Florida Gulf Coast Creations

Category: Wildlife

  • Common Mynas

    Common Mynas

    One of the ecological issues in Florida that often goes underreported is the impact of non-native, invasive species on native wildlife populations. The one species that gets most of the airtime is the Burmese Python which has had a huge effect on the Everglades. But there are countless other animals that have been introduced to Florida due to the pet industry. Many species of birds, snakes and lizards have escaped captivity or simply been turned loose over the years and established their own permanent and growing populations.

    There are many types of parrots and parakeets that continue to thrive in this tropical climate. One of my favorites to photograph is the Nanday Parakeet but they can become a real nuisance because they tend to roost in large numbers, and they are extremely noisy.

    Another species that has recently been spotted in this area is the Common Myna. My friend Art Nadelman took me to see a pair that seem to have made Pinellas Park, FL their new home. They are pretty birds, but their reputation isn’t good.

    Common Myna Searching Through Grass
    Common Myna Searching Through the Grass

    Mynas are native to southern Asia, but many have been sold as pets over the years. They are a member of the starling family so they’re clever and resourceful. Some figure out how to escape from their cages and then, if the climate is accommodating, they adapt to their new surroundings and begin to take over. It will be interesting to see how these birds change the environment in the Tampa area in the future.

    For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

    Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

    A duck that is common in our area but seldom seen in the rest of the country other than southern Texas and southern Arizona is the black-bellied whistling duck. A few things make them easy to identify in the air. First is their distinctive call. They sound much like a wood duck with more of a crying sound than a quack. Next is their large white patch on their wings. The patches are easy to see because their wing beat is much slower than a typical duck. With most other ducks, males are typically more colorful, especially in winter and spring before mating season. However male and female whistling ducks look alike.

    Black Bellied Whistling Duck Standing Watch
    Black-bellied Whistling Duck on Watch

    Most whistling ducks don’t usually migrate. They may travel out of the area for short periods of time but generally remain nearby. Like wood ducks, whistling ducks may sit above ground in trees. We’ve even seen them perched on telephone lines. They are easy to approach which can be detrimental. It’s not uncommon to see bald eagles carrying them back to their nests to feed their young.

    Black Bellied Whistling Ducks With Ducklings Feeding
    Black-bellied Whistling Ducks with Ducklings Feeding on Duckweed

    For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Heading Toward Fall

    Heading Toward Fall

    Summer is beginning to wind down for many, including wildlife. It seems in Florida that summer is the time to catch up with things like editing and organizing photos and finishing projects that need to be done around the house. While summer is generally quieter for wildlife photography, there are species that we only see from March to August.

    The swallow-tail kite is a magnificent bird that migrates from South America in the spring to breed in Florida. Their diet consists mostly of insects although they also eat lizards and small snakes. They are about the same size as a red-tailed hawk but what makes them so spectacular is their flying skill. They can capture dragonflies out of the air. I was fortunate to witness one take a dragonfly off the tip of a bush in our back yard. I noticed movement in the air and when I looked, the kite had swooped down and picked off the dragonfly and slapped the top of the shrub with its tail just a few feet from where I was standing. Of course, my camera was INSIDE the house. Aargh!! Yet another missed opportunity. Sadly, they are leaving the area now ahead of hurricane season.

    Other birds that are non-migratory are often more visible during the summer months because of breeding activity. Sometimes we see odd behaviors and unusual sights like a bobwhite quail singing from a pine tree.

    Bobwhite Quail Singing In Pine Tree
    Bobwhite Quail Singing in a Pine Tree

    All species of birds of prey nest at different times of the year. Eagles start in late fall / early winter and are followed by owls and hawks that typically nest in early spring. In late spring the ospreys breed while summer is the time for kestrels, kites and caracaras.

    The good news is that we’re heading toward the best time of the year for birding in Florida. The fall migration is near. Many birds will be arriving for the winter while others will be stopping over on their way further south. From October through April, the state transforms into a sanctuary for so many different species.

    A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Crested Caracaras

    Crested Caracaras

    It’s always a thrill to see a Crested Caracara. They are a Federally designated threatened species so sightings are not real common. Caracaras are usually only found in parts of Florida, Texas and Arizona in the United States. Their range is mainly in Mexico, Cuba and Central America.

    They feed on dead animals like vultures but will also eat insects, frogs, snakes and other small birds. When they’re not scavenging, they like to sit on fence posts or in tall trees. Their vision and sense of smell are amazing. They are normally not real wary so if you do find them at a reasonably close distance, getting a good photo is possible.

    Crested Caracara Pauses In Pasture
    Crested Caracara Pauses in a Pasture

    Recently we were fortunate to come across two perched atop utility poles in a pasture in rural Sarasota County. When we stopped to watch, one cooperated by flying towards us and landing in the field. It walked around the field for several minutes searching for a small animal or likely a nest of meadowlark eggs. A few minutes later the other spotted something and flew and landed 20 feet in front of me. It found a dead meadowlark. It eventually picked up the carcass and flew off to join the other caracara.

    A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Lakeland

    Lakeland

    One of my favorite photo destinations is Lakeland, FL. As the name implies, Lakeland is a city of lakes. According to recent data, there are 38 named lakes in the city. Lakeland is famous for its population of mute swans that are descendants of a pair of swans given to the city by Queen Elizabeth in the 1950s.

