Estero Lagoon Locals

Very windy conditions on the Florida Gulf Coast were again experienced this week as a storm front passed over the Florida Peninsula offering much needed rain though very little accumulated in the Fort Myers area.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in April 2011.

The weather was otherwise ideal for an afternoon visit to Estero Lagoon early in the week.

I found haven from the wind by settling in the water exiting the lagoon into the gulf near a clump of mangroves on the beach.

The Osprey above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in April 2011.

From this position I was able to study a surprisingly docile Reddish Egret that was often wary of the beach patrons passing by.

I was able to observe a number of White Ibis, a Snowy Egret, and a Mottled Duck work the lagoon.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in April 2011.

A very rarely seen Herring Gull made a close flyby over the lagoon as it headed south along the beach.

An Osprey made a landing behind a dune in the lagoon and appeared back into view carrying a stick for nest building.

The Herring Gull above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in April 2011.

This was a treat to observe as I thought this activity had peaked a couple of months ago.

While it's been evident that snow birds (tourists) have been returning home these past couple of weeks, there still was a lot of foot traffic at the lagoon.

The Magnificent Frigatebird above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in April 2011.

A pair of visitors from Miami photographed the Reddish Egret with me for a brief time.

The Roseate Spoonbill failed to arrive on the scene as I commented was a possibility.

The Miamian above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in April 2011.

After walking a few hundred yards to the south, I settled down to study a pair of Snowy Egret and the Reddish Egret that had flown in to take advantage of the incoming tide.

A Ruddy Turnstone flew onto the scene for a brief moment as the sun was close to setting.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in April 2011.

I chose to photograph the waders directly into the sun in the final hour of my stay at the lagoon for what I had hoped would offer some interesting images.

This proved to be a problem with the reflection of the sun in the water so bright that I needed to use manual focus as auto focus couldn't distinguish the birds from the surf.

The Michiganian above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in April 2011.

The beach goers near Estero Lagoon are often visiting from other parts of the country or the world.

It's always interesting to speak with them when the chance arises.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in April 2011.

Bunche Beach Tornado Watch

A late in the week opportunity to capture some wildlife imagery was made to offer some fresh stuff.

The scene above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

The start of the morning was very gloomy with heavy winds yet the temperature was warm.

Without precipitation, although Lee County was reportedly under a Tornado Watch, I chose to travel to Bunche Beach knowing that the conditions would not be ideal.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

The night before I had received a reply from local birding enthusiast, Wes Dirks.

I thought I might meet up with him at the Sanibel Lighthouse, but the conditions were considered to be much too windy for photography of migrating passerines there.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

With the tide at Matanzas Pass still hours from its high upon my arrival at Bunche Beach Preserve, I had not seen the tide so high at the preserve before.

This was certainly due to the winds from the south that were driving the gulf waters into the bay.

The Dunlin above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

I chose to walk about a half mile to the east along the shoreline and wait for the birds.

The sighting of a Bald Eagle and Magnificent Frigatebird after immediately stepping out of the car I thought a good omen.

The scene above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

This was a very rare occasion when I would not wade in the water as the waves were fierce.

Although I wouldn't see the eagle again, two frigatebirds would fly toward me during my visit.

The Brown Pelican above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

A pair of Ospreys would make flyovers as well although the only species of bird I would see dive into the water apparently in search of food was a Royal Tern.

Many Snowy Egrets braved the conditions headed in the direction of Bird Island that would allow them good cover.

The Magnificent Frigatebird above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

Double-crested Cormorant and Brown Pelicans were prolific in flying toward the lighthouse across the bay.

Willet, Reddish Egret, Tricolored Heron, Dunlin, and Black-bellied Plovers were headed in the direction of Bowditch Point just north of Fort Myers Beach.

The 3rd graders above were photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

A large group of children arrived on the scene that I would learn were two classes of third graders that were to learn about the food chain within the mud flats at Bunche Beach Preserve.

The windy conditions were ideal for an apparently very well experienced Kitesurfer that did some amazing leaps from the waves.

The Royal Tern above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

It was a treat to again visit Bunche Beach with nearly two months having passed.

The storm front that was the cause of the tornado warning that was reported to expire at 1pm was extended to 8pm when I returned home.

The Kitesurfer above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in March 2011.

It wasn't until 8:20pm that lightning could be seen and a trace amount of rain fell.

Four American Oystercatchers At Estero Lagoon

On the heals of my relatively inland trip to Harns Marsh Preserve this past Thanksgiving holiday, I was excited to get back to the beach for some observation of shore birds.

The beachcomber above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

More than five months had passed since my last visit to Estero Lagoon, a venue that I've never found less than favorable.

