I'm going to try and get to Lowry Park zoo this weekend. Even though the high for both days will barely reach 40 degrees. A Christmas miracle has happened. The zoo just announced that on Christmas day a African shoebill stork baby was born. These birds are very rare and this is the first chick that has been born in North American and the 2nd in the world in captivity. Hopefully I can get a picture of it. Besides with this cold weather here it feels like all of the wild birds have flown even further south, maybe they all headed to the Keys. Normally there are always birds (egrets, moorhens and osprey) in the 3 ponds outside my window at work. This week I haven't seen any birds.
Attached is a picture of the baby shoebill with it's parents from TBO.com
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/07/pair-rare-birds-raising-chick-tampa-zoo/
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
2009 Year In Review II
JULY
The air boat above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2009.
All four opportunities to get into the field led me to San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve. The adult male wading birds in particular were at the tail end of showing their breeding colors. All visits to the beach were made in mid afternoon to as late as sunset. I recall at least one occasion when the sand gnats were particularly bad. It was at these times that I had good opportunities to practice attempting to get a better photograph of BIFs (birds in flight). The Reddish Egret put on a great feeding show under less than ideal lighting conditions on the last visit of the month. At a low tide, I was very surprised to see an airboat make its way over the flats and into the West channel. Needless to say, it spooked virtually every bird from my immediate area.
AUGUST
The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harnes Marsh Preserve in August 2009.
I again made numerous trips to Bunche Beach Preserve, three afternoon visits and two in the morning. All were productive for observation of prolific bird activity and photography. Harnes Marsh Preserve was visited for the first time late in the month. I made my first observations of the Snail Kite and Limpkin on this visit to Harnes Marsh. My visit to Bunche Beach on the 23rd offered a territorial battle between two Black-bellied Plovers that lasted a little over three minutes as detailed in the 20 shots I took of them.
SEPTEMBER
The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Harnes Marsh Preserve in September 2009.
Four more trips to Harnes Marsh Preserve were made including one where I would walk around the preserve in its entirety. The experiences were greatly enjoyable even considering the warmer conditions. I observed the Sandhill Crane for the first time at the Northern edge of the preserve on the 18th.
OCTOBER
The Semipalmated Plover juvenile above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in October 2009.
With accommodating weather on a pair of days off from work, I was able to visit Little Estero Lagoon (Critical Wildlife Area) and then Sanibel Lighthouse and Bunche Beach Preserve later in the month. It was my hope to see raptor migration that was not to be this year. I coincidentally met up with a troop of wildlife enthusiasts at Bunche Beach that were participating in Ding Darling Days 2009. My visit to Bunche Beach was directly after I had gone from the lighthouse to DDNWR Wildlife Drive only to find them closed as they are to the general public every Friday. I knew that, but had forgotten.
NOVEMBER
The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in November 2009.
It was at this time that I was reminded of one of four photo entries made to Audubon magazine earlier in the summer for their inaugural photo contest which I had forgotten about. I was contacted by Steve Freligh, affiliated with Nature's Best Photography, who notified me that I was considered as a finalist in the amateur category. I made a quick trip across a vast expanse of Florida early in the month while experiencing the East and Panhandle regions of the Great Florida Birding Trail. I passed through 12 "clusters" and 31 venues on the trip. A tremendous highlight was visiting the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Later in the month I made my sixth trip to Harnes Marsh Preserve where I would again document another species of bird I hadn't photographed before. I also observed here on this occasion what appeared to be a territorial battle between two Great Blue Herons where a drowning seemed assured.
DECEMBER
The Marbled Godwit above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in December 2009.
A trip to Lovers Key State Park was made after much too long a period of time. The erosion at the beach was extremely obvious and I was told that it may be a couple more years before replenishment. The wind was from the South with an opportunity to observe some great action at New Pass as usual. Three afternoon visits to Bunche Beach were made with one other in the morning. I also made a visit to Little Estero Lagoon. At the latter two venues, I had the experience of being in the water at close range to Bottlenose Dolphins. These experiences were a little unnerving as a result of not keeping an eye on them at all times. I was contacted by Audubon to advise me of publication of an image with honorable mention of a Little Blue Heron taken at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2008.
