Pic of the Day

Florida Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis pratensis:

Viera Wetlands (Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands); Viera, Florida

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/1000 second @ f/8

Pic of the Day

Limpkin, Aramus guarauna:  Viera Wetland; Viera, Florida

     In early March I spent time at the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands, best known as the Viera Wetlands, just west of Viera, Florida.  The wetlands is one of my favorite places to photograph birds.  I don't think I have been to the wetlands with out seeing a Limpkin, and my March trip was no disappointment.  

     This bird was photographed while the sun was low on the horizon giving the image an overall warm cast.  This limpkin and others were busily plucking Apple Snails from the water and paid little attention to me.  This bird walked right beside me as if I was not even there.

                       Limpkin, Aramus guarauna with Apple Snail, Ampullariidae: Viera Wetland; Viera, Florida

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1250 second @ f7.1

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/400 second @ f8

Pic of the Day

   Dragonfly – Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands; Viera, Florida:  Birds were not the only subject at the Viera Wetlands during my last visit.  Dragonfly swarms seemed to be everywhere.  When I would stop the van, get out and walk to the waters edge dragonflies would rise out of the vegetation in masses of hundreds.  While most would buzz around me a few would alight on the plants giving me the opportunity to shoot.  I did try to shoot dragonflies on the wing, but the results were not pretty at all, maybe next time.

This dragonfly was perched at just the right angle, and, of out-of-focus water and foliage provided the perfect background.  Within forty-five minutes after the sun rose the winds began to blow quite hard causing the foliage to violently sway, thus ending the dragonfly shooting.  However, it was fun while it lasted and there were birds to shoot!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/640sec. @ f8, ISO 200

Pic of the day

Least Bittern, Image 1

Least Bittern, Image 2

    Least Bittern – Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands; Viera, Florida:  Least bitterns are one of the least (no pun intended) seen birds among birdwatchers.  I went years without ever seeing one, that is until I learned the real secret to finding them.  That secret is not just where, but when.

    The where, is among wetland reeds and cattails where they feed, sleep and breed.  The when, is early April in South Florida and late April in Northern Florida.  I happened to be at the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera, Florida in late April, and Least bitterns seemed to be everywhere, it was the time of bittern breeding.  I saw bitterns fly from reed patch to reed patch, stalking prey and copulating.  The breeding season seems to make the bitterns less wary, less reclusive and less inhibited.

    The first image is of a bird I stalked for about forty-five minutes before it stepped into a semi open area among the reeds.  The shooting opportunity was short, just a few seconds.  As I began shooting, the bittern plucked a frog from the water and paused for just a moment.  I took the image as the frog dangled from its beak, its eye visible between the reeds, and its body partially obscured with vegetation, typical of the secretive bittern.

   I found the bird in the second image as I drove along the dike roads of the water impoundments.  The bird was at the edge of a reed bed about fifteen feet off the road. The bittern was in a classic pose, feet stretched between two reeds, neck and head pointed upward, and an eye turned toward the camera, the kind of image I have wanted to shoot for years.  

   Bitterns are a challenge to photograph, as they stay hidden among reads most of the year. Breeding seasons brings them out of the depths of the reed beds, providing opportunities to photograph them, even though those opportunities are brief.   Knowing when Least Bitterns begin breeding in your area will increases your shooting opportunities as well.

Image 1.  Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/640sec. @ f6.3, ISO 200
Image 2.  Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/500sec. @ f6.3, ISO 200

Pic of the Day

   Anhinga -- Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands; Viera, Florida:  This Anhinga built its nest atop an old cabbage palm stump that stands in one of the water impoundments.  The three nestlings are just about too big for the nest and their twisting and turning atop the stump reminded me of Medusa.  When the parent birds arrive with food the nestlings raise their heads upward and violently gyrate their entire body as they beg for offerings.  The activity makes the palm stump come alive and look like a head of slithering snakes.  This is of course a perfectly good analogy for Medusa, after all, the Anhinga is also known as the “snake bird.”

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm with 1.4 converter, 1/640 sec. @ f9

Pic of the Day

   Ringed-necked Duck – Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands; Viera, Florida:  Ringed-necked ducks have always been one of my favorite duck species.  The male with its gray flanks set against a purple black back and breast, accented with a white flank strips and ringed bill is visually stunning.  Though the female wears a dress of brown feathers, her white-eye and bill ring gives her a subtle beauty that makes her the perfect complement to the male.

   In the wild it is usually difficult to get close to ducks, but at protected sanctuaries and preserves they can be very approachable.  As I drove the auto trail at the Ritch Grissom wetlands I spotted these ring-necks feeding in the shallows close to the road.

   I pulled the van past the ducks and parked, got out and stealthily slid down to the waters edge about a hundred feet from them. With my camera already on a tripod I sat down on the ground and hoped that the ducks would move toward me as they fed.

While waiting for the ducks to swim toward me a Limpkin landed in the reeds right in front of me and began plucking apple snails from the water.  I could not believe my good fortune as the Limpkin presented me with a great photo opportunity. 

   While I was shooting the Limpkin, another wildlife watcher stopped to look at the Ring-necks.  In doing so the ducks began to swim toward me as if I were not even there.  As they came within range I began to shoot.  As I began shooting the sun broke through clouds, bathing the ducks in the warm glowing light of a retiring sun.  As I have said so many times in previous post, I love it when everything comes together.  That evening I photographed these ring-necked ducks, it could not have been more perfect.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200, 1/400 sec. @ f9