The lagoon was on my mind courtesy of fellow photographer and wildlife observer Chris Baker, whom I met at Harns Marsh, visiting from across the pond.

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

Chris had noted that Roseate Spoonbills were active at the lagoon and arriving shortly before sunset.

When I inquired of him if he had seen the American Oystercatcher, which he noted positively, I wasn't expecting the experience that I would enjoy this week.

The Killdeer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

Upon my initial arrival at Estero Lagoon, the first bird species seen was Yellow-crowned Night-Heron.

It was perhaps the same bird that had been so accommodating to me in the past.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron is not often seen, so I paused for a moment before moving on to the southern part of the lagoon.

There were many Brown Pelicans flying in the area as should be expected.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

The other common locals including Killdeer, White Ibis, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Willet, Reddish Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Great Blue Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, and Tricolored Heron (my favorite bird to observe in flight for is colorful beauty) would be seen.

An unexpected treat was the overflight of several Magnificent Frigatebird.

The Magnificent Frigatebird above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

I chose to forgo the use of the converter/extender with the thought of a comment Chris had made about soft images that he's apparently experienced with its use.

I was glad that he agreed to double stack them with hopefully acceptable results last week.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

The above technique I've noted to occasionally be used by Florida based wildlife photographer, Artie Morris.

An interest in his co-creation of "Birds as Art" should not be overlooked.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

At Estero Lagoon, the Canon extender wouldn't be necessary with my ability to get so close to the birds and I chose not to use it.

In addition, my backup camera used offered a 1.3X internal magnification factor.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

After a review of all the images taken, I believe that I had more of a problem with quality related to my chosen 800 ISO setting perhaps earlier than was necessary.

I also have noted that the use of flash (incorrectly) before it was necessary was always the image that I found less favorable although this might be considered a personal preference.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

As I settled down waiting for the spoonbills which I thought I might be able to capture some good flight shots of, the American Oystercatchers returned after an earlier sighting and I was hooked in observation of them.

Another photographer also chose to take advantage of the opportunity.

The Wood Stork above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

He noted at one point the feeding behavior of the species to be well worth his time.

The oystercatchers were just downright fun to observe.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

The feeding behavior of the oystercatcher was the highlight of the time spent with them with at one point a Willet entering the scene to show a brazen nature while it would merely pick up scraps.

The oystercatchers were very active, with one of them sporting green bands on both legs and a metal band on its lower left leg.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

The metal band on the oystercatcher from a distance could offer no clues about its meaning.

A very heavy crop and 180 degree rotation of a photograph of the bird led to details including the band having been placed on the bird upside down with numbers that appear to be "185" with letters bellow that which appear to be "LASR."

The banded American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

This bird was aggressive in the group as it attempted to steal a worm from another of its kind at one point though didn't take away the worm.

The banded bird was the only one observed to engage in bathing behavior.

The American Oystercatcher with Willet above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

The fellow photographer seemed appreciative of my pointing out the action which I thought was obscured from his point of view.

A few minutes after sunset was the point when a solitary Roseate Spoonbill flew into the scene as well as a Reddish Egret and solitary Sanderling.

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

This was about 90 minutes late and birds missing in numbers based on Chris' report.

I was very intrigued with the spoonbill's aggressive hunting style which is typically much more subdued in my observations of the species.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in November 2010.

While the oystercatchers were extremely enjoyable to observe for the time devoted to them, the spoonbill seen with flash required for a relatively focused shot was extraordinary in its behavior.

I was thrilled to see a catch made and captured in two images that was not known to have happened in real time.

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

A few Woodstork would be observed up until the extreme last light of the day with an attempt made to photograph it.

The use of flash in the dark conditions led to the unfavorable red eye effect with the Woodstork's pupils and I didn't like the foreground clutter that would allow even a less than favorable crop.

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

The eyes of the Roseate Spoonbill under the same conditions appear somewhat unnatural.

Shorebirds easily compete with wading ones for your attention at remarkable wildlife venues such as Estero Lagoon.

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

My follow up late afternoon visit to Estero Lagoon saw a much lower tide.

I decided to travel to the southern most point I've ventured to in the past where I last saw nesting Least Terns.

The Ruddy Turnstone with Sanderling above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

I devoted a lot of attention to a small group of Ruddy Turnstone in the company of about an equal number of Sanderling.

My point of view was from within the Gulf of Mexico with the sun setting somewhat behind me.

The Ruddy Turnstone with Sanderling above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

The wind was very light although the waves required me to reposition myself on a couple of occasions.

The Ruddy Turnstone made interesting work of an urchin with sea the creature turned over numerous times.

