Audubon Finish By A Nose

The 2nd Annual 2010 Audubon Magazine "Birds in Focus" photo contest came to a close this week with it to be featured in its Jan/Feb 2011 issue.

The Burrowing Owl image submitted to Audubon above was photographed near Cape Coral Library in 2010.

While the contest has allowed up to ten images to be submitted this year, I was only able to get six entered for consideration by the deadline.

Unlike last year, Audubon allowed a single image to be submitted this year without paying an entry fee.

The Burrowing Owl image submitted to Audubon above was photographed near Cape Coral Library in 2010.

This year's contest allowed me to have a better understanding of the importance of ensuring easy identification of image files by describing and dating them.

I had attempted to salvage a sluggish computer seemingly overburdened with images (hard drive at 97 percent capacity) by transferring the files to external hard drives while not considering an easy way to identify what the photo files represented.

The Burrowing Owl image submitted to Audubon above was photographed near Cape Coral Library in 2010.

I recall Bob Duckwall advising me that he was reading a book on the subject of how to easily identify stored images quite some time ago.

My primary purpose in entering the Audubon contest the last couple of years has been to offer enlightenment and amusement of the natural wildlife beauty that can readily be seen for the most part in southwest Florida.

The Burrowing Owl image submitted to Audubon above was photographed near Cape Coral Library in 2010.

With the discovery of Burrowing Owl in February 2010, which at the time was a goal merely to document the species as seen in Florida, the experience led to the lion's share of my time devoted to wildlife observation in the early part of the year.

The first encounter made 26 February 2010 led to observation of a mating event that evening mere minutes after sunset.

The Burrowing Owl image submitted to Audubon above was photographed near Cape Coral Library in 2010.

With it noted in David Sibley's Guide to Bird Life and Behavior that mating activity of Burrowing Owls is not well documented, 22 additional trips to Cape Coral, Florida, were made as late as 27 June 2010 this season to help improve the record.

Photography of a mating Burring Owl event requires the inordinate time that might be expected to be spent observing any bird species in the creation of an interesting wildlife image.

The Burrowing Owl image submitted to Audubon above was photographed near Cape Coral Library in 2010.

Such was the case with as many as several hours of observation time devoted to each of seven burrows studied with no guarantee that the owls occupying them would be observed to mate, an event that lasts from five to seven seconds, typically.

Unseasonal late winter/ early spring heavy rains this year were attributed to the delay in the observation of Burrowing Owl fledglings through the flooding of the burrows, but there were many juvenile owls observed on my last visit to Cape Coral as of this writing.

Florida Rainy Season

Just in time, the rainy season in southwest Florida brings relief from hot temperatures in the late afternoon.

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

This past week only allowed one trip to see some wildlife action going on in the area which was again chosen as Estero Lagoon at Fort Myers Beach.

The sky on that day appeared favorable for what I thought would be a great evening of wildlife observation and photography, but the storm that developed from the southeast was formidable and cut short the trip to the beach.

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

At that time, I met the Virginian who told me of wildlife that walks up to him at home.

My new friend, Kevinn Fung, has recently advised me of an area of wildlife observation opportunity that I will hopefully be able to report about next week.

The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

One of the species he noted observed recently has never been seen before in my travels and will be an exciting find even among the bugs he warns about.

In the sometimes uncomfortable environmental conditions of a Florida summer, it's my hope to get together with my recent acquaintances, as well as enthusiasts Bob Duckwall, Alena King, and the local birding master I've yet to meet, Tom Obrock, for some better observation of the next generation of wildlife in the area.

The wildlife observers above were photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

Stay tuned.

Seductive Scarlet

Not too long ago (three years), I caught the birding bug which has evolved into an interest in observation and capturing imagery of avian wildlife in Florida where I live.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

I had first heard of a bird known as the Scarlet Ibis over a year ago which I believe I first saw at the website of fellow pbaser Bob Duckwall who has photographed it.

This bird species is not indigenous to the southwest Florida area, but considered an escapee from a zoo or private collection of birds after one of the hurricanes that has ravaged the southeastern United States over the years.

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

According to Wikipedia, the species may also have been intentionally introduced to the area beyond its hybridization with the White Ibis in 1962.

