Florida Rainy Season

Just in time, the rainy season in southwest Florida brings relief from hot temperatures in the late afternoon.

The wildlife photographer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

This past week only allowed one trip to see some wildlife action going on in the area which was again chosen as Estero Lagoon at Fort Myers Beach.

The sky on that day appeared favorable for what I thought would be a great evening of wildlife observation and photography, but the storm that developed from the southeast was formidable and cut short the trip to the beach.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

At that time, I met the Virginian who told me of wildlife that walks up to him at home.

My new friend, Kevinn Fung, has recently advised me of an area of wildlife observation opportunity that I will hopefully be able to report about next week.

The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

One of the species he noted observed recently has never been seen before in my travels and will be an exciting find even among the bugs he warns about.

In the sometimes uncomfortable environmental conditions of a Florida summer, it's my hope to get together with my recent acquaintances, as well as enthusiasts Bob Duckwall, Alena King, and the local birding master I've yet to meet, Tom Obrock, for some better observation of the next generation of wildlife in the area.

The wildlife observers above were photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in June 2010.

Stay tuned.

Seductive Scarlet

Not too long ago (three years), I caught the birding bug which has evolved into an interest in observation and capturing imagery of avian wildlife in Florida where I live.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

I had first heard of a bird known as the Scarlet Ibis over a year ago which I believe I first saw at the website of fellow pbaser Bob Duckwall who has photographed it.

This bird species is not indigenous to the southwest Florida area, but considered an escapee from a zoo or private collection of birds after one of the hurricanes that has ravaged the southeastern United States over the years.

The Willet above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

According to Wikipedia, the species may also have been intentionally introduced to the area beyond its hybridization with the White Ibis in 1962.

"Scarlet," as I believe it to be affectionately known in my immediate area has been elusive to me although there is the very remote chance that it may have been seen last year at Lovers Key State Park as a bird I thought very unusual and possibly photographed by Alena King.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

With today my best opportunity to search for the Scarlet Ibis this past week, I made a journey to Estero Lagoon with hopes of catching sight of it at least.

The bird species was photographed at the lagoon on 10 February 2010 by BPN contributor Mike Landwehr of Waukee, Iowa.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

On my way to Estero Lagoon which I believed to be an area the bird might be seen again, I drove behind the Church of the Ascension which offered a great opportunity for wildlife viewing.

This was the place that my acquaintance, Linda Grasp, at Harns Marsh Preserve offered through her contact John Dougherty of Morrisville, NY.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

I was not completely sure of this location as Linda had noted John's observations of the Scarlet Ibis well beyond the mainland of Fort Myers on Sanibel Island if not closer to Captiva Island.

My observations this week as I made my way to Estero Lagoon after viewing 11 White Ibis including two juveniles were muted by just a relaxing long overdue trip to the beach.

The White Ibis above was photographed near Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

I thought I had read weeks ago that the Estero Lagoon area had set up its bird nesting boundaries to protect its nesting birds including terns and plovers, but I saw no evidence of that as yet.

I don't know exactly where those prohibitions might be as I have not observed them in the past.

The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

As I normally do, I park at the accommodating shopping plaza just south of the Holiday Inn at the beach and walk to the lagoon area from there.

Most recently I walked north beyond the perimeter of the lagoon with the sound of music and DJ at the tiki hut.

The wildlife photographer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

As I headed south I caught sight of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron that I had not seen in a long while so I paused to experiment with my flash in photographing it.

This particular bird allowed be to get within the limits of my focusing range of it as it was very subdued.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

In this immediate area I was able to capture the Northern Cardinal and listen to its call from the mangroves it was well hidden in.

Slowly making my way further beyond the lagoon, I was captivated by a trey of Snowy Egret that were feeding in the surf of the Gulf of Mexico with one of the birds apparently injured in some way as it had a limp in its movement.

The wildlife photographer above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

Before I left this particular part of the beach, there were observations made of Willet, though not sure what type as Tom Obrock has recently noted.

Rounding the bend I encountered a family group that I would learn was also Iowan where I was asked to capture an image of the family with their camera (birding was not their thing, but is NASCAR and photography of it).

The family above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

Just before meeting these people, I observed an American Oystercatcher which was unmistakable in its flight south along the beach.

I wasn't able to catch up to it, but saw the other regulars that I had hoped to see that are missed when not having visited the beach in a long while.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in March 2009.

