"Delete Images. Are You Sure?"

It has again been enjoyable photographing wildlife with Frank Constantin when I've been able.

The Limpkin above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Frank has been visiting from Montreal, QC, where he noted a mild winter is taking place.

It's hard to believe that Florida was the only state within the United States not to have snow on its grounds this week, but true.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Frank and I met up at Harns Marsh Preserve on a morning this week that would unfold with the unexpected.

The sky was a bit overcast with high clouds to the east while early morning light was captured with its deep oranges in the marsh with great fortune.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

While we chatted, a once in a lifetime opportunity unfolded with the approach of an American Bittern in flight.

I was able to track the bird, but the lens failed to focus as I was using other than a single focal point.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Frank got the bird after it landed in a pose that is often seen in imagery of the species.

Shortly thereafter, a fellow visitor of the preserve named Jim Gibbons arrived to chat briefly before continuing on with a walk further into the offerings of the great wildlife venue.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Jim noted that he was visiting from New Hampshire while also commenting that he's been birding for about two years and has visited STA5 several times.

Jim told the story of observing an Ahinga at STA5 with two other enthusiasts at his side while each had a different interpretation of how the bird met its demise before their eyes.

The Blue-winged Teal above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

With the near start of baseball spring training, Jim is in town to do work for the Boston Red Sox as a security person of sorts I gathered.

I believe I made my first personal sighting of Lesser Scaup while Gayle Sheets notified me this week that my mid-November 2010 sighting of Redhead was added as the 144th bird species accounted for at Harns Marsh Preserve.

The Lesser Scaup above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Another unexpected surprise at Harns Marsh Preserve were representatives of the United States Geological Survey that made an investigation of the preserve via airboat.

It seemed awkward for the men to make their apparent studies while flushing many bird species well ahead of them.

The scene above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

At the time of this writing, there is no reference to Harns Marsh Preserve at the USGS website.

I met up with Frank at Jason Verdow Memorial Park in Cape Coral later in the day to attempt to observe and photograph Monk Parakeets that I would see for the first time.

The Ring-necked Duck above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Fellow local wildlife observer Tom Obrock has written of his sightings of this species numerous times yet I'm unsure where his favorite spot to view them is.

It was at the recommendation of work mate Rick Leuzinger to visit the park that Frank and I did.

The Osprey above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

When I told Rick that I saw a price of $300 for a Monk Parakeet on the internet, he jokingly told me, "Oh yeah, all you need is a really big net and you can make tons of money off them."

Regrettably the Monk Parakeet, or Quaker as Rick refers to them, is considered an invasive species.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

The parakeets observed this week were readily seen in flight and nesting in the light towers at the park while the most notable characteristic were their vocal calls.

Another work mate named Margie Congregane who never shies away from talking about her Windjammer Resort and Beach Club vacations in Lauderdale By The Sea told me this week of a recently installed Beach Cam at the resort.

The Osprey above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

Margie interestingly commented about a man from Winnepeg, Canada, who was watching the webcam and observed a Brown Pelican in distress.

Margie told me that the man alerted Windjammer management who immediately responded to save the pelican with Windjammer now referring to the Canadian as the “Pelican Man.”

The White Ibis above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

It is now that I'm compelled to explain the title of this post as the coffee is brewing with hopes of getting my musings to you on schedule.

Normally I will immediately transfer images from the camera to the computer upon the return from a wildlife excursion, but in this case went through the multiple steps to erase the images in the camera and accidentally deleted them before the transfer.

The White Pelican above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

I was sure not to delete the images in the camera as the erasure of them was in progress.

Frank and I made one last attempt for good wildlife photography this week following through on his recommendation to visit Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge after his great success there the day before.

The Brown Pelican above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

Frank's images that he showed me on his camera's monitor were remarkable and yet certainly an injustice to what he will have at his pbase site once he gets home and processes his work.

I arrived at the refuge later than I told Frank I would be there allowing him the chance to make the trip along Wildlife Drive and pull up behind me near the entrance.

The Willet above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

The tide was lower than I have seen it at Ding Darling before which I think indicates excellent management of the refuge.

