Christmas Morning At Harns Marsh Preserve

It was a very foggy and chilly morning at Harns Marsh Preserve on Christmas Day 2010.

The sunrise above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

That didn't deter me from an attempt to have a very rewarding time observing the wildlife which I did.

The first active flight observed was that of Roseate Spoonbill from the area where Limpkin are sometimes seen while always heard.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The vultures were seen across the lake on the ground perhaps in their attempt to stay warmer while they're typically observed in the trees at first light.

A juvenile Great Blue Heron was very docile seemingly waiting for the sun to warm its bones.

The Great Blue Heron juvenile above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Limpkin were observed in flight more so than I had observed at Harns Marsh before.

This species has a tendency to stay very low to the ground even while in flight.

The Cattle Egret above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Snail Kite were active in their search of Apple Snails shortly before the fog burned off.

Osprey were again observed hunting successfully for their prey.

The Glossy Ibis above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

What would become a remarkable observation for me was an inbound flight of a solitary Sandhill Crane that landed directly in front of me from the north.

As I observed this bird in amazement, two more cranes were walking toward me along the marsh's frontage road and emerged from the fog a short while later.

The Snadhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Before the Sandhill Cranes arrived, a small flock of Cattle Egret appeared to become active from their slumber.

It was at this time that I was chiding myself for failing to bring the flash and Better Beamer.

The Snadhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Always have them at the ready in case they're needed if you have them.

It was a special occasion to meet Hemant Kishan again at the preserve.

Hemant Kishan above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Hemant, a prolific American Birding Association contributor, was intently observing an American Bittern that he sighted at relatively close range.

He was kind enough to point my camera in the direction of the bird at one point as the bird was so well camouflaged in the reeds.

The American Bittern above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Hemant mentioned his interest in Celery Fields which he believes best visited in September.

It was interesting to observe a scuffle between a pair of Anhinga while the Tree Swallows seemed to be in lesser numbers than usual.

The Anhinga with Pied-billed Grebe above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The same pair of Great Egret observed a couple of weeks earlier offered their same repose in nearly the exact same spot I had last seen them.

Since my visit to Harns Marsh Preserve this week, I have read that the Crested Caracara is often seen in flight in the presence of vultures.

The Limpkin above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

When I visit the preserve again, my first objective will be to scan the trees where the vultures are typically resting before they fly off to take advantage of the thermals in the absence of wind.

December 2010 Low Tide At Estero Lagoon

Prior to a potential predawn departure to observe and photograph wildlife often requires if I can see stars clearly in the night sky.

The European Starling above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Weather conditions that I often hear on the radio often contradict what is actually seen at the time.

A forecast for the day in the climate of southwest Florida is given little credence though a link to a weather related website you may wish to investigate may be seen by clicking here.

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

A day this past week which was cold and dreary and an initial opportunity to get into the field for some wildlife observation was foregone for warmth inside.

Day two was initially overcast, but the clouds dissipated to offer an opportunity for wildlife photography that I prefer to shoot in.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Though conditions would have been ideal at the time to explore Bunche Beach Preserve, I chose to see what might be happening at the less frequently visited Estero Lagoon.

I've found visits to Estero Lagoon to be extremely rewarding at any time of day or tide conditions.

The explorer above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

The late afternoon visit to the lagoon this week was at an unusually low tide.

There happened to be a remarkable lunar eclipse that would occur early the next morning which I took a gander at for a few seconds at 0330 local (an impressive sight).

The full moon (required for a lunar eclipse) above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Upon arrival at Estero Lagoon, a large number of European Starling were perched on the power lines along the adjacent highway.

There was a disappointing absence of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron that is occasionally seen near the Holiday Inn at the lagoon.

The scene above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

With the water level as low as it was, I'm thinking that there simply weren't enough fish to attract abundant wading birds.

The fish that I've seen captured by wading birds regrettably appear to have been getting smaller.

The Double-crested Cormorant above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

The abnormally cold conditions in winter months the last couple of years may be the cause.

Several photographers were about and I learned that one was from Vancouver and another was from Eastern Europe while I regrettably don't remember their names.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Although a good representation of many of the species of bird of the area was seen, by far the highlight of my visit to Estero Lagoon was my observation of Chelsea Hall.

I first saw Chelsea approaching the lagoon with her camera in hand.

Chelsea above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Chelsea was an unmistakable presence on the scene with her sense of purpose.

From the moment I captured an image of her to the distraction of wildlife walking right in front of me, Chelsea was gone.

Chelsea above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

I looked around to see that she was on the beach headed south.

There were many people in the immediate area shelling, relaxing on the beach, jogging or cycling by.

Chelsea above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Chelsea told me that she was from North Carolina and that she was using the Nikon D5000.

