The Scissor-tailed Flycatchers observed at Church Road in Hendry County on 25 January 2014 had captivated my attention toward what I thought was the end of the day.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
After packing up the gear in the car for the ride home I traveled west along Church Road through the orange groves with the sun still slightly above the horizon.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
It appeared relatively quiet for observations driving at a moderate speed in the lower light conditions until I passed a Red-shouldered Hawk in the grass on the north side of the road.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Western Kingbird above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Loggerhead Shrike above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Loggerhead Shrike above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
Though I had passed the bird by a few hundred feet I backed up the car to the point where I would have it used as a blind as the hawk was so close.
The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
As a bonus for returning to the hawk, I saw two Crested Caracara in the middle of rows of orange grove trees seemingly on the hunt for something to eat.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The hawk was surprisingly accommodating for its photograph until it inexplicably took flight to the top of an orange tree where it remained for a few moments before taking flight out of sight.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
It was at that point that several more Crested Caracara were observed in flight to the east. A stunning show would unfold with images of the falcons very heavily cropped.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Crested Caracara above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Tree Swallow above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Tree Swallow above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Western Kingbird above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
A follow-up visit to Church Road was made in the late afternoon of 27 January. A selected handful of images from observations at that time are presented in this article as well.
The Mourning Dove above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Tree Swallow above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
My initial observations from this venue may be seen at
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers in Hendry County.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher above was photographed along Church Road in January 2014.
Zo mooi! Ik heb er van genoten.
ReplyDeletegroet,
Maria
Hallo Bob, Wat een geweldige vluchtfoto's. Daar ben ik echt een liefhebber van... Gr. Ben
ReplyDeleteMagnificent captures,love the flight shots,plenty of action on show.
ReplyDeleteJohn.
I strongly suspect you will be returning to Church Road! Great captures, Bob! We have a small winter roost of Scissor-tails and Western Kingbirds here in Polk County and it's been fun to watch them gather at sunset.
ReplyDeleteVery nice photography!
What a nice outing! Say, Bob, do you have a map on this site showing where/how to access Church Road?
ReplyDeleteNice photos. Merci
Directions to Church Road from the west: Take 82 east toward Immokalee. After entering Hendry County, take left onto Church Road at the cell phone tower. Travel to stop sign and take right continuing on Church Road. Travel to canal and look for sign "Gate 2." Stop and enjoy the wildlife. Be sure to respect private property.
Delete