Reflections

On April 6, 2015April 7, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography9 Comments

I walked up to the north beach marsh at Fort Desoto in late March. Up ahead, I could see at least 9 photographers on the ground taking pictures of something. As I closer, I realized it was the above spoonbill. The only bird on the beach, besides a few gulls.

I left everyone and headed to the roped off sanctuary farther south and found a few birds there. The ibis above was gulping down tiny crabs.

The tricolored heron was downing a few minnows.

I didn’t see the snowy egrets get anything. They just kept creeping around.

The little blue heron was catching a lot of fish.

It was a perfect morning but almost no birds. Several of the photographers had come from up north and were struggling to find birds to take pictures of. To sort-of quote Forest Gump “Fort Desoto is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” To quote a local birder “You won’t know if you don’t go”. Sometimes it’s just nice being out.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing

Bad pictures of a new duck.

On February 4, 2015January 26, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

I found the American wigeon that had been spotted at Largo Nature Preserve. A first for me on this fairly common duck. All in front of the picture, they were hanging out with some coots and moorhens. Of course, they were on the river where I had to take the picture right into the sun. I couldn’t go around since there are houses along the other side of the river.

Northern shoveler with an itch.

Northern shoveler with a mallard in front. They look alike except when you see them together. That big old beak gives the shoveler away.

They were all busy feeding.

A great blue heron panting on the boardwalk. It was warm on the first weekend in January. No jacket needed.

He kept flying back and forth as people were walking along the boardwalk.

“Baby blue” A young little blue heron all alone. He started looking up and freaking out. I realized it was because the below had just flown by.

As I was taking a picture of the baby blue, I saw something fly overhead. When I looked up this eagle was already past me and off into the wild blue yonder.

A very typical scene. A cormorant silhouette into the sun while drying off.

This was taken with my 300mm lens. He was in his usual spot along the boardwalk.

Same guy but taken with my iphone. Someone said he was 11 feet long. What do you think? I think he was exaggerating over the length.

Green parrots kept flying back and forth across the park. I never could see them landing. I think they live and nest at the electric plant near the park.

A beautiful morning on the first weekend of 2015.

Typical and not so typical at Circle B Bar Reserve

On February 10, 2014February 11, 2014 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography13 Comments

Typical green heron. He was not paying attention to me.

Not so typical american bittern. They only visit in the winter and are usually really hard to find. Several other people were watching this one already.