    Mute Swan Chattering
    Mute Swan Chattering

    On our last visit we encountered the swans on their nests. Many were incubating eggs while some little cygnets had already hatched and were kept protected in enclosures. There were still many ducks around including wood ducks, ring-necked ducks, mallards and ruddy ducks. I had not seen a male ruddy duck for many years. A few white pelicans were also cruising the lake.

    Ruddy Duck Male Resting On Lake
    Male Ruddy Duck Resting on a Lake

    A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Shore Birds

    Shore Birds

    During one of our recent visits to Fort DeSoto State Park in St. Petersburg, we saw several types of shore birds. Some live in this area all year while a few are just temporary residents until returning to distant nesting grounds. The whimbrel is one of the birds that migrates here from way up north along the arctic waters.

    Whimbrel Walking Along Water Edge
    Whimbrel Walking Along the Edge of the Water

    Another shore bird that travels long distances between their winter getaways and their arctic nesting homes is the Ruddy Turnstone. An interesting fact about turnstones is that there are only 2 species of turnstones in the world, and both live in North America.

    Ruddy Turnstone With Worm
    Ruddy Turnstone with a Small Worm

    For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • More Buntings

    More Buntings

    We visited one of the local nature preserves a few days ago just to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. To our surprise, we found a bunch of indigo buntings along with a single male painted bunting. We thought maybe they had started their journey north for the summer but to our delight, they’re still here. We were even able to get some shots of males that have finished their molting into full color.

    Indigo Bunting Male On Branch
    Male Indigo Bunting on the End of a Branch

    Our backyard painted buntings are also still here. Yesterday we saw multiple males and the lone female at the feeder. We keep hoping that they’ll decide to forego the northern travel and stay here for nesting season! They have been so fun to watch over the past 6 months.

    For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Burrowing Owls on The Move

    Burrowing Owls on The Move

    One of my favorite birds to photograph is the burrowing owl. They are absolutely adorable. The past few years we’ve had to travel 90 minutes to Cape Coral, FL to find them. The city of Cape Coral has become a sanctuary city for the owls.

    Burrowing Owl Stretching Right Wing
    Burrowing Owl Stretching His Right Wing

    But this year, thanks to a tip from fellow photographers and bird watchers, we were able to find a nesting pair much closer to home. It was exciting to see these little birds of prey move north. Unfortunately, loss of habitat has reduced their population over the years to the point of being threatened or even endangered in certain areas.

    Burrowing Owl On Ground By Nest
    Burrowing Owl on the Ground By His Nest

    For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Baby Birds Everywhere

    Baby Birds Everywhere

    The nesting season is in full force. It seems like there are babies everywhere. We picked one day recently to check on bald eagle nests and found a total of 6 new eaglets in 4 nesting sites! It appears that they are all well on their way to growing into young adults.

    Bald Eagle Juveniles Resting In Nest
    Two Juvenile Bald Eagles in Their Nest

    There are also many sandhill crane babies around. The colts started appearing several weeks ago and we continue to see youngsters of all sizes. Most owls have grown and left their nests, and many songbirds are building nests or feeding chicks. It’s a busy time that will continue for another couple of months.

  • Back From a Break

    Back From a Break

    Wow! When I looked at the date on my last post, I couldn’t believe it’s been 6 weeks!! There has been plenty going on to keep us busy. But 6 weeks? Shame on me.

    During my hiatus from the website, I had the opportunity to get out a few times with the camera and capture some new subjects. I’ll cover those journeys in the next couple of posts.

    I also made the leap to a new Canon camera body. After months of research and trial, I finally jumped aboard the new mirrorless camera train. I won’t get into all the technical details, only to say that technology has made some amazing advances in modern cameras. The focusing on the new camera is incredible. It can actually zero in on the eye of an animal and track the animal while it’s moving! Unfortunately, as with all new things, it has so many settings that it will take a while to learn all the capabilities and customize it to my liking. But the good news is I am able to use all of my current lenses with a simple adapter and it works great!

    Here are a couple of shots of a red-shouldered hawk from my first time in the field with the new camera. More to come.

    Red Shouldered Hawk On End Of Branch With Ruffled Feather
    Red-shouldered Hawk with a Ruffled Feather on the End of a Branch
  • Our Favorite Bunting

    Our Favorite Bunting

    Our favorite male painted bunting has been coming to our caged millet feeder since early November. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t see him several times. A couple of weeks ago he surprised us by bringing a buddy to the feeder. Two male painted buntings on the feeder at the same time is quite a sight! The second bunting is now a regular visitor. Hopefully they’ll spread the word and we can attract a female before they head north for the summer.

    Painted Bunting Male On Ground Looking For Grass Seeds
    Male Painted Bunting on the Ground Looking for Grass Seeds

    For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Diving Ducks

    Diving Ducks

    Tis the season for our northern visitors. I’m not talking about the mass migration of “snowbirds”. I’m talking about waterfowl. We have huge numbers of ducks just about everywhere. One small lake behind Costco has become the winter home for ring-necked ducks and lesser scaup. They look very similar. The main differentiating feature is the bill. The ring-necked duck ironically has a white ring on their blue-gray bill while the scaup’s bill is completely light blue. The males’ heads have an iridescence element that changes color in different light. At times their heads have a purple shimmer and other times they shine with a dark green look.

    Lesser Scaup Drake With Purple Head Looking Back
    Male Lesser Scaup Duck with a Purple Head Looking Back

    The ducks like the Costco lake because it has a good crop of snails which they devour quickly. If we’re near one of the snail beds, the birds are easy to approach and photograph.

    A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

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