2011 Harns Marsh Spectacle

After a three day trip to Fort De Soto Park I was really excited to get back into the field for wildlife observation and photography.

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

My first opportunity this week led me to Harns Marsh Preserve as I haven't visited this remarkable venue in four months.

I'm still attempting to make at least monthly visits while not neglecting the numerous other wildlife venues in the area I like to visit in such limited time.

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

I had given thought of a trip to the Sanibel Lighthouse this week as well to attempt to locate the Eastern Screech Owl that Tom Obrock had reported a couple of weeks ago.

A trip to the lighthouse just for the owl with little chance of seeing migratory birds this season was certainly not as appealing to me as revisiting the marsh which so often has resulted in great rewards including the sighting of two bird species added to the preserve's checklist.

The Black Vulture above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

The owl has thus far remained unseen, so I will be making a trip to the lighthouse with hopefully the best chance to observe it sometime in the future.

Tom had told me earlier in the week that he had seen Bobolinks near Harns Marsh, and I certainly didn't expect to observe the would be lifer on my visit a few days later.

The Killdeer above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

My arrival at Harns Marsh was at dawn while another photographer and a fisherman were already there.

I didn't recognize the photographer until considering the baby stroller and its previous sighting referenced here.

The Boat-tailed Grackle above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

It was a treat to see Bob Blanchard again whom I've seen at Harns Marsh Preserve a few times before.

Bob noted that it was a long week for delivery of the stroller which he's now utilizing effectively to carry his photo gear while pointing out how well it works with its large wheels at the beach.

The Killdeer juvenile above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

Bob told me as well that he had visited Harns Marsh Preserve upwards of 30 times in the first four months of 2011.

So it was not a surprise to see him settled down at what appeared to be his favorite spot where I had seen him last.

The Killdeer above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

Though somewhat overcast the light was sufficient to allow for photography of Killdeer and their offspring that I would pass walking north along the marsh's edge.

It was very interesting to observe the behavior of the Killdeer that seemed to be attempting to attract its fledglings to it or perhaps discourage a predator.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

The mature Killdeer gave very good cover for its young as it allowed one under its left wing and then another under its right.

One of the juveniles appeared to have an injury to one of its legs with deformity a possibility.

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

As I made my way past Limpkin that were heard more than seen I finally caught up to Bob.

I approached beyond and behind him in an effort not to disturb him more than I thought I would.

The Glossy Ibis above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

There were many more Limkins and shorebirds in the distance with numerous flybys of Black-crowned Night-Herons and juveniles of the species.

With the great abundance of the birds seen I moved my position to Bob's left in an attempt to get a better shot of them.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

At that point though, the birds had regrettably for the most part made their way through.

It was interesting to hear what Bob had been up to including his recent wildlife observations.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

It was great fun to hear Bob talk about his trials with his camera gear as well.

He seemed very reluctant to use the high ISO capability of his camera noting that he prefers to shoot at ISO 160 though pushed it at my recommendation.

The Mottled Duck above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

Only in very bright light have I used the wider setting while ISO 400 is typically used.

In digital photography, ISO refers to the light sensitivity equivalent of film with it noted in the June 2011 issue of Shutterbug magazine that the last roll of Kodachrome film was recently processed and is no longer produced.

The Mottled Duck above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

Very few digital cameras will currently perform for wildlife photography extraordinarily well under adverse lighting conditions without flash.

Black-necked Stilt were observed for the first time at the preserve (though recently seen further north courtesy of Tom Obrock) while Bob told me of his recent success photographing the species.

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

The highlight of the morning for me was to make a count of Limpkin juveniles which I had never observed before.

There seemed to be a dominant one lacking fear as it entered open water following one of its parents.

The Limpkin with juvenile above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

This juvenile could have been the oldest of the brood by a day or hours.

David Sibley in his Guide to Bird Life and Behavior notes that Limpkin lays from four to eight eggs.

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

There were five juveniles of Limpkin seen in all with one seemingly very shy.

While Bob was shooting on his belly with a 2X converter attached to his primary camera with his backup camera at the ready as well, it explained why he wasn't seeing all the birds on the horizon about a mile away.

Bob Blanchard above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

A solitary Snail Kite was observed among a couple dozen Roseate Spoonbill at the great distance.

While much may be missed in observing the greater surroundings, Bob has given me inspiration to put the 2X converter back on the lens that I've only utilized thus far at STA5.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at The Field in May 2011.

While Bob and I captured the Mottled Duck "blastoff" in virtually the same fraction of a second, his version is certainly preferred for its out of focus background benefited by the use of the 2X.

Bob had also told about a wildlife area that he led me directly to after we left the marsh.

The Eastern Meadowlark above was photographed at The Field in May 2011.

This area will be referred to as "the field" in the future.

The field offered minimal wildlife activity on my midday initial visit including a Pileated Woodpecker that attempted to land on a metal street light pole on the drive into the area.

