direction of the bird at one point as the bird was so well camouflaged in the reeds.

The American Bittern above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Hemant mentioned his interest in Celery Fields which he believes best visited in September.

It was interesting to observe a scuffle between a pair of Anhinga while the Tree Swallows seemed to be in lesser numbers than usual.

The Anhinga with Pied-billed Grebe above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The same pair of Great Egret observed a couple of weeks earlier offered their same repose in nearly the exact same spot I had last seen them.

Since my visit to Harns Marsh Preserve this week, I have read that the Crested Caracara is often seen in flight in the presence of vultures.

The Limpkin above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

When I visit the preserve again, my first objective will be to scan the trees where the vultures are typically resting before they fly off to take advantage of the thermals in the absence of wind.

Eagles in St. Petersburg - Skywatch Friday

What da ya want? I'm scratchin!

She says "It's about time you got home." He says "Stop nagging."

"Let's kiss and makeup."

King on his throne.

Hopefully, she's counting her eggs.

Going fishing.

Last spring I had heard about an eagle couple that was living in a cemetery in St. Petersburg. I never did make it down there but when I heard they were back this winter I had to go and see them. It's an older cemetery but nicely kept. I think the old tree he was sitting on was the only one in the place so you couldn't miss it. I'm guessing they don't want to cut it down so the eagles have a place to hang out. The nest is nearby in a large pine tree. I took all of the above with my Sigma 500mm and they were cropped up so they are not as close as they look.  It's a strange place to find eagles but there are bays and inlets close by for fish. I'm going to check back in a month or so to see if there are babies.

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

Hanging with the hoodies.

My hubby came home from the gym one Saturday afternoon recently and said "There are hoodies down at the pond. Bring your camera and let's run down there and get some pictures." Usually, there are only a few mallards there. So off we went, to the small pond down the street.  We found two hooded merganser couples hanging out there. It was an overcast day and the reflection of the trees on the pond made the pond seem red and green.

Hooded mergansers are short distance migratory ducks. They are probably coming from somewhere in New England and hang out in Florida during the winter. They are diving ducks which dive under water to catch their food. They won't hang around to be fed like mallards so they are usually pretty skittish. I sat on the edge of the pond for about half an hour and watched them swim around and preen. There was a couple in the channel behind our house for about two weeks but I haven't seen them recently. I wonder if one of these were the same couple.

The below is a moorhen couple that was hanging out with the hoodies as well.

The usual backyard visitors - My World Tuesday

The above juvenile red shouldered hawk has been hanging around our backyard for a couple of weeks now. He found a piece of fish that the osprey left on the dock.

Sitting in our neighbor's back yard.

The resident female kingfisher was sitting on a pole sticking out of the water near our seawall.

The resident blue heron that I don't see that often showed up for a couple of hours.

She started coughing up a piece of fish she had eaten earlier. Yuk!

After the rain stopped, the hawk was drying his wings on our neighbor's sailboat mast.

I didn't see her catch the fish but she showed up a couple of docks down with a fish in her mouth.

I woke up a couple of weekends ago to a rainy day. It rained on and off all day so I stayed in and did chores. We got a lot of the usual visitors during the day to our backyard. I kept peeking out the back sliding glass doors every half hour and was able to take the above pictures over the course of the day.

Go and check out more MyWorld images at the MyWorld Site! http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Kapok Park - Wilson's Snipe

Wilson's snipe. A fairly rare bird in west central Florida area that shows up in winter. This was the first time I had seen one.

The snipe digging for food.

Just your average mockingbird but it looked so pretty posing for me on the top of that little tree.

Ibis reflections in the lake.

Limpkin standing on a small tree.

Snowy egret.

The weather called for rain. I woke up last Saturday morning and the sun was out. I checked the radar on my laptop and there was a nasty looking band of rain coming but not until later that morning. I rushed and got ready and headed out the door. Since I didn't have too much time I stopped by Kapok Park which is not too far from my house. I was able to get in a good hour and a half walk around the park before the sky got dark.  As I was heading for the boardwalk I saw several people with cameras and binoculars leaning over the railing.  I snuck up behind them and peeked over the railing. Everyone was so excited. I didn't see it at first until they pointed the snipe out in the reeds. I thought to myself "That little bird? It looks like any other shorebird." Apparently he's a rare find in Pinellas county.  So the first picture is my prized snipe picture.

December 2010 Low Tide At Estero Lagoon

Prior to a potential predawn departure to observe and photograph wildlife often requires if I can see stars clearly in the night sky.

The European Starling above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Weather conditions that I often hear on the radio often contradict what is actually seen at the time.

A forecast for the day in the climate of southwest Florida is given little credence though a link to a weather related website you may wish to investigate may be seen by clicking here.

The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

A day this past week which was cold and dreary and an initial opportunity to get into the field for some wildlife observation was foregone for warmth inside.

Day two was initially overcast, but the clouds dissipated to offer an opportunity for wildlife photography that I prefer to shoot in.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Though conditions would have been ideal at the time to explore Bunche Beach Preserve, I chose to see what might be happening at the less frequently visited Estero Lagoon.

I've found visits to Estero Lagoon to be extremely rewarding at any time of day or tide conditions.

The explorer above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

The late afternoon visit to the lagoon this week was at an unusually low tide.

There happened to be a remarkable lunar eclipse that would occur early the next morning which I took a gander at for a few seconds at 0330 local (an impressive sight).

The full moon (required for a lunar eclipse) above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Upon arrival at Estero Lagoon, a large number of European Starling were perched on the power lines along the adjacent highway.

There was a disappointing absence of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron that is occasionally seen near the Holiday Inn at the lagoon.

The scene above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

With the water level as low as it was, I'm thinking that there simply weren't enough fish to attract abundant wading birds.

The fish that I've seen captured by wading birds regrettably appear to have been getting smaller.

The Double-crested Cormorant above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

The abnormally cold conditions in winter months the last couple of years may be the cause.

Several photographers were about and I learned that one was from Vancouver and another was from Eastern Europe while I regrettably don't remember their names.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Although a good representation of many of the species of bird of the area was seen, by far the highlight of my visit to Estero Lagoon was my observation of Chelsea Hall.

I first saw Chelsea approaching the lagoon with her camera in hand.

Chelsea above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Chelsea was an unmistakable presence on the scene with her sense of purpose.

From the moment I captured an image of her to the distraction of wildlife walking right in front of me, Chelsea was gone.

Chelsea above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

I looked around to see that she was on the beach headed south.

There were many people in the immediate area shelling, relaxing on the beach, jogging or cycling by.

Chelsea above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Chelsea told me that she was from North Carolina and that she was using the Nikon D5000.

She also noted that she has always had an interest in photography and that her boyfriend was a world traveler.

Chelsea above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

A particular subject of interest to her was a sea creature washed up on the beach.

I waded the Gulf water in an attempt to get a better photograph of her.

The enthusiast above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

As we chatted briefly, a sheller wandered by to place the creature in a bag while I advised she release the living thing which she did.

I believe that Chelsea will have a remarkable record of wildlife imagery that I would be glad to link to if she ever creates such an opportunity.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Chelsea was extremely comfortable handling her gear under rugged conditions.

As the sun approached the horizon, I had a few more minutes of optimal light to observe a Tricolored Heron that unfortunately remained at a poor angle but for a brief second for an acceptable shot.

The sunset above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

My learned use of flash remains in its infancy.