One of our favorite spots for bird photography is a little place in Hillsborough County, FL called Bahia Beach Preserve. It sits on the east side of Tampa Bay only ¾ of a mile from the bay and just ¼ of a mile from the Little Manatee River. Because of its proximity to the bay, it can be a magnet for water birds.
Bahia Beach Preserve has provided some amazing photo opportunities for waterfowl in the past. We’ve usually visited the preserve during the winter months after the migratory birds have arrived. But we decided to give it a try after reading some promising reports from local birders. It did not disappoint. We made two trips over the past 10 days.
One of the birds we were hoping to see was an American Avocet. Their general range is across the western US, but some do travel closely along the far southern coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico during the winter.
Avocets have long necks and legs. Their black and white markings are striking when they fly. Avocets are mostly white, but their head, neck, and upper chest turn a brownish-peach color during breeding season. Their long, thin, black bills turn up at its tip. The bill is really the only way to distinguish the males from the females. The bill of the female is more upturned at the tip while the bill of the male is slightly longer. They like to feed in shallow waters like small ponds or pools along tidal mud flats. Avocets swing their bills from side to side through the water to stir up prey. They eat mostly aquatic insects and small shrimp.
In addition to the Avocets, we also found many other water birds such as egrets and herons. As a bonus, we also came across several colorful roseate spoonbills.
Follow the link below for more information on Bahia Beach Preserve.
A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.