The birds were very prolific in variety and numbers, more so in fact than I've seen at this place before.

The Mottled Duck above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

I recently heard first hand the recommendation by renowned wildlife photographer Artie Morris to use a single focus point.

This advice relies on many factors including the camera you're using and the distance of your subject while I've found using a wider array of focus points more successful for me with the 1D Mark III (except when I'm tracking an inbound bittern).

The Osprey above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

I was actually much more concerned with the proper exposure of the difficult to photograph white birds at Ding Darling while the series of shots of the Osprey gathering nesting material may have greatly benefited from the single focus point.

The majority of time at DDNWR was spent adjacent to the north entrance of Indigo Trail.

The Double-crested Cormorant above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

It was at this spot that a very affable fellow introduced himself as John David.

John David told me that he was at the venue to take photographs for a story being written about the refuge for "the paper."

The Reddish Egret juvenile above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

He asked me a couple of questions while astutely remaining for some time to observe the remarkable wildlife before us.

The highlight of my experience this particular day was observing the Osprey that was diligently collecting nesting material.

The Wood Stork above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

The Belted Kingfisher that Frank has affectionately called the little bastard was occasionally present but failed to offer a really good photo op.

Frank and I mutually agreed on a more appropriate name for the species in reference to the challenge of getting a really nice image of it.

The Great Blue Heron above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

While I continue to shoot in JPEG, Frank and I were discussing that as one of the causes of less than favorable images while my typical use of the 1.4X teleconverter, and heavy crops were noted as attributable as well.

As I've used both Canon and Nikon photo gear, I express apologies for generically using terminology that refers to the same thing for the two brands while subconsciously favoring Nikon.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

It was difficult to confirm John David's credentials and for which paper he works for, so am especially glad that he allowed me to take his photograph for the record.

For John David Emmett, staff photographer for the Fort Myers News Press, is an image of him below to accompany his name.

John David Emmett above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

The lingering effects of near frostbite of my fingers was felt until the end of the day.

Ellusive Caracara At Harns Marsh Preserve

The immense excitement I had in the sighting of the Crested Caracara at Harns Marsh Preserve last week would remain the sole sighting of the species after two additional visits to the preserve this week.

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

One of the visits to Harns Marsh occurred on the morning when heavy fog enveloped much of Florida though offered my first personal sighting of American Bittern confirmed by Tom Obrock.

It was on this morning that two fellow Birdphotographer.net contributors were at the preserve with hopes for some good wildlife observation and photography.

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

I had met Conrad Tan, visiting from California, at Estero Lagoon the day before who mentioned that one of the species he particularly had an interest in photographing was Snail Kite and was excited with the prospect of seeing it at Harns Marsh.

Troy Lim was at the preserve as well having made the trip from Sarasota.

The Blue-winged Teal above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The Collier County Audubon Society (CCAS) had a presence as a troop made a drive through Harns Marsh Preserve under the foggy and cold conditions with a half dozen vehicles making the normally prohibited trip along the perimeter of the preserve.

Pedestrian traffic is permitted to explore Harns Marsh Preserve throughout the year.

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

A report from the CCAS has been made at their website which can be seen by clicking here.

The image including some of the CCAS participants immediately below was enhanced primarily with CS5's HDR toning function.

The CCAS members above were photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

On the following day, the conditions at dawn were much improved with a striking cloud formation to the west which was discussed with Bob J. Blanchard whom had arrived at Harns Marsh right behind me.

Bob had mentioned his regret in not bringing a wide angle lens to capture the scene.

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

The cloud that may have been ten miles wide seemingly vanished before our eyes.

Bob speculated that it may have been a fog bank, but it appeared to have too much altitude.

Conrad Tan above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Although I had met Bob at Harns Marsh four months earlier, it was at this time that I had the opportunity to learn more about him and hear of some of his wildlife experiences.

Bob told me of his use of manual exposure in his photography which he noted he had learned from Artie Morris.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron with Apple Snail casing visible above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

He described it as extremely easy and effective once you get the hang of it.

A short while later, wildlife enthusiasts would approach us and chat briefly.