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

Up to five Sanderling would approach the turnstone making work of the urchin to only have hit and miss opportunities for a bite.

On the way back to the primary lagoon, I briefly observed a Snowy and pair of Wilson's Plovers.

Adams Serra above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

I also met and spoke with Adams Serra after recognizing him from a mutual visit to the lagoon earlier this year.

Adams is a member at Naturescapes where I've found Florida wildlife photographers Alfred and Fabiola Forns to be major contributors.

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

It would be a treat to end the day to again meet up with Chris Baker whom was getting down and dirty with the fellow I met earlier in the week.

Chris would tell and show me of his minute's old experience of a Little Blue Heron that had taken a prawn from a Black-bellied Plover offering Chris remarkable wildlife photography.

Chris at right and fellow wildlife photographer above were photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Enjoy what you might see here on your average day at any time of year and remain patient for the unexpected.

Bunche Beach Booty

When I saw my work schedule this week with two rare days off in a row, I immediately checked tide tables when I had the chance.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

A trip to Bunche Beach Preserve, let alone a pair of them this week, I was certain were long overdue.

Low tides around sunrise were too much of a temptation to consider traveling elsewhere with the chance to observe the best of shorebird action in the area.

The Western Sandpiper with Great Blue Heron above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

The low tides at Ding Darling NWR would be good closer to noon and considered the very early morning light better for bird photography this week at Bunche Beach Preserve.

Upon exiting the car on the first day at Bunche Beach, there were biting gnats which a fellow observer of the preserve questioned me about.

The Laughing Gull above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

My recommendation beyond perseverance was deet and a long sleeved shirt which was my choice unnecessarily on day two.

There was a breeze from the east on both days with it much stronger on the second day when it would allow for photography of a nearly still Osprey flying over the west channel.

The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

The vegetation along the shoreline often offers a wind break that may have the air completely still with whitecaps visible in the bay.

I chose to head toward the west during both treks at the preserve which allows easy access across the channel that has become popular with watercraft of different sorts since the opening of the small boat launch dedicated earlier in the summer.

The fisherman above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

I met a fellow wildlife observer named Bird whom told me I would laugh after asking her name.

She told me of her sighting of 20 Roseate Spoonbill on the far side of the west channel that would be disturbed and take flight due to disturbance by the fisherman that passed us.

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

Both walks from the parking area were very leisurely and offered opportunity to settle down and observe the prolific wildlife.

I didn't see the American Avocet that Tom Obrock had reported earlier in the week nor the Bald Eagle which is a species I'd consider infrequently seen at Bunche Beach Preserve.

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

Virtually every other species of bird one might expect to see at this time of year and more was encountered.

The highlight of day one was the sighting of a new species of bird which I was very fortunate to photograph as it flew in a small group to the east.

The Western Sandpiper with Least Sandpiper above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

I believe the species to be Northern Shoveler after looking closely at the birds in the images taken and comparing them in my Sibley guide.

It was at this time that I pondered whether a camera with higher magnification or megapixel capacity would better serve a heavy crop to hone in on what was observed.

The Northern Shoveler above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

The smaller shorebirds birds remained my focus on day one and were interesting to watch and attempt to photograph in flight for the most part unsuccessfully.

It is these birds that I have had the greatest challenge in identifying in the infancy of my bird observations.

The Northern Shoveler above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

It's extremely important to be particularly attentive to the characteristics of the birds you're observing to readily identify them.

The size of the bird remains very important as does the shape of the beak and color of the legs in particular which helps to identify what you've observed.

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

Be sure to remember these characteristics if you are not able to take a picture and are unsure of the species so you can later be confident in what you've seen.

It was tremendous fun to capture the birds through images which offer a documentation of what's happening at one of my favorite wildlife venues.

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

The birds are sometimes difficult for me to positively identify until I see them again on the computer monitor as the seasonal variation in a smaller bird's appearance with juveniles often in the mix occur this time of year.

Day two at Bunche Beach Preserve offered another very enjoyable morning that would end up tallying about 11 hours of observation time and 2222 images captured during my visits.

The Least Sandpiper with Western Sandpiper above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

I'm still not taking advantage of continuous shooting which would potentially offer an exceptionally good shot of a bird in flight or other action.

This is not a feature I would consider highly when looking at a new camera purchase.

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

Photographing wildlife in JPEG still remains my preference with no regrets.

If I had shot my images in RAW format, I would be put in the situation of having to delete images taken to conserve computer memory which I don't like to do.

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

You won't see many images here that are out of focus unless the effort is made to present something for documentation alone.

The greatest challenge I've been attempting to master is the control of light in an image with the camera's exposure bias setting.

