I have traveled to the Everglades dozens and dozens of times
over the last 46 years, and I have never tired of Florida’s magnificent “River
of Grass.” Pollution, agriculture
runoff, water rationing, and habitat loss has certainly taken its toll on the
glades and its wildlife. Today, there is
less than 10 percent of the number of birds in Everglades, than there was 125
years ago.
The Anhinga, or Water Turkey is a common bird in the glades. It has a dagger-like bill that it
uses to spear fish while swimming underwater. While submerged the Anhinga spears a fish, then rises to the surface to flip the fish into the air and catch it
head first.
This Anhinga was photographed along its namesake, “Anhinga Trail,” that runs a quarter mile along Taylor Slough. It had settled on a perch to preen feathers after its
morning of fishing. Anhingas are very
easy to approach along the trail and allow people to get up close, and
personal. This bird paid little attention to me and my camera while I snapped dozens of images.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/200 second @ f8,
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