The White-tailed Deer above was photographed at The Field in May 2011.

I also observed Eastern Meadowlark, Red-shouldered Hawk and a lot of Lovebugs during this visit at the field.

This venue is a future residential development in limbo near Southwest Florida International airport.

The cow above was photographed at The Field in May 2011.

The field has many "no trespassing" notices which were better understood on my second visit the next evening when cattle were seen though unsure why not before.

I had revisited the field late in the day at Bob's recommendation with observation again of Eastern Meadowlark while adding Gray Catbird and a solitary Downy Woodpecker.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

A White-tailed Deer was surprisingly seen while the beast allowed me to photograph it for an extended period.

Sandhill Crane could be heard in the distance to the northeast.

The Killdeer above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

My second visit to Harns Marsh Preserve this week was with the expectation that the conditions would be at least as good as the day earlier.

It was significantly cooler and therefore a fog hung over the marsh through the first hour of my visit.

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

I certainly didn't expect the experience to be the most rewarding I've had in dozens of trips to this wildlife venue which it was.

The bird activity in fact rivaled some of the best I've seen at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

The Greater Yellowlegs above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

A fellow photographer on the second morning seemed to have a sense of what might unfold, but he regrettably should have merely stayed another hour.

The magic unfolds at the marsh's whim as Bob experienced on my visit to the preserve earlier this week when he as well almost left too soon.

The Wood Stork above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

I failed to see the juvenile Killdeer and juvenile Limkin as observed earlier and thus chose to change my observation point.

This allowed all five Black-necked Stilt to again be observed though excitedly at the same time while the birds preferred to keep their distance from each other for the most part.

The Wood Stork with Black Vulture above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

Earlier in the morning Black-crowned Night-Heron and juveniles again passed in front of me as they made their way to vegetation close to the abandoned tractor that was used to create the marsh as it exists today.

With the water level at the marsh the lowest I had ever seen it before, the Limpkin appeared very successful in finding Apple Snails and other food to sustain itself and its young.

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

Snail Kite were not seen on my second visit to the preserve this week which I find disappointing although Tom Obrock reported seeing eight of them (mostly juveniles) in the area days earlier.

For an unknown reason the mature male Snail Kite remains most infrequently seen at the preserve.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

As I made my way further into the marsh than I've been before, I settled down for several hours.

The white birds, predominantly egret and heron, were extremely abundant including the greatest number of American White Pelican I believe observed this past week.

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

The largest flock of the pelican seen together included nine individuals with their presence in the area so late in the season extraordinary.

The Roseate Spoonbill was observed much closer this day with a flock approached a dozen in number as well.

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

Wood Stork were extremely abundant at the preserve at this time while I ponder Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary perhaps having little or no nesting activity again this year.

I'm still trying to understand Corkscrew's problem with it reportedly having too little or too much water for ideal birding conditions.

The Wood Stork above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

A Wood Stork was observed carrying nesting material twice at Harns Marsh which hopefully bodes well for conditions at Corkscrew this breeding season.

Of course the photography of the white birds created an extreme challenge in properly exposing their images with the birds often on the move from bright sky to dark background.

The Wood Stork above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

I enjoyed the trial immensely occasionally quick enough for them while getting more confident in my efforts.

This in combination with keeping the subjects in focus is a great reward in wildlife photography for me.

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

Bob later notified me that there were reports of Purple Gallinule seen at Harns Marsh Preserve this past week.

I perhaps saw one that flew mere feet above the water directly in front of me.

The White Pelican above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

I initially thought the bird seen was Least Bittern which is most likely.

It is possible that I saw a juvenile PUGA as I didn't get a look at the color of the beak distinguishing the two species with such a quick sighting of the secretive bird.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

The bird regrettably remained out of sight thereafter with hopes of it observed again in the future.

Bob Blanchard has been presenting his stunning imagery at his Facebook page.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in May 2011.

It's been extremely rewarding for me to observe and photograph wildlife in Florida these past four years while meeting such interesting people from around the world.

Too Many Birds At Ding Darling NWR

The title of this post is made in jest while it's somewhat accurate with regard to my perceptions for bird photography at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge of late.

The Great Egret with White Ibis above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

Of course, an early morning visit to the refuge at a low tide is the ideal time to be here for wildlife observation.

At that time, the rising sun will be for the most part behind you as you make your way along Wildlife Drive.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

To clarify earlier comments made related to the importance of the tidal conditions, it is best to arrive at Ding Darling four to five hours after a low tide at Matanzas Pass timing a visit as close to sunrise as possible.

The time of an ideal low tide will vary depending on the time of year of your visit.

The Ring-billed Gull above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

Biting sand gnats can be a nuisance at the Refuge as I've observed in virtually all of my visits, so you may want to have an insect repellent with DEET available.

Please note that if viewing the exif data for any of the photographs taken this week that I failed to change the time ahead an hour in my camera.