"Scarlet," as I believe it to be affectionately known in my immediate area has been elusive to me although there is the very remote chance that it may have been seen last year at Lovers Key State Park as a bird I thought very unusual and possibly photographed by Alena King.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

With today my best opportunity to search for the Scarlet Ibis this past week, I made a journey to Estero Lagoon with hopes of catching sight of it at least.

The bird species was photographed at the lagoon on 10 February 2010 by BPN contributor Mike Landwehr of Waukee, Iowa.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

On my way to Estero Lagoon which I believed to be an area the bird might be seen again, I drove behind the Church of the Ascension which offered a great opportunity for wildlife viewing.

This was the place that my acquaintance, Linda Grasp, at Harns Marsh Preserve offered through her contact John Dougherty of Morrisville, NY.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

I was not completely sure of this location as Linda had noted John's observations of the Scarlet Ibis well beyond the mainland of Fort Myers on Sanibel Island if not closer to Captiva Island.

My observations this week as I made my way to Estero Lagoon after viewing 11 White Ibis including two juveniles were muted by just a relaxing long overdue trip to the beach.

The White Ibis above was photographed near Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

I thought I had read weeks ago that the Estero Lagoon area had set up its bird nesting boundaries to protect its nesting birds including terns and plovers, but I saw no evidence of that as yet.

I don't know exactly where those prohibitions might be as I have not observed them in the past.

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

As I normally do, I park at the accommodating shopping plaza just south of the Holiday Inn at the beach and walk to the lagoon area from there.

Most recently I walked north beyond the perimeter of the lagoon with the sound of music and DJ at the tiki hut.

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

As I headed south I caught sight of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron that I had not seen in a long while so I paused to experiment with my flash in photographing it.

This particular bird allowed be to get within the limits of my focusing range of it as it was very subdued.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

In this immediate area I was able to capture the Northern Cardinal and listen to its call from the mangroves it was well hidden in.

Slowly making my way further beyond the lagoon, I was captivated by a trey of Snowy Egret that were feeding in the surf of the Gulf of Mexico with one of the birds apparently injured in some way as it had a limp in its movement.

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

Before I left this particular part of the beach, there were observations made of Willet, though not sure what type as Tom Obrock has recently noted.

Rounding the bend I encountered a family group that I would learn was also Iowan where I was asked to capture an image of the family with their camera (birding was not their thing, but is NASCAR and photography of it).

The family above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

Just before meeting these people, I observed an American Oystercatcher which was unmistakable in its flight south along the beach.

I wasn't able to catch up to it, but saw the other regulars that I had hoped to see that are missed when not having visited the beach in a long while.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in March 2009.

While primarily interested in photography of birds, there were a few photographers that were interestingly shooting directly into the light although it was subdued with heavy cloud cover.

I was compelled to photograph them as well with expectations to meet them all, but there wasn't the time and focused on the wildlife subjects at hand, one photographer simply inexplicably disappeared.

The Ruddy Turnstone above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

I was able to speak briefly with Alain visiting from France whom I recommended find the Burrowing Owls in Cape Coral which are especially photogenic this time of year.

Although the Scarlet Ibis was not observed this week, I will continue to search for this elusive and seductive creature.

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

John Dougherty recommends the sighting of the Scarlet Ibis this time of year at Lakes Park.

Random Thoughts V

I haven't been to any of my local beaches in over a month. I mention this because I would normally be at one at least once a week when possible.

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

Some of the beaches in the SW Florida area can be uncrowded which allows for ideal shore and wading bird activity and observation where there's great enjoyment.

I was told today of a sighting of the Scarlet Ibis at Lakes Park in early 2009. This inland venue is one that I should be visiting more often with its prospects for exciting wildlife observation and photography.

The Short-billed Dowitcher and Black-bellied Plover above were photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2009.

Pbaser and attorney, Bob Duckwall, has an image in his galleries of the Scarlet Ibis that he has observed in the area.

The Scarlet Ibis is a rare species for my area that I have not had the privilege to observe in my excess of two years of bird observation.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2009.

As always, it's been fun to read the blog of renowned wildlife photographer, Artie Morris. His education and entertainment is not to be missed.

After a year of periodic research of a song that I'd like to add to the music player, it was finally found through the help of Andrew Linne. The composition is exceptional and a must hear. It is called "Candle of Hope."