She also noted that she has always had an interest in photography and that her boyfriend was a world traveler.

Chelsea above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

A particular subject of interest to her was a sea creature washed up on the beach.

I waded the Gulf water in an attempt to get a better photograph of her.

The enthusiast above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

As we chatted briefly, a sheller wandered by to place the creature in a bag while I advised she release the living thing which she did.

I believe that Chelsea will have a remarkable record of wildlife imagery that I would be glad to link to if she ever creates such an opportunity.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Chelsea was extremely comfortable handling her gear under rugged conditions.

As the sun approached the horizon, I had a few more minutes of optimal light to observe a Tricolored Heron that unfortunately remained at a poor angle but for a brief second for an acceptable shot.

The sunset above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

My learned use of flash remains in its infancy.

Ellusive Caracara At Harns Marsh Preserve

The immense excitement I had in the sighting of the Crested Caracara at Harns Marsh Preserve last week would remain the sole sighting of the species after two additional visits to the preserve this week.

The American Bittern above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

One of the visits to Harns Marsh occurred on the morning when heavy fog enveloped much of Florida though offered my first personal sighting of American Bittern confirmed by Tom Obrock.

It was on this morning that two fellow Birdphotographer.net contributors were at the preserve with hopes for some good wildlife observation and photography.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

I had met Conrad Tan, visiting from California, at Estero Lagoon the day before who mentioned that one of the species he particularly had an interest in photographing was Snail Kite and was excited with the prospect of seeing it at Harns Marsh.

Troy Lim was at the preserve as well having made the trip from Sarasota.

The Blue-winged Teal above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The Collier County Audubon Society (CCAS) had a presence as a troop made a drive through Harns Marsh Preserve under the foggy and cold conditions with a half dozen vehicles making the normally prohibited trip along the perimeter of the preserve.

Pedestrian traffic is permitted to explore Harns Marsh Preserve throughout the year.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

A report from the CCAS has been made at their website which can be seen by clicking here.

The image including some of the CCAS participants immediately below was enhanced primarily with CS5's HDR toning function.

The CCAS members above were photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

On the following day, the conditions at dawn were much improved with a striking cloud formation to the west which was discussed with Bob J. Blanchard whom had arrived at Harns Marsh right behind me.

Bob had mentioned his regret in not bringing a wide angle lens to capture the scene.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The cloud that may have been ten miles wide seemingly vanished before our eyes.

Bob speculated that it may have been a fog bank, but it appeared to have too much altitude.

Conrad Tan above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Although I had met Bob at Harns Marsh four months earlier, it was at this time that I had the opportunity to learn more about him and hear of some of his wildlife experiences.

Bob told me of his use of manual exposure in his photography which he noted he had learned from Artie Morris.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron with Apple Snail casing visible above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

He described it as extremely easy and effective once you get the hang of it.

A short while later, wildlife enthusiasts would approach us and chat briefly.

The Double-crested Cormorant above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

It was noted by Reinhard Geisler that the Snow Bunting was reported in Flagler County which he had observed a couple days earlier.

Tom Obrock advised me that he made the sighting of the Snow Bunting this week although he was initially reluctant to make the drive.

The Wood Stork juvenile above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Reinhard was transporting his camera gear which included the Nikon D200 and D300 cameras in a baby stroller that he was very enthusiastic in talking about.

He was utilizing the souped up stroller due to a fall from an observation tower which resulted in a back injury.

Reinhard Geisler above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Bob and I observed a lot of primarily distant avian activity while perhaps the second most disappointing thing for me was to be focused on a Turkey Vulture at very close range to miss the shot of it yawning by a fraction of a second as I was distracted by a low flyover of an Osprey.

A pair of fishermen in a kayak at Harns told of the abundant birds they observed in the marsh.

Bob Blanchard above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Bob was intrigued getting a kayak for closer observation of the birds and I advised him to consider a "surf" kayak for its stability characteristic.

The greatest disappointment was my failure to again observe the Crested Caracara last seen at Harns Marsh Preserve on 8 December 2010.

The fishermen above were photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

My initial wildlife trip of the week was a 4pm (96 minutes from sunset) visit to Estero Lagoon.

The lighting was stunning as an observation of a Reddish Egret with uncharacteristic white morph feathers was made.

The Snowy Egret juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

This particular bird flew into the area after initially observing an immature Reddish Egret.

When the two birds got close together, I was anticipating a confrontation.

The Reddish Egret juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

What I was ultimately led to believe was that the immature bird was the offspring of the adult bird as the younger bird appeared to be begging for food from the adult several times.

As the younger bird often approached me too close to focus on it, it would raise its head feathers in a dramatic fashion with the presence of a Bald Eagle on one of the condo towers.

