Saturday, June 25, 2011

Harns Marsh Preserve: Summer Solstice 2011

I received contact from American Birding Association member Hemant Kishan making rounds of the area this past week and recommended we visit Harns Marsh Preserve.

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

We arrived very early which was helpful to walk to an area that I had found productive for bird observation in the recent past while taking advantage of first sunlight of the day for photography.

On the way, Hemant made it obvious that he was staying well versed on recent sightings at the marsh referencing Purple Gallinule which I have yet to see at Harns Marsh.

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

This species was one of Bob Blanchard's great interests this past month that he told me about on a couple of occasions.

While I had hoped he would post an image of the gallinule on his facebook page, he hasn't done so as of this writing.

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

Bob has recently commented on a subject that I often see written about.

In a nutshell, as an opinion of mine, never delete an image you've taken.

The 1st spring Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

You'll never know when you may want to reference it again or perhaps make it appealing to view as editing software capabilities improve or even change your style of presentation, say with a particular crop.

As Hemant and I made our walk approaching the turn in the road north of the parking area at the marsh he pointed out to me a Killdeer juvenile with a pair of mature birds of the species.

The 1st spring Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

Killdeer were abundant in virtually all areas of the marsh while juvenile Red-winged Blackbird were at one point inadvertently flushed from the tall grasses.

Hemant pointed out to me the oddity of Limkin in that it has no direct relative in the aves kingdom.

The 1st spring Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

Our walk into the marsh itself showed evidence of the initial rains of the wet season that will hopefully be very abundant in the months ahead while the water level at the marsh was again significantly lower.

I noted iridescence on the surface of water near the marsh's edge which is explained at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary as the result of tree seeds that release their oils.

The 1st spring Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

This may be the case at Harns Marsh although its primary design is to filter impurities from stormwaters and control their flow.

Two Black-necked Stilts were seen in the vicinity of the nest observed earlier in the month where five of the birds were typically seen at that time, while fewer of the birds were seen at the other nesting site further into the marsh as well.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

No evidence of juvenile stilts were seen while Hemant remained very patient as I would have stayed at this location through most of the morning waiting for the wildlife to make its appearance.

I recommended that we explore further toward the point I had last reached.

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

Hemant's great humor was evident when he noted "crop circles," or the all terrain vehicle "donuts," which were again observed.

Elsewhere in the marsh it was obvious where the USGS airboat had traveled earlier this year which flattened the grasses making them easier to walk through.

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

Hopes of seeing the American White Pelican, that might have stayed at the marsh if the water level had remained just a little higher with a food source not already consumed, were lost in the late morning.

Prior to that, a walk was possible due to the marsh's very dry conditions directly to the western edge where a 1st Spring Little Blue Heron and Red-shouldered Hawk were observed.

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

The water level looked quite high to the west of the road while walking south.

I'll speculate that this might be a relatively undisturbed area of the marsh as was seen before the idea of controlling storm waters in the area many years ago.

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

Advancing further led to the thought that the short-cut back to the lake had to be taken as the grasses last walked through at the southern edge of the preserve were very high at that time and might be especially unsafe on this trip with mowing not having taken place in a long while.

Hemant told me of his recent observations at Magee Marsh where he had the opportunity to photograph a plethora of migrating warblers while his time spent at Canada's Point Pelee National Park was also mentioned with his observation of Black Terns.

The Bald Eagle with Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

His flight images of the terns among hundreds of others are remarkable and should be appreciated.

The walk approaching the lake led to a sighting of flycatcher which I couldn't identify for sure.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

A Limpkin was seen soaking wet near the parking area as a female Snail Kite flew from perhaps the tree I had last heard it a month ago.

After the return to the parking area, Hemant was game to make another walk along the marsh toward the southeast area that has been the most productive for wildlife observation that I've experienced.

The Red-winged Blackbird above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

We again entered the marsh after Hemant observed a Bald Eagle land on the Cypress tree.

An effort was made to photograph the Black-necked Stilt with little tolerance for the raptor so close to its breeding area.

The Scarlet Skimmer above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

Although the stilt attempted to have the eagle move on from its perch by strafing it numerous times, the eagle hardly ever budged.

While Hemant chose to leave after a few hours, the best was yet to come as a rarely seen Green Heron made a flyby over the marsh.

Hemant Kishan above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

Its identity was not immediately certain photographed from such a long distance, but its undulating flight pattern was unmistakable compared to birds of its size.