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

I've observed the tide to change this many hours after the low at Water Control Structure 2 with predictability.

My last three visits to the Refuge have been particularly overwhelming in the wildlife seen.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

This smacks in the face of commentary I've been told or read that there has been a reduction in wildlife observations made in recent years across the state of Florida.

I've given some thought to this perception and what the explanation for it may be.

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

I have been diligently observing wildlife in southwest Florida for about four years with 12 favorite venues that I visit as regularly as possible.

These southwest Florida venues include Ding Darling, Bunche Beach, Estero Lagoon, Lovers Key, Harns Marsh, Lakes Park, Corkscrew Swamp, Six Mile Cypress, Venice Rookery, Eagle Lakes, Tigertail, and Babcock Webb in no particular order.

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

So what might be the cause for such a negative perception of a wildlife decline?

I can think of a few things that may have different degrees of relevance.

The Great Egret above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

Foremost is perhaps the unprecedented back to back hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005 when hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne in '04 and Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in '05 undoubtedly devastated countless nesting colonies.

Hurricane Charley is particularly noted as having changed the ecology and topography of Ding Darling NWR.

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

Hurricane activity in Florida has fortunately been subdued in more recent years giving wildlife the opportunity to recover with more favorable conditions.

Abnormally cold weather the last two winters has possibly impacted birds favorably in Florida with the '09-'10 fish kill when wading birds gorged themselves earlier than they typically do when water levels are at there lowest before the start of the rainy season.

The Great Egret above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

A comment overheard by a volunteer at Ding Darling noted however that rainfall, whether plentiful or not, has not been a cause of the failure of Wood Stork nesting colonies at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary the last couple of years to the extent that cold weather has been.

Wood Stork have been seen in the Fort Myers area with frequency this winter (though not this past week), particularly at Ding Darling NWR and Harns Marsh Preserve.

The Pied-billed Grebe above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

In addition to the above speculated uncontrollable forces, I've made observations that have negative impacts from moment to moment.

Most recently was an observation of a few young kids at Estero Lagoon that were running into a flock of resting birds near the surf.

The playful activity above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in February 2011.

This event reminded me of kids doing the same on the flats at Lovers Key State Park at New Pass with much greater numbers of birds impacted a few years ago.

The lack of parental supervision is disappointingly seen with positive efforts made at Ding Darling noted recently as a bus load of kids passing by were heard educated about the wildlife they could see.

The Pied-billed Grebe above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

The education about wildlife has been made in the form of questions like, "What do you see?"

On occasion I've also observed pets that are allowed to run unrestrained by their owners with the dogs as expected attempting to play with wildlife which reacts as you might expect.

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

I'm not sure the impact of exotic pet release or hunting, but these factors may have notable impact for observations of wildlife as well.

Florida has allowed the hunting of snakes in the Everglades this past year.

The Belted Kingfisher above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

I've encountered an abundance of wildlife during my visits to the venues mentioned in this post with very rare exception.

Ding Darling NWR was my sole focus this week devoting much time along Wildlife Drive at my favored observation point at WCS2 with numerous observations made that were no less than extraordinary.

The Little Blue Heron juvenile above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

As was normal in the moon's cycle, the favored low tides had been getting higher and later in the morning each day.

I believe this was the cause of fewer birds seen overall on each successive visit to the refuge while the most recent visit I found to be the most memorable.

The Pied-billed Grebe above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

A Swallow-tailed Kite was seen for the first time this season as it gracefully circled above.

Toward the west near mid-morning I thought I observed smoke rising into the sky, but it was thousands of Tree Swallows upon closer inspection.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

There were many opportunities to observe feeding behavior, overflights of birds, and the mere daily routine of the interesting avian creatures.

I was able to photograph for the first time the double crest of a cormorant which is not an easy thing to do even considering how abundant this species is in the area.

The Tree Swallow with egret above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

An adult Snowy Egret was not tolerant of a juvenile that was within its territory.

A distinctive waterfowl observed flying with a pair of Mottled Duck would be identified as the rarely seen Northern Shoveler at the Refuge.

The Northern Shoveler above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

And perhaps the most exhilarating experience was an overflight of about a hundred Willet that strafed me at less than ten feet from behind.

The allure of Indigo Trail has been incredibly enticing, though yet to be explored.

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

Too many birds at the refuge has been my concern for a photograph of the wildlife without a distraction in an image taken of a particular subject ideally engaging in behavioral action.

I'm not a fan of manipulating photographs beyond traditional means though desperately need to learn how to add canvas to an image which I hope to do in the near future.

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

For returning visitors to my blog, I hope you find the new look appealing.

I'm grateful to Tim Rucci for his help with my Pbase style sheet while attempting to emulate it in this blog.

The Pied-billed Grebe above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of timing visits to venues nearby the Gulf of Mexico for the most part at a low or near low tide.

If you fail to do this, you may end up being disappointed.

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