While primarily interested in photography of birds, there were a few photographers that were interestingly shooting directly into the light although it was subdued with heavy cloud cover.

I was compelled to photograph them as well with expectations to meet them all, but there wasn't the time and focused on the wildlife subjects at hand, one photographer simply inexplicably disappeared.

The Ruddy Turnstone above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

I was able to speak briefly with Alain visiting from France whom I recommended find the Burrowing Owls in Cape Coral which are especially photogenic this time of year.

Although the Scarlet Ibis was not observed this week, I will continue to search for this elusive and seductive creature.

The sunset above was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in April 2010.

John Dougherty recommends the sighting of the Scarlet Ibis this time of year at Lakes Park.

2009 Year In Review I

JANUARY
The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2009.

The beginning of the year was an exceptionally exciting time as I was getting the feel for some newly acquired photography gear that would give me great pleasure and grief. I made a trip to San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve (SCBBBP) early in the month and one to Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve towards the end.

FEBRUARY
The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Picayune State Forest in February 2009.

A number of Great Florida Birding Trail sites were visited in this month including those in the area of the Florida Everglades while nearly getting lost in Picayune State Forest. I also made a trip to "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge where I observed the Common Merganser for the first time. I made a trip to the east coast where I visited Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Wetlands and Nature Center (both venues highly recommended at this time of year). Shore and wading birds were observed in beautiful breeding condition at SCBBBP.

MARCH
The Northern Mockingbird with Bald Eagle and juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in March 2009.

I made six trips to Lovers Key State Park to observe the successful nesting of a pair of Bald Eagle fledglings. One of the most exciting sights I've made in all my birding was simply watching an Osprey aggressively defending its territory against an adult eagle. The aerobatics were stunning and never to be forgotten. My trips to National Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in the middle and towards the end of the month offered some extraordinary views from the boardwalk of the wading birds and alligators in very close proximity to each other in the dwindling waters of the "swamp." It was at this time I realized how essentially critical it is to be using flash with one's photography there. To end the month, I made a "day" trip to Key West visiting three clusters of the South Region of the Great Florida Birding Trail and six venues within them. I captured an image of a Palm Warbler at Crane Point Museum and Nature Center in Marathon that I would later enter in Audubon's inaugural photo contest.

APRIL
The Great Egret juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in April 2009.

I visited Lovers Key State Park, Lakes Park, SCBBBP, Bowditch Point, and Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area, at least once. Without doubt, the highlights were the visits to "Bird Island" at SCBBBP including one with fellow wildlife enthusiast and photographer, Alena King, whom had earlier told me of the prolific breeding activity at Bunche Beach Preserve. It was at this time that there was a shutter mechanism failure with my Canon 1dm3 camera coincidentally three months to the day after my first shots with it.

MAY
The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Tigertail Beach in May 2009.

A follow up trip was made to "Bird Island" with Alena at the beginning of the month. The experience for me was extraordinary in the observation of hundreds of nests and the diversity of bird species using them. I used the Nikon D80 solely on these trips to the island with ease of carrying it and the accompanying 70-300mm lens on the Kayak. Also in the early part of the month I visited 16 venues within five clusters of the West Region of the Great Florida Birding Trail (slightly North of the Tampa Bay area and South). An image of a pair of Laughing Gull taken at Sand Key Park in Clearwater would be a second of four images submitted to Audubon. Three trip to Lovers Key State Park were made with hopes to observe the Least Tern breeding on the beach. Their numbers were dramatically lower than those seen in 2007. My first trip to Tigertail Beach was also made for the first time early in the month.

JUNE
The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in June 2009.

Early in the month, I made my second trip to Tigertail Beach that was cut short by a thunderstorm that began to unleash a maelstrom a mere hundred yards from the car. A final trip to Lovers Key State Park was made, not to happen again for six months. The nesting Least Tern activity at Lovers Key was regrettably minimal. Three additional trips were also made to Bunche Beach Preserve. While I've yet to visit Tigertail Beach in the winter months, I greatly favor Bunche Beach by far for its wildlife opportunities in comparing these two similar venues as I've experienced thus far.

Random Thoughts IV

The proof that global warming exists, as southwest Florida has had a very warm and humid summer this past season, seems awkward as so many other areas of the country have been experiencing record cold temperatures. This global warming mantra seems to be waning in favor of the addition of climate change to the lexicon of eco activists.

The raccoon above was photographed at National Audubon Society Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in October 2009.