The Least Sandpiper above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

Although I try to always have the light source behind me, if it's not or when capturing images under a variety of other circumstances outdoors, manipulation of the camera's settings before the shot is sometimes required and recommended.

A lot of trial and error through the adjustment of exposure bias between -2 and +2 has offered improved image quality under extreme situations.

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

I've got my share of thousands of significantly over and under exposed images.

I'm intrigued by photographers that don't manipulate the exposure bias, but significantly adjust their camera's white balance which often produces stunning results.

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

As I discovered some time ago, a simple camera setting change from aperture to shutter would help create a blur of a helicopter's blades (or bird's motion) which I failed to utilize as a helicopter operated by the South Florida Water Management District passed overhead.

I can't wait to study and potentially benefit from Artie Morris' Guide to Digital Basics ordered this week.

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

As I've mentioned in this blog before, I often will settle down in one spot and wait for the wildlife to come to me.

Such was the case at Bunche Beach this week where I made a handful of locations along the beach and in San Carlos Bay my observation points.

The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

On day two, one memorable spot was just east of the west channel about 175 yards from shore.

It was here that I had numerous shore birds walk by me closer than the camera's lens could focus.

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

It's quite exhilarating to have that happen with even the larger wading birds doing the same.

I'm curious to know if this happens elsewhere around the country in the wild.

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

A very rare sighting for me on day two was that of the Magnificent Frigatebird which was especially thrilling as the plumage of the bird was different than I've seen before.

The photographs of this bird had to be taken at a very high exposure bias to prevent the bird from appearing as silhouette.

The Magnificent Frigatebird juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

The best setting was something of a guess based on prior experience shooting under such circumstances.

While observing a large flock of Black Skimmers and predominantly Sandwich Terns still somewhat distant from me, I would observe them take flight a number of times remaining unsure as to what spooked them if anything at all.

The Wood Stork above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

During this time I was pleased to see very active local birder, Hawkeye (Vince McGrath), who was making his way through the bay and along the shoreline documenting his sightings.

I regrettably did not speak with him and was disappointed not to see Tom Obrock nor Wes Dirks who frequent the preserve as well.

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

I very much regret not attending Vince's 2010 Hawk Watch from Sanibel Lighthouse which occurred at an inopportune time for me.

As Vince was in the area, I had a thought which might be helpful in future observations.

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

It's possible that an unusual or rare species might be in the presence of a few hundred or many many more relatively common birds.

What I've found intriguing is that when a large flock of birds take flight, such was the case with the skimmers, a handful of birds remain undisturbed.

Vince McGrath above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

This might be the event that helps to see the proverbial needle in the haystack.

With the skimmers leaving the birds behind that they did, I didn't see anything beyond the more commonplace, but noted how few and far between the Royal Terns were which I've seen in much greater numbers in Winter months at Lovers Key State Park.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

I took a lot of photographs of the skimmers in flight which may ultimately reveal something unusual.

It was a treat to see a Royal Tern proudly fly by with its quarry with thought of a lone American Oystercatcher in the midst of the large mass of birds the day before.

The Marbled Godwit above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

I failed to observe how the Royal Tern captured its meal which would be a similar focus of study at a different spot I settled down at closer to the shoreline.

It was a little unnerving to have hundreds of Fiddler Crabs crawling around me, but they offered food for a Willet, a Black-bellied Plover, and a Wilson's Plover that I observed.

The Royal Tern above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

In this same area the day before, I was able to observe the feeding behavior of a juvenile Little Blue Heron that was seen to be aggressive toward White Ibis in its company.

The heron would settle for the ibis' scraps as the White Ibis at one point acquired a large crab with possibly the less experienced of its kind following in tow looking for an easy meal.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

Another highlight of observations was an Osprey that would carry a small branch from the west channel's shore about 50 feet in the air and drop it for an unknown reason.

This represents signs of Osprey mating behavior with the next generation to appear in about 12-15 weeks.

The Turkey Vulture above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

An Osprey offered me an opportunity to see it feed on the ground (surrounded by water) which I considered very unusual, while it appeared the bird may have simply needed to get a better grip on its prey before flying to a branch on shore.

One can't help but visit Bunche Beach Preserve and feel immensely rewarded no matter the time of day or year.

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

Be sure to have a degree of patience at times and be prepared for a first encountered sighting!

I'm looking forward to a future visit when I will be settling down at a spot discovered at Bunche Beach Preserve with the likelihood of warbler action in the appropriate months.

The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.

If anyone would like to know the place, just ask.

Be prepared to get your feet wet with flash highly recommended.

The Western Sandpiper above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2010.