Harns Marsh Preserve: Early Winter 2012

My second afternoon visit to Harns Marsh Preserve was made following dozens of earlier visits which have favored the early morning hours and later best for photography.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

Upon my arrival, it was very quite wildlife wise as it had been this past Christmas Day with my experience clearly indicating best observations are made at dawn when everything at Harns is on the move.

An afternoon visit to Harns is not the best time for photography considering the angle of the sun.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

An Osprey this week was observed perched slightly left across the water from the parking area.

A very brief consideration was made taking a photo of it thinking it might be the only shot taken in these two afternoon visits.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

From the parking area I walked north along the perimeter road as long as I could stand it before entering the inviting marsh.

The temperature had been well below normal the preceding days so was more comfortable entering the water with gators seen or heard on occasion during the warmer months.

The American Coot above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

My objective was to explore the inner depths of the marsh with the sun behind me hoping for a flyby of anything.

This required me to work my way through some uncomfortably cold water.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

I had hoped that the water level would have receded at least a little, but it remained as high as I have ever seen it at the Preserve.

The water was never more than waste deep although a challenge to find a spot to settle down and observe as I haven't replaced the Gitzo tripod yet with the inability to extend the legs after their repeated exposure to salt water.

The wildlife observers above were photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

An advantage I had with the light several hours from sunset was the sun relatively low on the horizon in the winter months.

As if a goal reached, I stayed within the vicinity of the Cypress tree not wading more than a couple hundred feet beyond.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

The Cypress tree was completely stripped of the weed growth that had reached its canopy last year.

I'm curious to know which species of bird carried the nest building material away.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

Note the feather remnants on the bill of the egret in the image immediately above.

Their removal is often made by some wildlife photographers seeking a perfect image with post processing magic.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

If I had such expertise I would likely do the same, while in this instance we can see the bird which appears to have been preening itself likely immediately before it took flight which is interesting to me.

Sandhill Crane preoccupied my attention on this week's journey with it my good fortune to have found them so close.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

With inspection of the kite image directly above I discovered that the bird has bands on both legs.

I am unsure if I have seen this bird before as I don't recall the band characteristics.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

While focused on the cranes and their behavior, what I thought was a Peregrine Falcon had silently appeared staring me down from atop the Cypress tree.

I attempted to approach the tree a little closer and unfortunately spooked the bird very easily before I was able to capture an image of it.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

An American Kestrel came into view about an hour later.

Waterfowl remained for the most part very distant from me as well, though were heard with enjoyment from virtually all directions.

The Blue-winged Teal above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

I encountered the pair of Sandhill Crane that may be the ones that fledged their young in 2011 with only these two birds of the species seen this day.

A well manicured nest was revealed as the birds gave some distance with my approach.

The American Kestrel above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

A single egg that I would guesstimate at four by three inches was exposed in the nest.

The cranes will typically produce two young so another egg should be on the nest for the adults to tend to before mt next visit to the Preserve.

The Sandhill Crane egg above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

The lone Snail Kite that had made a few flybys earlier did not return.

Tree Swallows were observed in relatively few numbers though made flyovers frequently.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

I inadvertently flushed an American Bittern which relieved itself about five feet above the water's surface after taking flight.

There were a pair of birds seen that I was unable to photograph and regret cannot note as species seen.

The Red-winged Blackbird above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

Sora and Least Bittern may have been species present though cannot say for sure.

More than half the photographs taken this trip were attempts to capture a good image of Tree Swallow.

The Tree Swallow above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

A fun day it was although left Harns Marsh with my feet especially cold.

There was significant birding activity along the perimeter road with little thought other than to get the heat cranking in the car.

The Killdeer above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

Harns was observed to be more popularly visited in the late afternoon than in the morning.