A comment I heard from a mid westerner this week was that they'd arrived in town a little too early. I feigned empathy. The gulf water temperature was reported at a very comfortable 85 degrees today.

It was surreal to travel through the Fort Myers Beach area since my last memorable visit at the height of last year's tourist season as the traffic seemed relatively non existent. Commuting time will double in another month or so as the so called snow birds return.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Sanctuary in October 2009.

I made a long overdue trip to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary this week for the first time in a long while. It was good to see Phil and Mike again. The wildlife action at the swamp was surprisingly subdued. After my four hour visit making rounds through the different ecosystems several times, I left the venue without seeing several species that were noted on the sighting board.

While the water level is much higher than I remember seeing at the swamp previously this time of year, the 2009 precipitation thus far has come in a little short of that water needed for the sheeting effect that will otherwise attract so much more diversity along the boardwalk.

The Laughing Gull above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park in September 2008.

It was interesting to learn that the Sandhill Crane is being fed by a neighbor of the sanctuary. It explains why the birds are heard in such great numbers so early in the morning there.

My friend, Sue, whom has visited Harns Marsh Preserve significantly more than me, has advised me that there are indeed gators at the preserve. Wading in the water with the birds there should be avoided. I wish I knew this fact earlier.

The White Ibis above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2009.

While I type these words, I hear the rain fall from the cold front working its way through the area. It should not be expected to significantly accommodate the needs of the swamp that would benefit from a tropical storm or hurricane which did not materialize this season.

More importantly, heavy rains would significantly minimize the encroachment of salt water into the Floridan aquifer which includes parts of Georgia and South Carolina.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in October 2009.

I thought for sure that the rainy season was over, so this is considered a very welcome reprieve.

While Tim Rucci should be back from Ireland, Alena is on her way to Indonesia.

The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Sanibel Island Lighthouse in October 2009.

I'm very much looking forward to reporting to you from Florida in the coming months.

Time Management

While I punch a clock within one week to the next, I try to find the time to keep up with domestic chores and, often postponing the chores, like to make a trip to a venue that allows for some interesting wildlife photography.

The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in August 2009.

This past week was disappointing in accomplishing the latter as I got duped by a really poor weather forecast I heard before a day off from work that was ultimately a really great day with bright light in the morning hours.

As a result, I missed the opportunity to further clog my computer's hard drive which is now at 95% capacity with tens of thousands of wildlife photos.

The Dunlin above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2009.

I slept in that morning after burning the midnight oil while taking the time to look at images of mine taken many months ago and beyond, while also viewing those taken by others, and trying to keep this blog as consistent as I'd like it to be with images and links that I believe are appropriate for the subject of the post with hopes of making what you see here more interesting and resourceful.

In the past week as well, I've tried to upload shots to my pbase galleries that particularly highlight venues visited and species observed.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in April 2009.

I've noted that I need to experience the observation of about 375 more bird species that can be expected to be seen in Florida somewhere at a particular time, and must visit an even greater number of venues along the Great Florida Birding Trail to fulfill my goal in seeing them all.

With the end of summer near, and bird migration approaching a crescendo, I hope to have the kayak in the water again.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in April 2009.

During unpredictable weather, it's not a good time to have a boat in the water of any size smaller than a ship in this area. You might make a headline and very brief news.

With a few launches of my RTM Mambo kayak this past year, I was able to see some extraordinary wildlife action that was a result of a trip to a hot spot between Bunche Beach Preserve and Bowditch Point Preserve in Fort Myers with Alena King.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in September 2009.

I recall her questioning why there appeared to be no scientific study of the site. I didn't know the answer, but in reflection can say we made it ourselves.

It's my hope that exploration of the 10,000 islands below the southern peninsula of Florida can be made with some spare time before the year comes to a close.

The Glossy Ibis above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in September 2009.

A launching point for the islands will be the Rookery Bay Reserve adjacent to Tigertail Beach in southwest Florida.

My solution to the over clogged computer is transferring photos to external hard drives. This is a novel approach to me to otherwise allow the computer to fail.

The Rock Dove above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in September 2009.

I don't have much time to understand this solution.

A lesson learned since my last contribution here is that if you choose to blog, make your final edits to the text before you post, or your original effort is cached.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in September 2009.

Your first effort is potentially your final version.

There certainly won't be enough time available to make all the journeys I would like to for wildlife action here in prime time, but with luck, I'll be at the right place at the right time as will you.