Aunt Nettie

The weather was inclement on my days off from work which made for a challenge to get some fresh wildlife photography included in this post.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

It wasn't until hours ago that it all came together for a message you will hopefully appreciate.

The sky finally cleared on Friday and offered some of the best light I remember from experiences I've had the last couple of years during the rainy season in southwest Florida.

The fellow visitors above were photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

Weather conditions were ideal with little chance of rain with a low tide a couple of hours before sunset at Matanzas Pass.

Therefore I chose to visit Bunche Beach to see what kind of wildlife action was happening there.

The Willet above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

Just before I left for the venue, I sent an email to Tom Obrock reminding him of the low tide at the preserve.

I was pleased to see that he had made the effort to travel there to observe the wildlife as well.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

He told me of future plans he has to visit Idaho where he will undoubtedly report in his blog some exciting observations.

After parking the car in the late afternoon, I headed toward the west channel with relatively light winds at the time and more birds seen that direction.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

The tide at the beach was about as low as it gets in the summer months and offered an interesting scene where numerous sand bars are beginning to form into the bay perpendicular from the beach.

They will allow great opportunity for birds to rest, feed, and be observable in the future.

The Western Sandpiper above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

If the wind was strong from the west, I think I would have made my way to the east channel as I've had success with photographing wildlife under those conditions in the past.

Under such conditions I think I would have also been concerned about the possibility of methane in the air due to the British Petroleum gusher feeding oil to the surface of the Gulf of Mexico.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

It seems unfathomable to me the potential adverse impact to this venue from the BP disaster.

With the west channel much shallower than that to the east, it attracts much more fishermen.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

Today was no exception as there were a lot of patrons to the preserve that were throwing cast nets for bait certainly with plans to fish elsewhere as they didn't have poles with them.

Their activity caused most of the birds I was observing to exit the area on a few occasions as the men made their way back and forth along the channel.

The fisherman above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

As usual, when I plant myself down for viewing of the birds at Bunche Beach in the west channel, it was a little unnerving as small fish, crabs, and plant debris made contact with me in the water that is very murky.

I had the opportunity to experience a tide change and the resulting stillness of the water that seemingly lasts only seconds.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

An unusually cloudless sky to the west at the time of sunset had me completely focused on the birds in great light more so than the opportunity to capture the setting sun.

I walked much further west than expected after both Tom and another visitor to the preserve had told me of the black-crowned herons observed beyond where I was.

The Sanderling above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

The view of the preserve and San Carlos Bay from a scenic point of view was stunning under such great weather conditions.

With the loss of my Aunt Nettie this past month, I've decided to name my long lens in remembrance of her.

The Semipalmated Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

Fellow Pbaser, Susan Rovera, made a comment at my Bunche Beach Preserve gallery recently expressing the thought, "You get the most from your (70-)300mm zoom."

Just before my latest trip to the preserve this past week, I made settings on the 5DM2 as recommended by Artie Morris for the 1DM3 as best was possible with what can be done with the former camera.

Tom Obrock above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

The most radical change made was setting the "picture style" to Neutral.

Most recently I was using "landscape" thinking that it might provide some more sharpness and color in the wildlife images I take.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

I'll have to report later if I see a significant improvement in image quality.

One of the better results in changes the camera's settings apparently has improved the loss of quality while brightening dark shadows.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron juvenile above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2010.

Closer to the wildlife is definitely better if you can manage it with great care.

Little Estero Lagoon North And South

Wildlife activity at Little Estero Lagoon was so interesting to me last week that I was compelled to return.

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

These treks have been relatively unusual for me as I haven't made a diligent effort before now to see what might be happening at the critical wildlife area in the summer months.

Although I again observed the Least Tern in flight almost immediately having a very limited view of the beach, I chose to stay in the north lagoon itself adjacent to the Holiday Inn earlier in the week.

The wildlife photographer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

My observations were therefore limited as to what might be happening at the shore line.

After my sighting of the terns in flight on the horizon, I had the opportunity to observe for a few moments the Tricolored Heron which can be counted on as a regular at the lagoon.

The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

I then focused my attention on a solitary Black Skimmer that made a few passes through the north lagoon.

It was a thrill to see the skimmer as I don't recall seeing it at this venue before while it was somewhat disappointing not to see it capture any fish which relentlessly pecked at me.

The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

The skimmer has otherwise been observed during virtually every visit I've made to Bunche Beach Preserve at any time of year, typically to the west from the parking area.

At the lagoon, a Willet flew in to stretch its wings as a Great Blue Heron walked by.

The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

I didn't see the white morph Great Blue Heron as I had a few days earlier although I wasn't in the exact same area it might have been again.

A pair of wading birds observed and often seen together when the Roseate Spoonbill is present included it and the Snowy Egret.

The Willet above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

My observations have me believe that the Snowy Egret is attracted to the foraging activity of the spoonbill which makes the egret's hunting for prey more successful.

A Reddish Egret shortly thereafter made its entrance to the lagoon and offered a great show in its feeding behavior through its magnificent dance.

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

Regrettably the light had waned to the point where my final shots were taken at 1/10th of a second which did not lend very well to an appealing image of it in action.

I need to remember to bring the flash under all circumstances which would certainly be useful in improving my photography.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

My second visit to Little Estero Lagoon this week had me favor a walk south from the Holiday Inn between the finger lagoon and Gulf of Mexico leading me nearly to Big Carlos Pass which separates Little Estero Island and Lovers Key State Park.