Though I didn't see the heron again even after identifying the approximate spot it had landed and was walked by on the way out of the marsh, another surprise was to be had.

The Black-necked Stilt with Bald Eagle above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

I couldn't resist stopping to pause at and view the area I had spent so much time with hopes of observing the hatching of Black-necked Stilt before the pillage of the eggs.

A splash of water in close proximity of that former nest and a large dark body seen in a fleeting instant I thought was a gator taking down a wading bird.

The aircraft above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

Closer inspection would reveal the action to be a pair of River Otters.

It seemed on odd place to observe these creatures which I had only observed south of the parking area in deeper water last year.

The River Otter above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

This behavior would have resulted in a remarkable video of the otters in action.

The smaller otter which I considered a juvenile was ravenous in its consumption of its meal while I remained several hundred feet away.

The River Otter above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

At one point the otter swam within 30 feet of me which was a little alarming not sure if it would turn around which it fortunately did.

I found some unexpected deep water observing the mammals and the inner sole of my shoe which I recovered as was hoped after losing it on a previous visit.

The River Otter above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

The birds were overall regrettably not seen in the great numbers they were a few weeks ago.

I didn't give forethought in telling Hemant that I might see him at the beach late in the day with the afternoon thunderstorms now much too unpredictable to risk life and limb.

The River Otter above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in June 2011.

I had the surprise of seeing an unknown species of snake, a little less than a few feet long and black in color, along the marsh's edge which was too close to photograph before it slithered into the grass out of view.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Estero Lagoon: Final Days Of Spring 2011

It had been nine weeks since my last visit to Estero Lagoon south of Fort Myers Beach, so I made two trips to observe wildlife at the great venue this week.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

Although the visits to the Refuge were made on consecutive days, the experiences were remarkably different.

By far the most evident species seen was the Least Tern which is nesting successfully at the Lagoon.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

I would guestimate their numbers at about thirty-five individuals including those already hatched.

The Least Tern was seen in its greatest numbers at one time when a Fish Crow made an overflight of the nesting area.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

The terns were very aggressive in defending their territory chasing the crow from the area successfully.

Another interesting phenomenon observed were large numbers of Florida fighting conch washed up on the beach both days, though not as abundantly on the second visit.

The Florida fighting conch above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

These shells all contained live mollusks and would of course be against the law to collect.

Although the Least Terns have already been successful in producing their young, waves of late arrivals in their migration from South America will offer the opportunity to observe different stages of young through August as has been my experience.

The shelling enthusiast above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

Several pairs of Least Tern were observed engaging in the start of their mating rituals this week.

The latest an adult has been observed in the area was either very late October or early November last year as I recall.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

Little Estero Critical Wildlife Area as the Lagoon is officially known utilizes Least Tern decoys that are placed in pairs and are in greater numbers than those at Lovers Key State Park immediately to the south.

This might explain why there have been more terns observed at the Lagoon than at Lovers Key this season.

The Least Tern decoys above were photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

Brown Pelicans were seen in numbers less than a dozen on both visits though apparently feeding well.

Royal Terns, Laughing Gulls (harassing the pelicans), White Ibis, Osprey, Snowy Plover, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, and Sanderling were otherwise seen both days on or flying over the beach.

The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

As sunset arrived on day one, I was of course struggling to capture an interesting wildlife image in very poor light.

It was at that time that an American Oystercatcher arrived on the scene.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

I managed to capture a lot of blurry shots of it, fearing to push the ISO equivalent of the camera beyond 800 which I've noted should not be done to avoid excessive graininess (or noise) in the image.

It would have been an extraordinary and first observation to see the oystercatcher with a juvenile which I'll continue to seek in future observations.

The Green Flash above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

As I began my walk back to the Holiday Inn, I passed a photographer that told me he was there to "photograph with light."

I found that comment intriguing enough to stop me in my tracks and see what he meant.

The glow sticks above were photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

A short while later in near complete darkness, if not for a bright moon, I observed that he was quite literal.

Chad had told me that his uncle and brother, as I recall, were there to assist him in his craft with glow sticks.

The glow sticks above were photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

I found the whole concept extremely interesting to observe and a challenge to photograph.

At times I was about thirty feet in the Gulf in shallow water which was quite exhilarating while I had concern for the waves placing the camera's level off kilter with the tripod impossibly stable.

