25th Annual World Sandsculpting Championship

With the Florida dry season approaching at the end of the 2011 hurricane season, I was still surprised by a call for rain this week at perhaps the worst time.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Following the 25th anniversary American Sandsculpting Championship at Fort Myers Beach a few weeks ago, the 25th anniversary World Sandsculpting Event was in progress behind the Holiday Inn allowing visitors including myself the opportunity to view some remarkable stuff.

I had anticipated making the trip to Fort Myers Beach for this event but was wary to make an early start while waiting to see how the weather developed.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

There were a larger number of sculptures available to view in good weather in the late morning and early afternoon with at least a couple of them appearing to me to have been created by artists participating in the American competition recognizing their style.

The sculptures at this event were much closer together than at the American Championship which made photography of them with the longer lens more of a challenge.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

I had my backup for my backup camera in hand to bring with me to allow 18mm views, but its battery charge wasn't even enough to turn the camera on.

As I made my way around the inner perimeter of the cordoned off event I would occasionally enjoy the opportunity to speak with fellow patrons that had an interest in photography.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

I was also happy to meet Bouke Atema from the Netherlands whom was a sculpting participant.

Bouke told me that he had a particular interest in wildlife photography.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

With that a mutual interest of mine I was able to advise him of some locations for viewing of species that he might enjoy seeing while in the area.

There was musical entertainment though of greater interest to me was a "QuickSand" event where two sculptors had ten minutes to create a subject unknown to them until the start of the competition.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

The pile of sand available to each sculptor looked about the size of five gallon bucket.

At the start of this particular event the subject was divulged to be a turkey.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Near the end of the challenge, I was able to hear one of the artists tell the other that his creation looked like a chicken.

Later in the day I met a family chatting briefly as I gave my opinion to the user of the 7d that saving should begin immediately to acquire the Canon 1dm5 that I anticipate being released sometime in 2015.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Canon will be hard pressed to significantly improve its flagship camera in the 1dm4 which has proven extremely popular with serious photographers.

I'm saving for the camera myself which I hope to make fun use of in retirement.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

With a comment heard made by a fellow visitor just arriving that there were rains to the north I made a beeline for the exit to avoid a possible downpour as the rain drops began to fall.

Recent research of sand sculpting has been very interesting and envision myself chasing these events around the globe if I am ever able with an attention paid to the local wildlife.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

A second quicksand event had begun during my visit to the championship, but I didn't pay as close attention to it as I was determined to capture a record of the sand sculptures created days before.

I was able to hear over the loudspeakers that one of the sand sculptors had to forfeit the match as his pile of sand collapsed almost immediately.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

On the way home I stopped at one of the beach parking access points to photograph the sunset on the Gulf.

While I take great care in minimizing looking at the sun through the viewfinder of the camera, I couldn't help on this particular day to be entranced by what appeared to be sun spots on the sun's surface.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

I at first thought the black smudges were dust on the lens or mirror but quickly determined that they were a rarely seen phenomenon on the sun's surface without special filters.

The black smudges were perhaps the size of many dozens of earths in the upper left corner of the sun.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

I'm disappointed that I was not able to capture what I saw in reality as the brightness of the sun could not be darkened enough with
the camera's controls.

It was enjoyable nonetheless to see numerous large flocks of birds miles from shore making their way both north and south as the sun dipped below the horizon.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

With thought that the rains had damaged the sand sculptures overnight, workmate Margie Congregane had called the local newspaper to inquire about the sculptures.

She was told that that there was no significant damage with them hopefully enjoyed by many thousands of visitors in the ensuing days.

The sunset above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

The Duck Or The Egg

The sky was cloudless upon arrival at Bunche Beach this week during a very low tide.

The Great Blue Heron with Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

I enjoyed the company of Chris and Rachael Baker whom had arrived in the area from the United Kingdom for vacation.

Before we would make our way westward toward the channel, the sand gnats would prove themselves to be at their worst before sunrise where they seem to thrive in the mangroves.

The Snowy Egret juvenile above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

Once on the beach, the nuisance wasn't noticeable which is normal for Bunche even with the wind calm.

Rachael chose a fine spot to relax with a commanding view of the bay while Chris and I continued toward the west channel.

The Tricolored Heron with Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

With the flats so well exposed, the birds were spread out over the vast area.

In review of one of the first few images taken this day I was surprised to find a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron in the shot while the bird was overlooked in real time.