It was on this route that I spent much time observing while continuing my effort through photography to capture the feeding behavior of the Least Tern.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

The birds flew from their nesting area at me in waves of a half dozen or fewer and often flew out of sight to the north into the blinding sun on the horizon unless they captured a fish in front of me and immediately headed back to their mates and young.

A successful catch for the Least Tern after its hover and dive behavior I would place at one in three for an individual bird observed.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

Fisherman casting their bait along the beach were apparently only having luck with catfish at the time.

There were of course White Ibis with a pair of juveniles observed feeding in the surf.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

There was an exciting overflight of a Great Blue Heron which glided gracefully to the north.

At the Least Tern nesting area, the birds somewhat ignored me as the sun was about to set.

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

It was my hope to photograph the Least Tern juveniles in the last remaining sunlight of the day.

A couple of the juveniles observed took flight which indicates they are a few weeks old or more and upwards of eight weeks from inception.

The Least Tern juvenile above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

As I was looking through the viewfinder of the camera studying a juvenile, the Straightness of terns (as a group of terns is known), had a completely different atmosphere about it as the Least Tern's vocal calls changed dramatically.

I looked up to see dozens of the birds in flight over the nesting area while several were in close pursuit of a Black-crowned Night-Heron that was making a flyover from the south.

The Least Tern juvenile above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

The predatory heron left my view until I began the long walk back to the car.

A mere hundred yards up the beach, I observed that the Black-crowned Night-Heron had landed near a Great Blue Heron in the south lagoon as both species of heron were harassed by a persistent Least Tern.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron with Least Tern above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

Though neither heron took flight, they did significantly flinch at each close dive bombing by the tern.

A little further on my walk I observed a trio of Roseate Spoonbill in the very last remaining light of the day.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

Well published writer and photographer Ken Platt, in The Island Sand Paper (online subscription recommended), advised me this week that some wildlife observers apparently got too close to the spoonbills at the north lagoon while photographing them as he had not observed the birds for several days.

The more secluded area of the lagoon further to the south offers some bird species more than others a level of tranquility.

The Least Tern juvenile above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

A very favorable low tide of -0.4 was observed at Little Estero Lagoon on 10 June 2010.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron has been elusive during my recent visits to Little Estero Lagoon last observed here in cooler weather.

The sunset above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

Future returns to this very appealing wildlife venue are assured.

Bunche Beach Revisited

Does lightning have a smell? I can't say I know the answer. The accompanying rain certainly can. It is one of my favorite aromas.

That unique fragrance caused by water interacting with mold, which I read as the cause somewhere, is sometimes experienced in advance of your getting wet if you're lucky.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in September 2009.

A return visit to Bunche Beach Preserve was enjoyable as usual while the smell of of rain was absent. The skies have been predominantly overcast this summer in southwest Florida. Not advantageous for wildlife photography outdoors for sure, but I recall wildlife photographer Arthur Morris stating that he likes such conditions at times.

I had arrived at the preserve a little earlier in the afternoon than has been my opportunity in the past. It was a temptation I couldn't resist as the bird action has been rewarding this summer.

The White Ibis above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in August 2009.

I will only visit the preserve at or near low tide when the birds are in greater numbers feeding in the shallows. I passed a photographer on my walk along the beach to the west channel whom I told should return at the more opportune time for observing the wildlife with low tide only merely hours away. Particularly to hopefully see the Black-crowned Night-Heron that I had observed on my last visit to the preserve.

There was evidently a storm brewing to the north which gave no evidence of movement which I thought would spare an interruption of my observations at the beach. I was wrong.

The White Ibis above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in August 2009.

Less than an hour after arriving and making the walk past the west channel, the lightning was impressive. Within minutes of my first sighting of it, the lightning was too close for comfort. Within 500 feet would be my guess.

Not a good time to be in the water. The third strike was the decisive one to make the half mile retreat to the car when the nearly instantaneous thunder had every bird in the area take flight with the exception of a Reddish Egret that chose to stand its ground.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in August 2009.

Once in the confines of the car, I held my ground and waited things out for about 45 minutes when it appeared the worst was over and I trekked back to my favored place at the preserve.

Virtually all of the small shore birds that were in greater numbers than I had seen before at the preserve, were gone. The Reddish Egret was still exactly where I had left him, but then in the company of a greater number of White Ibis than I had seen before anywhere. There were a few Snowy Egrets in the group as well.

The moon above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in August 2009.

The most memorable events of the day included the flight of the 74 Ibis I had counted in my immediate vicinity, with others beyond, that took flight instantaneously when a Great Blue Heron apparently walked a little too close to them. And most curiously, the appearance of three Black Skimmers were seen at what seemed the exact moment the sun had set. They strafed me on several occasions obviously under lighting conditions uncooperative for capturing more wildlife images.

The photographer I had seen earlier returned at my suggestion, but he was not prepared to get in the water as I only observed him from a great distance while he was able to photograph at very close range what appeared to be a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron on the beach. I'm sure he considered the return to the preserve worthwhile. The BKNH remained absent on this day.

The Willet above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in August 2009.

On the final walk back to the parking area, I briefly observed a few humans in near darkness as annoying insects including sand gnats and mosquitos were abundant. The pests were extremely voracious as the air was very still and had me flee the area quicker than I would have liked.

At most other times of year, there is at least a strong breeze that would keep such a nuisance at bay at this venue.