The Snowy Plover juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

I made best guesses with that concern and the focus on the subject as it was too dark for the auto focus to work which was proven with many of the +/- ten second exposures required to capture the scene.

By the time Chad's work was done, my walk to the car was intimidating as uncharted areas of the beach had to be crossed with the tide coming in rapidly.

The Snowy Plover above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

The bright moonlight was greatly appreciated at that point.

My arrival at the Lagoon on the second visit was again an afternoon visit with a favorably low tide.

The Snowy Plover juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

On both days, there was a noticeable absence of birds in the north lagoon.

I made the walk again to the south to observe the shorebird breeding grounds.

The Snowy Plover juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

It was interesting to observe Snowy Plover juveniles on this day which I had missed somehow on the first.

There were three very newly hatched plover observed that were extremely energetic and covered a huge area in their explorations.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

The parents stayed with the chicks closely that may have hatched the night before and seemed to offer them guidance in staying out of trouble.

Species of bird this day missed earlier added Reddish Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, and Whimbrel.

The Whimbrel above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

American Oystercatcher was unfortunately not seen on the second visit to the Lagoon this week.

I couldn't resist one of the greatest challenges in wildlife photography I've encountered with the capture of Least Terns in flight in good light (it helped to have windy conditions).

The Least Tern above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

I was excited to finally observe the rare green flash seen at sunset, but the camera's settings did not capture the event effectively.

All I remember seeing in real time through the lens was a remarkable green color as the sun dipped below the horizon which hadn't been seen before after many observations.

The Least Tern juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in June 2011.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Flight Certification Required

A trip to Lovers Key State Park this week was made to check on the activity of Least Terns that have nested at the Park each summer since my first visit in 2007.

The Least Tern juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.

2008 was a banner year for the Least Tern to nest there when beach conditions were seemingly ideal for the species.

At that time there were hundreds of Least Tern observed that put on quite a show all summer long.

The Least Tern decoy above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.

Most years have offered less activity of Least Tern with this season in particular offering the fewest numbers of the terns I've seen as severe erosion of the beach and reduction of nesting habitat has occurred due to high tides mainly in the winter months.

It was my good fortune to see Peggy Wood at the gate house in the late afternoon as she normally works at the Park in the morning.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.

She told me there is a chance beach re-nourishment may take place next year which would greatly improve the success of future Least Tern nesting as well as that of sea turtles that gravitate to Lovers Key State Park.

In 2001, Tropical Storm Gabrielle caused significant loss of beach at Lovers Key State Park which was the impetus for the Park's last beach re-nourishment project in 2004.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.

Peggy also told me that the Gulf waters have this year encroached into the fourth row of Sea Oats that were planted after the last restoration of the beach.

Presently, the relatively few Least Terns that can be seen have produced young that are already able to fly.

The Least Tern above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.

This is a great boon to the juveniles as once they leave the relative safety of the plateau and engage the surf, the birds must be able to fly to avoid certain death as the tide rises or must otherwise find the natural ramp that Park personnel have created for them to return to higher ground.

The conditions at Lovers Key State Park, at present, are ideal for photography of the terns as you are able to comfortably be at eye level with them.

The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.

I was relaxing on my patio too far from the beach this week to hear the Common Grackles nesting in the Sabal Palms as they have for the last six weeks.

Remarkably, after a particularly loud commotion, I observed a bird fall from one of the palms into the shrubbery below.

The Mourning Dove above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2011.

I immediately investigated to find the bird to be a juvenile grackle that appeared to have made its first attempt at flight unsuccessfully.

With thought of the safety of the bird from predators including my neighbor's cat and the raccoon seen a few nights before, I put the bird in a shoebox and gave the bird to my neighbor to make a best judgment of the grackle's fate.

The Common Grackle juvenile above was photographed at my residence in June 2011.

She decided, and I agreed, to release the bird back to where it had fallen so the mature birds would care for it and protect it.

Hours later I observed the bird fly onto the upper branches of my potted lemon tree which I found quite impressive.

The Common Grackle juvenile above was photographed at my residence in June 2011.

I observed the juvenile fed insects by its parents numerous times the next day.

The juvenile grackle was gone the following day with hopes that it was able to find safety elsewhere and have a long life ahead of it.

The Common Grackle juvenile above was photographed at my residence in June 2011.