The Reddish Egret (semi-white morph) with juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

At this time, I again learned the critical importance of using a higher f-stop to get more of the subject in focus when possible.

The lack of confrontation between the Reddish Egrets would be observed similarly over at Harns Marsh as two Great Egrets approached each other, appearing very tolerant of each other with perhaps a mating instinct involved.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The feeding behavior of the Reddish Egrets at Estero Lagoon was of course extremely entertaining to observe.

Conrad Tan's hopes of getting photos of Roseate Spoonbill at the lagoon, a species of rare occurrence in California, was difficult with the few birds in the area roosting in the mangroves just across the lagoon in shadow.

The Semipalmated Plover above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Conrad made the comment about how tame Florida birds are compared to those he haunts in California.

I'll continue efforts to again observe the Crested Caracara at Harns Marsh Preserve in the future.

The Great Blue Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in December 2010.

Late 2010 Southwest Florida Birding At Its Best

This week for the blog started out a little more enthusiastically than normal with Chris and Rachael Baker still "in town" from the United Kingdom on a vacation for them that would hopefully lead to a successful end to their Southwest Florida visit.

The Palm Warbler above was photographed at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in December 2010.

A trip to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary started the week with sightings at the swamp about average for this time of year I would guess.

We failed to see some of the species noted on the recent sightings board as we exited the sanctuary.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in December 2010.

Earlier, it was a treat for me to walk back along the boardwalk to where I had last seen Chris go and observe him and his camera honed in on a pair of raccoons directly in front of him.

He was certainly in a much better position to photograph them successfully with his zoom lens which he attached to his camera after the raccoons went back onto the floor of the sanctuary.

The Palm Warbler above was photographed at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in December 2010.

I noted that he took off the Better Beamer (flash extender) from his camera as quietly as he could at one point for the better shots.

My attempt to get a good image of Rachael with the beamer resulted in significantly overexposed unrecoverable images as were virtually all my shots of the raccoons.

Chris Baker above was photographed at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in December 2010.

I believe the raccoons were the highlight for the Bakers on this trip while Chris mentioned to me he has not had much success in photographing mammals.

It was a rewarding trip for me in the visit to Corkscrew Swamp where I was to observe and photograph the American Goldfinch for the first time at the feeder.

The raccoon above was photographed at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in December 2010.

Upon my sighting of the bird, I had not clue what I was looking at, but was certainly captivated by its beauty.

A fellow visitor to the sanctuary advised me that the bird could be seen in its best plumage up north at another time of year.

The Pileated Woodpecker above was photographed at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in December 2010.

I anticipated diligently that the goldfinch and Painted Bunting would offer photo opportunities in the vegetation, but that didn't happen on this trip.

With me in the lead for the drive, I won't go into detail of my missing the exit off the Interstate aside from noting that we nearly arrived at Marco Island.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in December 2010.

I guess I might be classified as one of those that would refuse to stop and ask for directions.

You certainly wouldn't believe now that I've been to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary at least a dozen times.

The American Goldfinch above was photographed at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in December 2010.

With what I thought was assurance for Chris an Rachael to see "a lifer" in Red-cockaded Woodpecker at Babcock Webb Wildlife Management Area, we had no luck with a small game hunt going on.

I felt the trip at my recommendation and failure to observe the Red-cockaded redeemed with Chris's ability to photograph Tree Swallows successfully at Webb Lake.

The scene above was photographed at Babcock Webb WMA in December 2010.

I struggled to take 11 photographs of the swallows compared to the 58 Chris did which he astonishingly noted.

Chris and Rachael seemed to enjoy the venue nonetheless and led me to believe that they will return to the expansive refuge that offers remarkable wildlife observation opportunities.

The Tree Swallow above was photographed at Babcock Webb WMA in December 2010.

After a coffee break, a late day trip to Bunche Beach Preserve caught us in the rain close to the west channel with Chris offering the idea to hold out for better weather.

The clouds looked very ominous and I thus drove down to Lovers Key State Park to renew what I thought was my expired Florida State Park's annual membership to find that I won't need to do that until after the turn of the new year.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock Webb WMA in December 2010.

As an afterthought, this is definitely the way to go as I would lose out significantly if I'm not able to visit a Florida State Park until later next year.

By renewing the annual fee at that time will extend the opportunity to visit that much later after that.

The Sandwich Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in December 2010.

A wise decision as Florida State Park admission prices are relatively high compared to what they were a few years ago.

I support the pay as you go theory with regard to state and national parks in particular to keep them viable.

The Royal Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in December 2010.

With Fort Myers area bridge construction costs paid off, I however disagree with the tolls for them.