The air boat above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in July 2009.All four opportunities to get into the field led me to San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve. The adult male wading birds in particular were at the tail end of showing their breeding colors. All visits to the beach were made in mid afternoon to as late as sunset. I recall at least one occasion when the sand gnats were particularly bad. It was at these times that I had good opportunities to practice attempting to get a better photograph of BIFs (birds in flight). The Reddish Egret put on a great feeding show under less than ideal lighting conditions on the last visit of the month. At a low tide, I was very surprised to see an airboat make its way over the flats and into the West channel. Needless to say, it spooked virtually every bird from my immediate area.
AUGUST
The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harnes Marsh Preserve in August 2009.I again made numerous trips to Bunche Beach Preserve, three afternoon visits and two in the morning. All were productive for observation of prolific bird activity and photography. Harnes Marsh Preserve was visited for the first time late in the month. I made my first observations of the Snail Kite and Limpkin on this visit to Harnes Marsh. My visit to Bunche Beach on the 23rd offered a territorial battle between two Black-bellied Plovers that lasted a little over three minutes as detailed in the 20 shots I took of them.
SEPTEMBER
The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Harnes Marsh Preserve in September 2009.Four more trips to Harnes Marsh Preserve were made including one where I would walk around the preserve in its entirety. The experiences were greatly enjoyable even considering the warmer conditions. I observed the Sandhill Crane for the first time at the Northern edge of the preserve on the 18th.
OCTOBER
The Semipalmated Plover juvenile above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in October 2009.With accommodating weather on a pair of days off from work, I was able to visit Little Estero Lagoon (Critical Wildlife Area) and then Sanibel Lighthouse and Bunche Beach Preserve later in the month. It was my hope to see raptor migration that was not to be this year. I coincidentally met up with a troop of wildlife enthusiasts at Bunche Beach that were participating in Ding Darling Days 2009. My visit to Bunche Beach was directly after I had gone from the lighthouse to DDNWR Wildlife Drive only to find them closed as they are to the general public every Friday. I knew that, but had forgotten.
NOVEMBER
The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in November 2009.It was at this time that I was reminded of one of four photo entries made to Audubon magazine earlier in the summer for their inaugural photo contest which I had forgotten about. I was contacted by Steve Freligh, affiliated with Nature's Best Photography, who notified me that I was considered as a finalist in the amateur category. I made a quick trip across a vast expanse of Florida early in the month while experiencing the East and Panhandle regions of the Great Florida Birding Trail. I passed through 12 "clusters" and 31 venues on the trip. A tremendous highlight was visiting the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Later in the month I made my sixth trip to Harnes Marsh Preserve where I would again document another species of bird I hadn't photographed before. I also observed here on this occasion what appeared to be a territorial battle between two Great Blue Herons where a drowning seemed assured.
DECEMBER
The Marbled Godwit above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in December 2009.A trip to Lovers Key State Park was made after much too long a period of time. The erosion at the beach was extremely obvious and I was told that it may be a couple more years before replenishment. The wind was from the South with an opportunity to observe some great action at New Pass as usual. Three afternoon visits to Bunche Beach were made with one other in the morning. I also made a visit to Little Estero Lagoon. At the latter two venues, I had the experience of being in the water at close range to Bottlenose Dolphins. These experiences were a little unnerving as a result of not keeping an eye on them at all times. I was contacted by Audubon to advise me of publication of an image with honorable mention of a Little Blue Heron taken at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2008.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Life of a spoony
Dirty beak.
Really digging hard for food.
What do you want!
Time for a nap.I came across this roseate spoonbill this weekend and stopped and took a few pictures. I pulled off the side of the road and got out of my car with my camera. He just kept foraging and looking for food. He was making his way towards me but I don't think he noticed me at first. These birds are not very skittish birds. Finally after about 10 minutes he stopped and looked up at me like "What do you want?". Then he continued looking for food. A few minutes later he stopped and tucked his head in for a nap. I decided I needed one of those as well so I packed up and left.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Pinellas Park birds
American kestrel sitting on a security camera.
Small pond full of ducks. Most of these are lesser scaup.
Upclose of lesser scaup.
There's a pond close by work that has been full of ducks. Some say up to 800 in the pond. I left work a little early Thursday (it was New Year's eve after all). Instead of rushing out to party I went out in search of birds before it got dark. My first stop was the pond near work. It was full of ducks but they stayed pretty far away. The above picture is of a small portion of the lake. Most of the ducks were lesser scaup (also nicknamed "little bluebills"). These guys migrate from as far away as Alaska and Canada.
