Following my pelagic trip into the Atlantic last week I made a morning visit on 22 July to Fort De Soto Park immediately adjacent to Tierra Verde with hopes of catching a glimpse of a Brown Booby.
The moonset above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
Unable to patiently wait for what would become periodic favorable light at dawn I began to fire away with shutter speeds as slow as 1/15th of a second.
The immature Royal Tern above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The immature Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Royal Tern with juvenile above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Royal Tern above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Lesser Yellowlegs above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Royal Tern above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
Aside from sightings of the booby this month, the species was last observed at Fort De Soto Park four years ago.
The Royal Tern above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Royal Tern above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The 1st winter Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The 1st winter Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Eurasian-collared Dove above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The booby remained elusive to me, though there was a lot of other wildlife action to keep me preoccupied.
The Willet above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Sanderling above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Double-crested Cormorant above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Great Egret above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
I made stationary observations on the beach between the Gulf Pier and the tower to its north.
The Barn Swallow above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The immature Royal Tern above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Great Egret above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Brown Pelican above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
A fellow wildlife observer told me she thought that the booby was likely offshore feeding at the time of our visit.
The Osprey above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Osprey above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Osprey above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The scene above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Laughing Gull above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The scene above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The molting Brown Pelican above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The Brown Booby was reported late this day by Venice resident Barry Rossheim with the bird observed by him from 5:40pm-7:30pm.
The Royal Tern above was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in July 2013.
The following are reports of the Brown Booby at Fort De Soto Park from the day after my visit until the time of this article's publication . . .
I received news from Joe FitzGerald that he and Shelby McNemar saw the booby on Wednesday, the 24th, at 7:30 PM.-- Ron Smith, St. Pete, FL
It was on the tower at ~9am this morning, Friday the 26. I watched it for about 10 minuets until a boat pulled along side the tower, and it flew off with a group of Brown Pelicans. I started for another 30 minuets, but did not see it again.-- Kevin Brabble, Homosassa, FL
Hey All-I saw the Brown Booby at 4pm sitting about 60 feet up the tower along with several Double-crested Cormorants. Watched it for 20 minutes, it took flight once and made several awkward attempts re-land 60-80 feet up the tower until finally sticking the landing on the 4th/5th attempt. Left it still sitting there around 430pm, (29 July)-- Eric Plage, St. Petersburg, FL
I spotted the Brown Booby this evening between 6:39 and 6:56pm. It flew around the tower near the Gulf Pier 2x, landing in the middle of it each time. When I left (30 July) due to rain/t-storm it was still there.-- Nathan Langwald, Lakeland, FL
Bob, these photos are truly amazing. Hope you get to see the Brown Booby! There's still a chance! ~karen
ReplyDeleteI loved looking at your photos too! I enjoyed watching your slideshow as well. You surely have a knack at catching the personalities of the birds - I like that.
ReplyDeleteVery, very nice, Bob! Sorry about no sighting of the boobie (bird kind), but it looks like you did pretty well otherwise!
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