I made a last light of the day trip to Bunche with hopes of capturing an image of potential interest while I noted the parking fee kiosk has been installed.

The Dunlin with Semipalmated Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in December 2010.

I devoted particular attention to a Forster's Tern bathing at each opportunity while the species unfortunately would be hidden behind gulls or Royal and Sandwich Terns due to their greater numbers.

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge was the next point of interest with favorable tides this week.

The Forster's Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in December 2010.

I missed dragging Chris and Rachael to the notable venue from Bowditch Point Regional Park.

At Ding Darling, I would meet the photo editor of a North American wildlife publication as we observed predominantly White Pelicans flying onto the scene.

The White Pelican above was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in December 2010.

My anticipated Belted Kingfisher arrived, though didn't offer the best opportunity for photography of it.

The photo editor eruditely commented on how he judges an image for publication while scrutinizing an image's metadata and also uses an extensive record of photographic documentation of bird species to adjust the color of plumage, if necessary, in an image in front of him.

The White Pelican above was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in December 2010.

The editor commented on the infamous 2009 "Storybook Wolf" photograph that is unquestionably exposed here while noting through his expertise that he is assured that the eye of the wolf was manipulated in the image of it.

As flash photography was discussed (with Tim Rucci in the back of my mind having commented to me some time ago that its use must be applied with great discretion in wildlife photography), the photo editor commented to me the importance of using a "blind" in photographic documentation observations.

The Belted Kingfisher above was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in December 2010.

A blind may simply be a pop up tent, but useful in attracting wildlife to you nonetheless.

The photo editor and his companion enthusiastically told of using such a technique for observation and successful photography of the feeding behavior of a Belted Kingfisher east of Naples.

The immature Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in December 2010.

The editor also commented on a renowned bird photographer that "cooks" his bird subjects with powerful flash devices for the best images he can create.

A specific incident was mentioned where the adult birds left their nest which resulted in the fledglings being consumed by a predatory bird.

The Pied-billed Grebe above was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in December 2010.

There is unquestionably a need to understand the difference between artistic photographic renderings of wildlife and mere documentation of a particular subject or event.

The editor was extremely generous in offering opinion on how I may improve my photography and particularly set the bar by calling for a photograph of a Black Rail (perhaps most likely encountered in the Everglades) that he has yet to see a really good image of.

The Killdeer above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The first trip to Harns Marsh Preserve was by far the highlight of the week with a 1st sighting of Ring-necked Duck as "a lifer" and Crested Caracara observed adding it as the 140th aves species seen on the official checklist for the preserve as of this writing.

I believe the free roaming Crested Caracara was possibly observed at the most southwestern edge of its known range.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The bird was remarkably carrying something in its beak upon its first sighting at Harns Marsh.

Nesting material would seem unlikely though is hopeful.

The Crested Caracara above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The Crested Caracara's wingspan at 49 inches compares to the Red-shouldered Hawk's 40 inches, the Osprey's 63 inches, the Bald Eagle's 80 inches, and the Black and Turkey Vulture wingspans at 59 inches and 67 inches respectively.

It would indeed be a very competitive and stressful environment for the caracara at Harns Marsh Preserve if it stays and perseveres.

The Crested Caracara above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The Bald Eagle and Osprey would offer cat and mouse aerial displays with each species following the other extremely closely.

My initial three hour stay at Harns Marsh would offer the pre-dawn 31 degrees resulting in extremely shaky hands which ultimately led to a surprise for me.

The Ring-necked Duck above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The slow shutter speed and out of focus low light shot of a Killdeer along the marsh's shore would include in the image created a Wilson's Snipe that I had not observed in nearly 22 months since a trip to Green Cay Wetlands near Delray Beach.

The snipe was so well camouflaged that I didn't even notice it in the wild as I continued my attention on the Killdeer.

The Osprey above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

Rachael would certainly not have overlooked it.

I learned this week that I have misidentified the snipe as "common" although most likely a subspecies known as "Wilson's."

The White Ibis above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

A significant difference between the two species is an additional tail feather on Wilson's Snipe.

Later in the morning, a fellow visitor to Harns Marsh amusingly inquired if I had observed any penguins.

The wildlife enthusiasts above were photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The 4 December 2010 tour and bird count offered at Florida's STA5 with its 93 bird species observed with American Pipit added to the list reminds me of my disappointment in my inability to participate in such a monumental event.

A follow up visit to Harns Marsh Preserve to end the week failed to offer another sighting of the Crested Caracara or Wilson's Snipe.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

All the other species observed at mid week were seen or heard again, however.

The Snail Kite was a welcome site while it offered several close flybys.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in December 2010.

The clear sky, warmer weather, and early morning light were favorable for enjoyable wildlife photography.