The first picture is of an american kestrel. This is the first time I have gotten a picture of this bird. I've only seen them a few times before. They are a type of small falcon. The picture looks to be a female (males have patches of grey on their wings). I'll have to keep an eye out for her around work. Maybe she'll have a nest this spring close by.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
27th Annual East Fork Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, January 2nd was the 27th Annual East Fork Christmas Bird Count. This is my favorite of the two Cincinnati area counts that I participate in. (I only live about a mile outside of the circle)
I got a late start, so I wasn't able to do much owling. It was very cold and windy, and I wasn't able to call in any owls. (I had count week CW on Eastern Screech-owl).
Despite the cold, it turned out to be a very good day! (Most of the birding was done from the warm vehicle :-)
Here are some photo highlights from the day:
The first Red-headed Woodpecker of the day. We saw 20 more before the end of the day!
One of the Rusty Blackbirds
Leucistic or piebald Northern Cardinal. Isn't this a cool looking bird?!
I got a late start, so I wasn't able to do much owling. It was very cold and windy, and I wasn't able to call in any owls. (I had count week CW on Eastern Screech-owl).
Despite the cold, it turned out to be a very good day! (Most of the birding was done from the warm vehicle :-)
Here are some photo highlights from the day:
The first Red-headed Woodpecker of the day. We saw 20 more before the end of the day!A little side-note: Most of the Red-headed Woodpeckers that we got I called in by making a sound that they can't seem to resist. You can make this sound by making a fist and blowing into it like playing a trumpet - make sure your lips are closed. If done right, they will respond within seconds.
One of the Rusty BlackbirdsLeucistic or piebald Northern Cardinal. Isn't this a cool looking bird?!Saturday, January 2, 2010
Atlanta birds
I was in Atlanta over the Christmas holiday and was able to get a few pictures of birds. It was fairly cold there. High around 48 degrees during the day. The first picture is some sort of sparrow. I think it's a house sparrow. It was on a sidewalk near a restaurant. Someone must have fed it a little piece of bread. The second is of a cardinal that I saw at Zoo Atlanta. We spent a morning there taking pictures of the baby (now a year old) panda. The cardinal seemed to be trying to eat the leaves. I know these birds aren't migratory but wouldn't it be nice if they would just fly south for the winter and get some warmth?
Friday, January 1, 2010
2009 Year In Review I
JANUARY
The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2009.
The beginning of the year was an exceptionally exciting time as I was getting the feel for some newly acquired photography gear that would give me great pleasure and grief. I made a trip to San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve (SCBBBP) early in the month and one to Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve towards the end.
FEBRUARY
The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Picayune State Forest in February 2009.
A number of Great Florida Birding Trail sites were visited in this month including those in the area of the Florida Everglades while nearly getting lost in Picayune State Forest. I also made a trip to "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge where I observed the Common Merganser for the first time. I made a trip to the east coast where I visited Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Wetlands and Nature Center (both venues highly recommended at this time of year). Shore and wading birds were observed in beautiful breeding condition at SCBBBP.
MARCH
The Northern Mockingbird with Bald Eagle and juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in March 2009.
I made six trips to Lovers Key State Park to observe the successful nesting of a pair of Bald Eagle fledglings. One of the most exciting sights I've made in all my birding was simply watching an Osprey aggressively defending its territory against an adult eagle. The aerobatics were stunning and never to be forgotten. My trips to National Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in the middle and towards the end of the month offered some extraordinary views from the boardwalk of the wading birds and alligators in very close proximity to each other in the dwindling waters of the "swamp." It was at this time I realized how essentially critical it is to be using flash with one's photography there. To end the month, I made a "day" trip to Key West visiting three clusters of the South Region of the Great Florida Birding Trail and six venues within them. I captured an image of a Palm Warbler at Crane Point Museum and Nature Center in Marathon that I would later enter in Audubon's inaugural photo contest.
APRIL
The Great Egret juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in April 2009.
I visited Lovers Key State Park, Lakes Park, SCBBBP, Bowditch Point, and Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area, at least once. Without doubt, the highlights were the visits to "Bird Island" at SCBBBP including one with fellow wildlife enthusiast and photographer, Alena King, whom had earlier told me of the prolific breeding activity at Bunche Beach Preserve. It was at this time that there was a shutter mechanism failure with my Canon 1dm3 camera coincidentally three months to the day after my first shots with it.
MAY
The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Tigertail Beach in May 2009.
