The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.With thanks to my supervisor, Mark Tvaroha, allowing me to leave work an hour early on a succeeding day led to my arrival at the beach two hours before sunset.
Mark has been telling me of his successful video capture of the micro world with his recently acquired video camera.
The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.I'm still unsure the value of video capability of DSLR cameras considering if video were my interest over photography, I'd be using a video camera.
Thunderstorm activity in the area made its way through in the late morning and early afternoon this day.
The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.I primarily chose Bunche Beach Preserve as my destination with the tide receding a few hours from its high earlier.
I also hadn't been to Bunche in the evening in a long while.
The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.Upon my approach to the Preserve while traveling Summerlin Road, the clouds to the west were incredibly captivating.
The clouds reminded me of images I've seen of majestic snow covered mountains at relatively close range.
The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.I was so entranced that I had to force my attention back on the road.
The tide would turn higher at about the time of my departure from the Preserve which was a minor disappointment.
The primarily Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.A change of tide from its low is best seen in San Carlos Bay a couple of hours before sunset.
Wading birds will take best advantage of this situation with their prey brought back onto the flats after those fish unlucky enough to have been caught in the pools were consumed.
The Marbled Godwit above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.The Reddish Egret in particular puts on an especially entertaining show as it feeds.
Black Skimmers were congregated in a few different groups in the bay and became most active at sunset when they were most impressive in a number I'd guess well over 500 individual birds.
The Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.Prior to that observation I had in sight and sound of me virtually all the species seen in my previous report minus Wood Storks.
Immature skimmers were very abundant while one showed that it had yet to perfect the skill of flight as it crash landed and caused a pile up.
The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.An additional species seen this visit was a Belted Kingfisher that was extremely vocal unlike I have heard before with the bird apparently not taking a breath for several minutes.
It was actually quite annoying to hear while there was no apparent threat to the bird.
The Least Sandpiper above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.I had never heard this species vocal before when perched, but very often so while in flight.
A particular surprise this week was an Osprey that landed in the water closer to me than I ever dared approach previously under similar circumstances as I thought the bird might take flight.
The Royal Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.I devoted a lot of time observing it with hopes that it would put on a good bathing show which it failed to do.
At the time of my arrival to the Preserve there was a fairly good wind from the west which is always favorable to photograph birds in flight.
The Osprey above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.I devoted the majority of my time attempting to capture everything that would fly by me.
I had many more failures than successes as the lens often doesn't focus on the subjects quickly enough if I have a delay in observing what's coming at me.
The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.This problem may in part be attributable using a 1.4x extender that reduces the number of automatic focus capable points in the camera.
Particularly challenging for this effort were the peeps which are able to move not so much faster than their relatives of significantly larger size in many cases, but are comparatively miniscule in size.
The Sandwich Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.It was a treat to see the American Oystercatcher make a flyby again with prey.
A Royal Tern made its characteristic flyby with prey in its beak as it called seemingly to flaunt it.
The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011. The species that flew by me in greatest numbers was Willet which is incredibly attractive with its flashy appearance.
The fifteen or so Marbled Godwit seen are always particularly beautiful in flight as well.
The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.There was a mere solitary Roseate Spoonbill in the immediate area feeding in the water while seven more were seen to fly overhead from the west.
An overheard comment made by one of the fishermen within earshot was that the birds were helping them capture fish in their cast nets.
The scene above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.With a need to leave the Preserve earlier than I would have liked, the skimmers were enjoyable to watch from the parking area against one of the most remarkable evening skies I have seen in a long while.
With the air very still at this point, the biting insects were noticeable, but not voracious as experienced in the past.
The sunset above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2011.A cool down of ten degrees is taking place this first week of October.
