Posts Tagged ‘FL’

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) dines on Frogs Legs

We are at the Dealership for “Tigger”, our 40′ diesel pusher motor home and one of the managers tells me that they had just finished clearing the pond and there is a couple of “nice ducks” on the water.  So I head round there with my gear, but they are a pair of standard Mallards.  However […]


Things To Do On The Beach – 04

Things To Do On The Beach - 04

When you wake up…… Preen A Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) preening


Things To Do On The Beach – 03

Things To Do On The Beach - 03

Have a Snooze Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, Lexar Digital Film.  For the close-ups mounted on Skimmer Ground Pod II with RRS Ball-head, for the others mounted on RRS Tripod and RRS Gimbal Head


Things To Do On The Beach – 02

Things To Do On The Beach - 02

Take A Bath Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, Lexar Digital Film.  For the close-ups mounted on Skimmer Ground Pod II with RRS Ball-head, for the others mounted on RRS Tripod and RRS Gimbal Head


Things To Do On The Beach – 01

Things To Do On The Beach - 01

If you have an itch scratch it!! Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, Lexar Digital Film.  For the close-ups mounted on Skimmer Ground Pod II with RRS Ball-head, for the others mounted on RRS Tripod and RRS Gimbal Head


Who would have thought – An Owl that Lives Below Ground?

Who would have thought - An Owl that Lives Below Ground?

Yes indeed the Burrowing Owl digs its own burrow in which to lay and hatch its young! In Cape Coral, Florida you are told to look for vacant building lots to search for Burrowing Owls (Athene Caunicularia).  This proves the Owls are a wise as legend has, because in Cape Coral their habitats are protected […]


Drama in the Skies

Drama in the Skies

In landscape photography nine times out of ten the skies really make the image.  That is why most photographers hate bald skies (cloudless) because they are a boring sheet of blue.  Recently when i was in Monument Valley, I would not shoot any landscapes because it was yet another day of bald sky and I […]


Even working on Saturday in my office isn’t too awful

Even working on Saturday in my office isn't too awful

A hard day in the office, on a Saturday, with Louise!           Gear: Nikon D800, MB-D12, Nikkor 14mm-24mm f/2.8  


How do you feed your children?

How do you feed your children?

Spending hours at The Venice Rookery on my new project, bird photography, I get the chance just to watch and observe different behaviours.  One that started to get my attention was the different way some of the nesting birds fed their young. A Great Blue Heron with one chick arrives on the tops of the […]


Dramatic Cloudscape

Dramatic Cloudscape

I just love to watch dramatic skies – and there are many of those here in Florida.  This one was taken during the “Sun ‘n Fun” Airshow.  The weather wasn’t too kind and some displays were cancelled and others modified to suit the weather and the ceiling.  But it was a great airshow none the […]


Juveniles ONLY – NO ADULTS !

Juveniles ONLY - NO ADULTS !

I made a return visit to Pinecraft Park in Sarasota to show Louise the Barred Owls and the Pileated Woodpeckers.  However, on this visit I could only shoot the juveniles.  We did see an adult Barred Owl, but it was right against the trunk of a tree and completely obscured by branches and leaves.  But […]


For Someone who has just started their bird photography – it can’t get any better than today!

For Someone who has just started their bird photography - it can't get any better than today!

Recently, was it really only yesterday, I had my first encounter with a Pileated Woodpecker and that was fantastic. Today I was heading for The Celery Fields near Saratoga (well in the last ten days I had been to two different Lettuce Lakes – perhaps there is a salad theme here?) having had the best […]


This Morning at The Venice Rookery

This Morning at The Venice Rookery

I always rise early so that I can shoot in the sweet light of the morning.  At The Rookery the sun rises behind you as you are lining up on the wildlife which is just perfect.  Today was a GREAT day for me – I saw (and shot) my first Pileated Woodpecker. What a treat, […]


Who Are These Guys?

I am at the TICO Warbird Airshow. I have finished the static shoot as there are now too many people milling around.  So I am back at the car leisurely swapping wide angled lenses for telephoto lenses, there is no rush. It is 11:00 am. with flying due to start at 12:30pm plenty of time […]


Great Egret Chicks – how cute

Great Egret Chicks - how cute

Visiting The Rookery at Venice again there is this Great Egret nest on the edge of the “island” in full view.  For the first time I saw Great Egret chicks – how startlingly strange they look with their green skin an white “punk” plumage around their head and necks.  And those big eyes, which when […]


Anchor Points

Anchor Points

All good images have their anchor points which give you the context for the whole image.  However, I am at the TICO Warbird Airshow, the air show flying hasn’t started yet, but there is a magnificent Florida Sky!  I call them Florida skies because I have only seen them in Florida, there appears to be […]


From Venice Fishing Pier

From Venice Fishing Pier

It was good to be back on the Fishing Pier at Venice, Florida.  It just typifies the Sea Shore here.  Very busy with lots of people fishing, many youngsters – girls as well as boys, but all age groups.  I wonder how many took their supper home? I was waiting for the buzzer in my […]


F-104 A Rare Treat

F-104 A Rare Treat

It is not often these days you get an opportunity to see an F-104 Starfighter – twice!  Yes it performed the first two days at the TICO Warbird Airshow, unfortunately on the third day it was too windy  so the F-104 performed along the taxiways for the appreciative crowds. I certainly hadn’t seen a Strfighter in […]


Tricolored Heron – entertained me this morning

Tricolored Heron - entertained me this morning

This morning at The Rookery in Venice, Florida, a Tricolored Heron entertained me for quite a time as it edged its way around the banks of the pond looking for its breakfast.  Its gorgeous blue beak and it richly coloured plumage caught my attention so I was captivated and watched it as it patiently worked […]


Revisit to Honeymoon Island State Park, Florida

Revisit to Honeymoon Island State Park, Florida

Yesterday morning I went back to Honeymoon Island State Park.  Mainly because I had heard the day before that there was a pair of Great Horned Owls that had two chicks that had fledged – AND also I had such a great day there on Saturday.  On Saturday I had spent some time moving slowly […]


A Day for Raptors

A Day for Raptors

Today I visited Honeymoon Island State Park (by myself!!) for the first time.  Not knowing what to expect I went directly to the Nature Centre and got some excellent advice on where to go.  So I headed straight for the 3.5 mile nature walk.  Parked, set up “bigger” with a 2x on my D4 and […]


Fort DeSoto

Fort DeSoto

This is my first visit to Fort DeSoto County Park in Pinellas County, Florida.  So this is really only day 3 of my new project – shooting wildlife, in particular birds.  It is at last warm (last week on the East side of Florida it was very cold and windy) with a pleasant breeze taking […]


Yesterday’s Sunrise

Yesterday's Sunrise

Yesterday’s sunrise, photographically speaking was not spectacular.  But as with all sunrises (and sunsets) there is that magical feeling of calmness and being at one with nature – and that is always spectacular.  Especially when shared with a newly found friend. So on the Beach at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge there was a bank […]


First Outing for Bigger Bertha

First Outing for Bigger Bertha

I called my 200mm-400mm f/4 VRII lens “Big Bertha” when I first got it because it is big and also heavy.  I use this mostly for airs hows.  I have recently acquired “Bigger Bertha” to use for wildlife and this was “Bigger’s” first outing.  Also for my new heavier duty Really Right Stuff tripod and […]