The Double-crested Cormorant above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

It was noted by Reinhard Geisler that the Snow Bunting was reported in Flagler County which he had observed a couple days earlier.

Tom Obrock advised me that he made the sighting of the Snow Bunting this week although he was initially reluctant to make the drive.

The Wood Stork juvenile above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Reinhard was transporting his camera gear which included the Nikon D200 and D300 cameras in a baby stroller that he was very enthusiastic in talking about.

He was utilizing the souped up stroller due to a fall from an observation tower which resulted in a back injury.

Reinhard Geisler above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Bob and I observed a lot of primarily distant avian activity while perhaps the second most disappointing thing for me was to be focused on a Turkey Vulture at very close range to miss the shot of it yawning by a fraction of a second as I was distracted by a low flyover of an Osprey.

A pair of fishermen in a kayak at Harns told of the abundant birds they observed in the marsh.

Bob Blanchard above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Bob was intrigued getting a kayak for closer observation of the birds and I advised him to consider a "surf" kayak for its stability characteristic.

The greatest disappointment was my failure to again observe the Crested Caracara last seen at Harns Marsh Preserve on 8 December 2010.

The fishermen above were photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

My initial wildlife trip of the week was a 4pm (96 minutes from sunset) visit to Estero Lagoon.

The lighting was stunning as an observation of a Reddish Egret with uncharacteristic white morph feathers was made.

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

This particular bird flew into the area after initially observing an immature Reddish Egret.

When the two birds got close together, I was anticipating a confrontation.

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

What I was ultimately led to believe was that the immature bird was the offspring of the adult bird as the younger bird appeared to be begging for food from the adult several times.

As the younger bird often approached me too close to focus on it, it would raise its head feathers in a dramatic fashion with the presence of a Bald Eagle on one of the condo towers.

The Reddish Egret (semi-white morph) with juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

At this time, I again learned the critical importance of using a higher f-stop to get more of the subject in focus when possible.

The lack of confrontation between the Reddish Egrets would be observed similarly over at Harns Marsh as two Great Egrets approached each other, appearing very tolerant of each other with perhaps a mating instinct involved.

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

The feeding behavior of the Reddish Egrets at Estero Lagoon was of course extremely entertaining to observe.

Conrad Tan's hopes of getting photos of Roseate Spoonbill at the lagoon, a species of rare occurrence in California, was difficult with the few birds in the area roosting in the mangroves just across the lagoon in shadow.

The Semipalmated Plover above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Conrad made the comment about how tame Florida birds are compared to those he haunts in California.

I'll continue efforts to again observe the Crested Caracara at Harns Marsh Preserve in the future.

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

FCCC 2010 Convention With Wildlife Observation

The Florida Camera Club Council (F3C) 2010 Convention "The Nature of Photography" held in Naples, Florida, this past week was long anticipated.

Arthur Morris above was photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

As of this writing, F3C is affiliated with 36 camera clubs from across the state of Florida.

I had heard months ago that renowned bird photographer, Artie Morris would be in attendance and was compelled to go if possible.

Arthur Morris above was photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

I regret that because I didn't register in advance, I relied on the F3C website to provide me information that I found less than helpful in knowing exactly how the convention would unfold.

Upon registering at the door I was given literature that I should have immediately read, but did not.

The Photography Naples representatives above were photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

Artie's seminars had begun prior to my finding him and the convention schedule would be a form of contention for him and guests that relied on two different timetables provided.

While there were eight other seminars taking place, I spent the entire morning with Artie, soaking up his four programs which ultimately ran nearly an hour long.

The Midwest Photo Exchange representatives above were photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

Artie's programs included choosing the correct lens, composition, understanding histograms and exposure, and how to get close to wild birds.

His slide show was entertaining as he captivated everyone's attention in the standing room only classroom throughout.

The photo enthusiasts above were photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

While I wish I was more knowledgeable about Photoshop processing and the use of histograms which Artie seemed to rush through, I would have gotten much more from the programs if I had read his "Digital Basics" beforehand.

