Florida Nature Photo Blog: 2008

A Bird's Breakfast

This little guy searched the ground under the bird feeder for some breakfast seeds. He decided not to fight the cardinals who were enjoying the seeds from the feeder.

Green Cheek Conure

Say hello to Riley, our green cheek conure. He's a little over a year old.

On most beaches in Florida, a short walk reveals hundreds of fiddler crabs that go into hiding as you approach them. They burrow in the sand and retreat quickly when they feel threatened. To get this picture I had wait several minutes for this little guy him to "come out" of his hole in the sand. It is evident from his defensive posture, that he isn't quite sure he likes me or the camera I was pointing at him.

I used the Tamron 300 mm lens on the macro setting to capture this close-up.

Hungry Fisherman

This gull was screeching and fluttering along the waterline as I walked along the beach. He was hovering about a foot above the water and diving down into 3 or 4 inches of water toward this fish.

He trapped the fish on the bottom and then maneuvered him onto the beach out of the water. A few seconds later, he grabbed the prize and flew a couple of circles around me before settling in for lunch.

Ruddy Turnstone

True to their name, these little guys walk up and down the rocky beach over-turning stones and shells looking for food. They blend in well too. I walked up on a flock of twenty or more and scared most of them away before snapping a few photos of this guy.

Mockingbird

Sandpiper

Wildflowers

I can't identify these wildflowers, but they caught my eye while hiking at Lake Louisa State Park.

Autumn Colors

I don't recall the leaves on the live oak tree at our previous house in Orlando "turning" colors this early in the season, but this stand of trees near Clermont are in full "autumn display". Around here we have been used to raking leaves in January and February.

Lone Cypress

I'm always fascinated by the "knees" that develop on these old cypress trees. Judging from the water marks on this tree, the water level in this lake is down by at least 7 feet this year due to the drought we've been experiencing in Florida for the past few years.

Lake Louisa Scenery

Florida Sunflower

Pelican and Egrets at Honeymoon Island

Here are some other pictures I took at Honeymoon Island State Park.

Cardinal

This cardinal was very close, but also very fleet of foot. Every time I would get a bead on him he'd move before I got the camera lens focused in. He stood still long enough for me to snap this shot, but as you can see he was a little camera shy.

Pair of Flowers

Grey Squirrel Stockpiling Food

I stopped at a restaurant a few days ago in Bradenton. When I returned to my truck after eating I found this squirrel stockpiling food in a tree near the parking lot.

Cockroach Creek Preserve

Double Crested Cormorant

Florida Swamp Flower

Purple Orchids

Yellow Rose

Palm Sola Botannical Park

I took a short drive to Bradenton, FL this morning and snapped this photo at Palma Sola Botanical Park.

Royal Tern

The black crest gives this bird a "royal" presence, don't you think?

Great Egret

The Great Egret is a white heron with long, black legs, and feet. It's yellow bill is long and straight. In flight, the neck is pulled back in the S-curve. For more information, click here.

Ducks

There's a lot to be said for bigger zoom lenses. I guess I got a little too close in my attempt to photograph this duck and frightened him away, but the trail of water he left behind made this photograph more interesting.

Little Blue Heron

I was driving around today during lunch time and ran across this Little Blue Heron perched near a local retention pond.

Common Moorhen

I thought this bird was a duck, but when I looked it up the only "duck" with a similar appearance is found in Mexico to Argentina and not in the United States. I since learned that this is a Common Moorhen. There were five of them in a local retention pond when I snapped this photo.

I should have known it wasn't a duck from it's antics. The ducks in the same pond were very jumpy and skitterish. The ducks would fly off with the slightest movement. But the Moorhen was very at ease and allowed me to snap several photos and walk closer and closer. In fact, I grew tired of watching the Moorhen before it got tired of posing.

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