The Snowy Egret juvenile above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

A large flock of undisturbed Black Skimmer took flight shortly after sunrise and did not return.

The Tricolored Heron I had previously seen in large numbers close to the channel were observed further west down the beach.

The Osprey above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

Chris had inquired about the Reddish Egret that was not seen on this day while it offered its entertaining feeding behavior on a recent visit to the Preserve.

Peeps were in groups of a dozen or so scattered around the flats, but a good representation of what can reliably be seen on the beach was present directly in front of us with Chris pointing out Wilson's Plover to me.

The Great Blue Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

The flamingo, American Oystercatcher, and American Avocet hoped to be seen remained out of view.

Four Marbled Godwit were fairly close as we waited for flight opportunities of this gorgeous species.

The Great Blue Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

I was particularly captivated with a pair of Spotted Sandpiper that I've infrequently had the chance to observe.

A godwit made its way along the channel with an opportunity to observe its feeding behavior closely.

The American White Pelican above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

Several flocks of American White Pelican made westerly flybys, first in a group of 19, and then nine, and finally about 45 (with another flock seen later in the morning at the Outdoor Activity Center).

Cooper's Hawk was possibly seen at the Activity Center making a high altitude overflight, again westerly.

The Lesser Yellowlegs above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

It was earlier on the beach near the west channel that the unthinkable happened.

My tripod that I was optimistic would last a lifetime, though in a condition with the legs seized up from repeated exposure to salt water, gave way.

The Little Blue Heron juvenile above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

As I attempted to splay the legs down to get a lower position for observation of the Spotted Sandpiper that were approaching closely, one of the legs broke below where it mounts to the collar.

It's for this reason that I will not acquire a carbon fiber tripod again for use in salt water.

The Spotted Sandpiper above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

As Chris pointed out to me, I could get a tripod at less than a quarter its cost and replace it as necessary, though I will miss the bubble level of the Gitzo.

Later in the week Chris joined me for a visit to the Bald Eagle's nest with the leg of the tripod heavily wrapped in Duck tape.

The Marbled Godwit above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

This seems to be a suitable solution until I find a replacement tripod.

I have to think how fortunate I was that the failure of it happened the way it did where the camera didn't fall to the ground.

The Spotted Sandpiper above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

At the eagle's nest the conditions were very foggy and overcast even a few hours after sunrise which were very favorable for the sand gnats which attacked relentlessly.

Both eagles were in the nest upon our first observation with the birds feasting on fish.

The Marbled Godwit above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

I believe the female left the nest first as indicated by the band on its leg.

The male left the nest shortly thereafter with the birds perching on trees less than 300 feet from one another.

The Semipalmated Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in November 2011.

Although it's noted that the female of the species is larger than the male, when the birds are close together, I still find it difficult to distinguish them from one another.

This may be due to the female not yet fattened up for her chore of laying the eggs.

The banded Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

On two of three visits now this month to observe the eagles, the birds have been feasting on fish upon arrival to the nest.

Although the conditions were still very foggy, a view of the eagles perched very close together off the nest offered a good view of the band on the bird closer to me.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

The male followed her flight almost immediately with the birds remaining out of sight and sound through most of the remainder of the morning.

One of the eagles would make a brief reappearance near the nest though I wasn't able to determine whether it was the male or female.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

By noon, species seen included White Ibis, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Northern Mockingbird, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Snowy Egret, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Double-crested Cormorant, and an unknown species of duck.

Chris's keen eye and experience added Magnificent Frigatebird flying directly overhead which he noted it as his first sighting of the species on his trip with an Eastern Pheobe spotted by him near the eagle's nest as well which made the pheobe my first seen this season.

The White-eyed Vireo above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

It was educational to hear Chris talk about the birds where I would learn the correct pronunciation of those I've been butchering verbally.

It appears that the mating behavior of the eagles might best be viewed with a late afternoon visit as I recall Red-shouldered Hawks in the Everglades area and Burrowing Owls at Cape Coral prefer that time of day for their propagation.

The Magnificent Frigatebird above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

It's good to know the Bald Eagle is no longer in danger of decline in numbers.

Bald Eagles And Sand Sculptures: 2011

Day 1:

I had been giving a lot of thought this past month to revisiting the Bald Eagle nest south of Fort Myers Beach at Big Carlos Pass.

The sunrise above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in November 2011.

A primary goal in my wildlife observations to close out the year is to capture the mating behavior of the raptor.

I'm well aware of the fact that this may require countless hours of observation and will certainly have a tremendous amount of luck if I'm successful.