I was particularly entertained by an image Artie showed that was evidently one that might be chosen for a magazine cover which he noted left room for the magazine's name.

The Luau themed lunch above was photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

It reminded me of my Burrowing Owl images submitted for the 2nd Annual Audubon Magazine "Birds in Focus," that I regret I have not heard anything about from Nature's Best Photography which is judging the 2010 submissions.

It's gotten very late for any hopes of consideration, but have not received the rejection notice yet either.

Clyde Butcher above was photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

Artie made note of the new feature in CS5 that overlays a grid when cropping an image which could help composition.

I've found that this feature is not available when opening an JPEG image in Camera Raw and cropping there.

Panel Discussion moderator Larry Richardson above was photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

There is a potential problem in CS5's Review Mode for those in a hurry which may result in the manual deletion of images which may simply be slow to focus on your monitor.

I was also intrigued of Artie's mention of his techniques of feeding birds and luring them with birdsong to get a good shot.

Clyde Butcher above was photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

He noted that if using audio attraction to be sure to turn off the birdsong once the desired subject enters the area and emphasized disclosures in images he captures.

While these seem a questionable approach to wildlife photography or observation, they do appear to be quite affective.

Carmen Schettino above was photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

Artie was impressively confident in his recollection of what camera and lens was used for for images presented considering the arsenal of gear at his disposal.

He also commented that his use of flash is intermittent while using it or not for extended periods of time.

Jane Ziser above was photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

Artie also made numerous other recommendations for the creation of an appealing photograph and ultimately an enhanced image of bird life.

He also strongly encouraged investigation of Jim Neiger and James Shadle's “Best of Florida” photography workshops.

Arthur Morris above was photographed at the F3C 2010 "The Nature of Photography" Convention in November 2010.

Renowned black and white landscape photographer, Clyde Butcher gave the convention's Keynote Address where he highlighted his career in photography.

He noted that he believed early on that a photograph alone had little value and made clocks with his images which he found profitable.

The Blue Jay above was photographed at Eagle Lakes Community Park in November 2010.

Clyde also emphasized that he was inspired by Ansel Adams among others and noted to make sure that if you are going to attempt to emulate someone, be sure you are copying the best.

Clyde also spent a few minutes showing a typical manipulation of his digital photography in Photoshop after noting that his film exposures (using wooden Deardorff cameras from the 1940s and '50s) in excess of 10 minutes can be made similarly with digital cameras in a minute's time.

The White Pelican above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

Clyde has a blog that can be viewed here and in case you missed Artie's November 9, 2010 comments about his conference experience at his blog, they can be seen here.

Following Mr. Butcher's address, there was a Panel Discussion moderated by U.S Fish and Wildlife biologist and nature photographer, Larry Richarson.

The White Pelican above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

Clyde Butcher, Carmen Schettino, Jane Ziser, and Artie Morris discussed photo manipulation.

Artie made the point of his following all the rules when entering a photography contest.

The Sanderling above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

Following the convention, there was about an hour of good sunlight which allowed a quick stop at Eagle Lakes Community Park in Naples where mostly wading birds were seen.

Two birding trips this week were made to Bunche Beach Preserve in Fort Myers as well.

The White Pelican above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

The San Carlos Bay venue was particularly exciting as I observed a very large flock of White Pelican that was present for a couple of hours.

I encountered wildlife observer Joy MacIntyre who told me she devotes a lot of her observation time to Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in Ohio.

Joy MacIntyre above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

Joy had commented that she thought the White Pelicans had come from Ding Darling NWR which was possible as I first saw them fly from that direction.

The White Pelicans were most impressive when seen in the sky as an entire flock.

The Osprey above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

The birds broke into two V-formations at one point and then into two entirely distinct groups that would not be observed to come together again.

I had several attempts to get a good image of Osprey hunting behavior although the bird never came up with a fish at close range.

The Killdeer above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

The weather forecast called for a high of 80 degrees and calm winds so I thought nothing of being waist deep in the chilly water for a few hours until the wind picked up and I was shivering uncontrollably.

I was in fact concerned for a sharp image focus during my last hour's observation as my core body temperature dropped.