A follow up trip was made to "Bird Island" with Alena at the beginning of the month. The experience for me was extraordinary in the observation of hundreds of nests and the diversity of bird species using them. I used the Nikon D80 solely on these trips to the island with ease of carrying it and the accompanying 70-300mm lens on the Kayak. Also in the early part of the month I visited 16 venues within five clusters of the West Region of the Great Florida Birding Trail (slightly North of the Tampa Bay area and South). An image of a pair of Laughing Gull taken at Sand Key Park in Clearwater would be a second of four images submitted to Audubon. Three trip to Lovers Key State Park were made with hopes to observe the Least Tern breeding on the beach. Their numbers were dramatically lower than those seen in 2007. My first trip to Tigertail Beach was also made for the first time early in the month.
JUNE
The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2009.
Early in the month, I made my second trip to Tigertail Beach that was cut short by a thunderstorm that began to unleash a maelstrom a mere hundred yards from the car. A final trip to Lovers Key State Park was made, not to happen again for six months. The nesting Least Tern activity at Lovers Key was regrettably minimal. Three additional trips were also made to Bunche Beach Preserve. While I've yet to visit Tigertail Beach in the winter months, I greatly favor Bunche Beach by far for its wildlife opportunities in comparing these two similar venues as I've experienced thus far.
The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2009.The beginning of the year was an exceptionally exciting time as I was getting the feel for some newly acquired photography gear that would give me great pleasure and grief. I made a trip to San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve (SCBBBP) early in the month and one to Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve towards the end.
FEBRUARY
The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Picayune State Forest in February 2009.A number of Great Florida Birding Trail sites were visited in this month including those in the area of the Florida Everglades while nearly getting lost in Picayune State Forest. I also made a trip to "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge where I observed the Common Merganser for the first time. I made a trip to the east coast where I visited Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Wetlands and Nature Center (both venues highly recommended at this time of year). Shore and wading birds were observed in beautiful breeding condition at SCBBBP.
MARCH
The Northern Mockingbird with Bald Eagle and juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in March 2009.I made six trips to Lovers Key State Park to observe the successful nesting of a pair of Bald Eagle fledglings. One of the most exciting sights I've made in all my birding was simply watching an Osprey aggressively defending its territory against an adult eagle. The aerobatics were stunning and never to be forgotten. My trips to National Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in the middle and towards the end of the month offered some extraordinary views from the boardwalk of the wading birds and alligators in very close proximity to each other in the dwindling waters of the "swamp." It was at this time I realized how essentially critical it is to be using flash with one's photography there. To end the month, I made a "day" trip to Key West visiting three clusters of the South Region of the Great Florida Birding Trail and six venues within them. I captured an image of a Palm Warbler at Crane Point Museum and Nature Center in Marathon that I would later enter in Audubon's inaugural photo contest.
APRIL
The Great Egret juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in April 2009.I visited Lovers Key State Park, Lakes Park, SCBBBP, Bowditch Point, and Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area, at least once. Without doubt, the highlights were the visits to "Bird Island" at SCBBBP including one with fellow wildlife enthusiast and photographer, Alena King, whom had earlier told me of the prolific breeding activity at Bunche Beach Preserve. It was at this time that there was a shutter mechanism failure with my Canon 1dm3 camera coincidentally three months to the day after my first shots with it.
MAY
The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Tigertail Beach in May 2009.A follow up trip was made to "Bird Island" with Alena at the beginning of the month. The experience for me was extraordinary in the observation of hundreds of nests and the diversity of bird species using them. I used the Nikon D80 solely on these trips to the island with ease of carrying it and the accompanying 70-300mm lens on the Kayak. Also in the early part of the month I visited 16 venues within five clusters of the West Region of the Great Florida Birding Trail (slightly North of the Tampa Bay area and South). An image of a pair of Laughing Gull taken at Sand Key Park in Clearwater would be a second of four images submitted to Audubon. Three trip to Lovers Key State Park were made with hopes to observe the Least Tern breeding on the beach. Their numbers were dramatically lower than those seen in 2007. My first trip to Tigertail Beach was also made for the first time early in the month.
JUNE
The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2009.Early in the month, I made my second trip to Tigertail Beach that was cut short by a thunderstorm that began to unleash a maelstrom a mere hundred yards from the car. A final trip to Lovers Key State Park was made, not to happen again for six months. The nesting Least Tern activity at Lovers Key was regrettably minimal. Three additional trips were also made to Bunche Beach Preserve. While I've yet to visit Tigertail Beach in the winter months, I greatly favor Bunche Beach by far for its wildlife opportunities in comparing these two similar venues as I've experienced thus far.
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