The Mangrove Skipper above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

Comfortable conditions with an unobstructed sunrise were welcome during my first chance to make my observations this week.

A bird call that I was unsure of was heard upon my arrival at Lovers Key State Park.

The Obscure Skipper above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

The mosquitoes that have been reported to be at their worst in 20 years with heavy rains in October were virtually absent while sand gnats were aggressive early in the day.

My approach to the eagle nest allowed observation of a bird in the nest with the bird's mate in a nearby tree.

The Gulf Fritillary above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

Both birds took flight upon my first glimpse of them.

The eagles were heard occasionally from different directions in the next few hours as I waited for their return to view.

The Belted Kingfisher above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

It's my expectation to find that these are the same Bald Eagles that I observed at the nest earlier this year.

I'll be assured when I note the band on one of the legs of the birds.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Gloria Beauchamp, park manager at Lovers Key, has noted that the Bald Eagle has been seen in all areas of the Park.

At one point I thought I had observed a woodpecker I had not seen before, but it turned out to be a Belted Kingfisher after close inspection of its image on the computer.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were the most abundant species seen with one individual working its way through a shrub merely a few feet away allowing a remarkable view of the diminutive bird.

Insect life was prolific as well with bees particularly active around me.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

I would again make an identification request of Vince Lucas to help confirm a species seen.

He guided me in the right direction while concluding the creature to be an Obscure Skipper after making comparisons with Brian Ahern's imagery.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Particularly vocal later in the morning during my observations were kingfishers and Ospreys.

The guttural calls of White Ibis were heard as they fed in one of the park's inner waterways though were obscured from view by the thick mangrove trees.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Heading home I stopped at Fort Myers Beach to see the sand sculptures built during the 25th Annual American SandSculpting Championship Festival held behind the GullWing Resort.

Also celebrating its 25th anniversary is the World Championship of Sand Sculpting that will be held November 17-27, 2011 behind the Holiday Inn at Fort Myers Beach.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

The sand sculptures seen created at the American event were very impressive days after the sculptures were created.

They still attracted many visitors on the day of my visit while it is believed that 50,000 people attended the event the week before.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

The sculptures were very diverse in their themes and of many varying sizes with a few dwarfing those admiring them.

The space limitations here regrettably only offers a small representation of what was seen with a photo gallery on this subject created as time permits.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

If I'm fortunate enough to view the creations at the World Championship, it will be many months before I complete such an endeavor.

Day 2:

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

The morning of my trip back to attempt to observe the Bald Eagles at Lovers Key was met with a rare opportunity to observe a near full moonset in nighttime conditions.

I've only had this experience once before and have great regret for missing the chance to photograph the moon dipping below the horizon.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

On the previous occasion, I'm quite sure I was making a trip to observe the eagles.

The sounds heard at the parking area were not repeated on this day discounting further investigation.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

Arrival near the Bald Eagle nest was fortuitous as the birds seemed to remember me and remained in view.

Woodpeckers were much more prevalent this day with three species seen including Red-bellied, Downy and Pileated.

The Pileated Woodpecker above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

The Pileated Woodpecker, significantly larger than the other woodpeckers, allowed the most interesting audible treat with its distinctive drumming created on the trees.

I was offered many more species of bird passing through on this day while a few others were absent.

The Downy Woodpecker above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

Such is the case with wildlife observation while we can occasionally take advantage of reports of species for up to weeks at a time in search of a rarity.

I caught a glimpse of what I immediately recognized as flycatcher and would compare my recollection of it to the only image I've captured of Great Crested Flycatcher nearly four years earlier at the same wildlife venue.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

Northern Mockingbird, Florida's state bird, was observed among Blue Jays.

Blue-headed Vireo was a welcome sight as it made its way through as well.

The Blue Jay above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

A brief contentious exchange between one of the Bald Eagles and an Osprey was observed with the Osprey the aggressor.

As Bald Eagles will mate for life, the pair I observed seemed to offer a reaffirmation this day as they were particularly engaging with each other on a few occasions.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

Several images taken of one of the eagles shows evidence of a metal band which has me assured that these are the same birds I've been observing.

The band was otherwise difficult to distinguish with it obscured by some of the eagle's 7192 feathers.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

Both birds were seen in the nest at one point with what appeared a food item possibly from the day before.

One of the birds was also observed to be meticulously moving part of the nest material with great care.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in November 2011.

The 2012 nesting season looks promising.