Pic of the Day

     Everglades Kite – Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida:  Loxahatchee NWR is located just west of Palm Beach in what was once the eastern expanse of the wild everglades.  Today the former everglades north of highway US41 is a series sugar cane fields and huge water impoundments with controlled water levels.  They are also home to the endangered Everglades Kite, also know as the Snail Kite.  The Everglades Kite is a specialist, feeding primarily on Ampullariidae, or Apple Snails as they are commonly known.  This kite was photographed as it soared over the sawgrass glades searching for Apple Snails.  Clearly seen is the kites deeply curved beak, which it uses to open the snails Operculum and reach inside the shell to extract the meat of the snail.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4

Pic of the Day

Limpkin – Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Florida: Loxahatchee NWR rest on the east side of the Florida, Everglades just west of Delray Beach and is home to many of Florida’s avian specialties. One of these specialties is the Limpkin. Limpkins are found throughout the glades, and are commonly seen in Loxahatchee NWR searching for their favorite food, apple snails. Early morning is an ideal time to see and hear limpkins as they searches for apple snails in the shallow water impoundments within the refuge. The prehistoric wail of the limpkin is perhaps the most ancient of birdcalls and certainly attracts attention when heard. The Limpkin is among the oldest extant species, and the only member of the family Aramidae. It looks something like a cross between a crane and a rail.

This Limpkin’s search for Apple Snails was so intense it appeared to be unaware, or unworried of my presence. Its approached was so close I was able to shoot this close-up portrait. I actually had to move out of its way as bird walked passed be.

Nikon F5, 500mm f4, Ektachrome 100s