Pic of the Day

American Egret, Ardea alba:  Saint Augustine Alligator Farm; Saint Augustine, Florida

Nikon D800, Nikkor 300mm f/2.8, 1/2500 second @ f/8

Pic of the Day

Great Egret, Ardea alba -- Celery Fields;  Sarasota, Florida

     I recently attended the North American Nature Photography Association summit in Jacksonville, Florida.  It was a great conference with more than four hundred nature photographers attending.  While there I heard about a location for bird photography near Sarasota, Florida, called the Celery Fields.  The Celery Fields are a four hundred acre storm water collection area for Sarasota County that harbors a large number of bird species.

      Early morning is the best time to visit, and the morning I arrived I found two-dozen or more Great Egrets feeding in the reeds.  As I photographed the group, one or two birds at a time would fly off, and in doing so they were winging past me.  It was a great opportunity to shoot some flight shots.

      I saw numerous species of birds at the Celery Fields that included Roseate Spoonbill, White Ibis, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Osprey, and Red-shoulder Hawk.  Though I did not spend much time at the Celery Fields on this trip, it is a location I will visit again.  I believe it holds great potential for bird photography. 

Both images:  Nikon D800 in DX format, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/4,000 sec. @ f8, ISO 400, Tripod

Pic of the Day

     American Egret – Gatorland; Orlando, Florida:  In January a friend, who lives in Florida told me of the egret rookery at Gatorland.  Gatorland is a major tourist attraction who’s major draw is the American Alligator.  Yes, Gatorland host thousands of gators.  Some of the big ones live in the large natural (looking) ponds.

   In nature herons and egrets naturally nest above gator holes, as gators serve to protect the nesting birds from marauding coons, opossum and other predators.  The ponds at Gatorland provide the perfect nesting habitat for wading birds, and they come to nest by the hundreds.

   This American Egret, in its beautiful nuptial plumes stands over its nest and eggs to preen and adjust feathers before returning to incubation duties.  It was in a perfect location as the evening grew on.  The sun lighted the egret from behind rendering the delicate aigrette plumes in exquisite detail.  It was the delicate aigrette plumes that almost brought the American, and other egrets to near extinction a hundred years ago.  The fanciful plumes were in high demand at the turn of the twentieth century as a fashion accessory for women’s hats.  Fortunately the Audubon Society foresaw the consequences of the plume trade and dispatched wardens and legislation to halt the destruction of these elegant birds.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8, Digital Capture @ ISO 200, 1/400sec. @ f5.6

For more information on Gatorland, log onto their website at:   http://www.gatorland.com

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   Great Egret among Snowies –Merritt Island NWR, Florida:  I was driving through what looked to be a lifeless Merritt Island NWR, then I saw this scene above.  Water in the marsh was extremely low, and was restricted to small pools scattered along the wildlife drive.  Such pools become havens for fish as water in the marsh shrinks. Birds quickly become aware of the concentrations and descend on the pools with a vengeance.

   As soon as I saw the scene I brought my van parallel to the pond to access the little feeding frenzy that was taking place.  The birds were so intent on their feeding activity they paid me little notice.  I was immediately struck by the graphic nature of the scene, “S” curved necks, and all white birds.  But, It was not so much the birds themselves that made the image, as it was their reflections.  As I shot photos of the egrets dancing around their fishing hole I was reminded again that nature is always full of surprises, and I loved this surprise.


Nikon D300, Nikkor 24-85mm Zoom, Digital Capture ISO 200, 125 Sec. @ f8

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     Great Egret – Venice Heron Rookery; Venice, Florida:  This Great Egret is caught on the wing as it returns to its nest at the Venice heron rookery.  The rookery is one of the best places to photograph nesting wading birds in Florida.  Along with the Great Egrets other birds that nest in the heronry are, Anhinga, Great Blue and Yellow-crown Night Herons. 

     The best time to visit the rookery is January, February and March.  I have found early morning the best time to shoot as visual access is on the east side of the rookery.  On mornings with a clear eastern sky the sulfurous warmth of the rising sun provides rich, saturated colors. 

     Even before the sun breaks the horizon the rookery is a bustling hub of energy.  Activity in the heronry varies depending on the time of the year.  During the early breeding season birds are busy building and adding to nest.  During the incubation and nest building periods there is the constant nuptial ritual between birds when they arrive and exchange duties at the nest.  After eggs hatch there is constant feeding activity as adults tend to nestlings.  One thing is certain, there is never a dull moment at the Venice Rookery and always uncountable opportunities to shoot great photos.  
     If you are interested in visiting the rookery follow this link for more information and direction: http://www.veniceaudubon.org/rookery.html
Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4, Ektachrome 100VS

Also see post for April 4, & May 21, 2010

Note:  Great Egret, Common Egret and American Egret are the same bird.  Current nomenclature is Great Egret.

Pic of the Day

     American Egret – Fort Myers Beach, Florida:  It was a rainy March morning in southern Florida as the alarm blared its clanging wakeup call.  Four o’clock A. M., shown in bright red number and it seemed as if I had just gone to sleep.  It was raining outside and I did not want to get out of bed; just a few more winks I told myself.  But I was in Florida to shoot, rain or shine I should be in the field.

I dragged myself out of bed and was soon on the road to Fort Myers Beach.  A beautiful stretch of sand on the mainland that looked west toward Sanibel Island.  By the time I arrived the rain had stopped, but a dense impenetrable fog thickened the landscape.  Why did I get up, I kept asking myself, knowing full well that there were no images to be taken this morning.

     Still, I got my gear together and headed toward the beach.  I could barley tell which direction to walk as the fog obstructed all landmarks.   As I listened in the quietness of the early morning I could hear the waves lapping against the shoreline giving me directions to follow.  After a short walk I was standing at the waters edge.  

     The sun had not broken the horizon nor had the beachcomber yet raised to scourer the beach for shells; for now it was just me and the birds. As I stood on the beach the only sounds audible were the lapping waves ,  and peeps of sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones as they scurried to and fro along the edge of the incoming tide.  As the eastern sky began to glow I could tell that the clouds that had brought the nights rain were breaking, and perhaps my earlier haste to remain in bed was truly unfounded.

     As the day grew brighter and the fog began to thin a group of American Egrets foraging in the shallows began to materialize out of the vapors.  Occasionally one of the birds would stretch out its huge wings and with a few effortless flaps leap ten or twenty feet to a new fishing spot. The white birds set within the foggy veil were faint ghost, barely visible to the eye. The scene became a perfect blend of pastel blue and white plums; an ethereal quality that only nature can produce.
     I was drawn to the simplicity of the scene; its forms, pastels and motion.  The view before my eyes made me very happy that I had not lingered in my earlier slumber.  For what I thought was to be a dull ordinary morning was quite different than what I had expected.  In fact, as nature often provides, the ordinary had become the extraordinary. 

Nikon F4, Nikkor 500mm f4, Kodachorme 64