The Willet above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

The minority Sanderling merely a couple of weeks ago was now the dominant shorebird in numbers.

A tussle between a pair of Sanderling was a very brief highlight in my observations the first day.

The Sanderling above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

Little Blue Heron were seen in greater numbers than I'd yet to see anywhere.

It was also a rare treat to see a juvenile Reddish Egret up close.

The Reddish Egret juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

Bottlenose Dolphins made a pass of me and were actively feeding and playing loudly on the first visit to Bunche Beach Preserve this week.

A follow up visit to Bunche Beach Preserve this week was made where I again saw the massive White Pelican riding the thermals over the bay.

The Little Blue Heron with juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

Wood Stork were seen in greater numbers than I have observed at this venue before (at the west channel).

A scuffle between an adult and juvenile Reddish Egret was observed in the very early morning light.

The Reddish Egret with juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

Black Skimmers were, of course, again very abundant in the company of Sandwich Terns, Laughing Gulls and small shorebirds.

Belted Kingfisher were active with a pair involved in an areal dance while another attempted to consume a fish in flight numerous times as it flew to the north along the channel.

The Black Skimmer above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

A walk into the much smaller channel that enters the mangrove forest as far west along Bunche Beach I've yet to travel offered an opportunity to experiment with somewhat long exposures that were no more than six seconds while thinking of Clyde Butcher.

I had forgotten how hazardous this place can be if you are not paying attention to where you are walking as the silt may be very soft and there are large holes in spots.

The image above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

Leaving this channel, I was startled by a number of Turkey Vultures that had settled on the ground in the mangroves near the entrance to the beach.

Back at the west channel I was observing the animated Reddish Egret and Tricolored Heron in particular when the tufts of the Little Blue Heron in the area stood tall while a flock of foraging Least Sandpipers took flight inexplicably.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

A moment later I observed the cause of the disturbance which was an overflight of the very rarely seen Peregrine Falcon.

The bird was nearly overhead when first seen and I remain very intrigued with how observant shore birds are in the presence of such a predator with the beach cleared of virtually every small bird seen a moment earlier.

The Peregrine Falcon above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

I was reluctant to leave this beautiful place with by far the highlight of the day a foraging juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron seen at close range.

The bird was captured under extreme exposure control without the use of the camera's histogram while relying on past experience alone.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

The rotation of images when required has had much written with regards to the use of Photoshop.

An accidental discovery when processing the image immediately below with a concern for minimizing barrel distortion or a bird moving up or downhill, as Artie described the situation, is the easiest I've found.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

The rotation technique is used extremely easily in CS5 by cropping the image while in Photoshop Adobe Bridge Camera Raw (JPEG image imported).

When the desired crop is seen, the release of the left mouse button is then immediately re-held with the cursor outside the cropped image while moving the cursor up or down to the desired positioning of the image.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

If clicked within the image, the crop may be moved up or down or left or right.

I have not had the time to experiment or research if this option works as readily in any other version or aspect of Adobe's Creative Suite software programs while it's certainly an improvement over the Elements versions I've been using for years.

The image above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

I'm thrilled not to have to draw that line again along with those potentially extra steps in the editing process.

A Piping Plover with numerous bands on its legs was reminiscent of the same bird seen at Bunche Beach Preserve a few months ago.

The Piping Plover above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

They are most likely unique plovers seen as the most recently observed had a deformity in its right foot with the toes missing.

I couldn't resist taking a few candid shots at the beach on the way back to the car.

The photographer above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

I met local birding enthusiast Jose Pidilla at Six Mile Cypress this past weekend telling him of the FC3 conference as he told me he was on his way to a cemetery that he noted should offer interesting photographs.

Jose mentioned trips to photograph wildlife in Puerto Rico (his home country) and Cuba which he highly recommended while noting the greatest benefit of communism offering a lack of growth at the latter.

The Belted Kingfisher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2010.

In a flashback to Artie's comments about attracting wildlife to him through audio, I was intrigued of a mention by my internet computer mentor, Kim Komando, offering a link to bird song which should be useful for wildlife documentation in the future.