Florida Gulf Coast Creations

Tag: Canon

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 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.
- Crested Caracaras
May 6, 2021
Moon Over the Skyway

This past Monday there was a full “Super” moon. A super moon occurs during the full moon’s closest approach to Earth. As luck would have it, the path of the moonrise allowed for photos of the moon between the spans of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. It took a little planning but with some collaboration with about 15 other photographers from around the Tampa Bay area, we were able to get positioned and capture some pretty cool images.
Super Moon Rising Above the Lighted Sunshine Skyway Bridge
It was a hazy evening which added to the challenge. But overall, the weather and the moon cooperated and made for some real fun. The next super moon occurs on May 26 this year.

May 2, 2021
St. Pete Grand Prix
This past weekend the IndyCar series returned to St. Petersburg for the annual Firestone St. Pete Grand Prix. I had the opportunity to attend one of the days and was able to snap some fun photos on a gorgeous day at the track. The event takes place on a temporary street course in downtown St. Petersburg on the shores of Tampa Bay. It’s a beautiful setting and a challenging track for the drivers.
Josef Newgarden Enters Turn 1 at the St. Pete Grand Prix – 2021
With Covid-19 restrictions still in place, we had limited access to some areas, but the reduced spectator numbers made for a very nice experience!
A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.
- Motorsports
May 1, 2021
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
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.
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.
April 19, 2021
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 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 a Small Worm
For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.
- Pelicans and Shore Birds
April 17, 2021
Zebra Longwing Butterfly

One of my favorite butterflies is a zebra longwing. It is the official state butterfly of Florida. Unlike other butterflies that dart around, the zebra longwing seems to fly slower and is more graceful which may be just an illusion because of their stripe pattern. Zebra longwings are fairly large butterflies which can grow to 4 inches. The are typically not found north of Florida and they can also be seen in south Texas.
Zebra Longwing Butterfly on a White Coreopsis Flower
An interesting fact about the zebra longwing is that it is the only butterfly that feeds on pollen in addition to flower nectar. This allows them to live longer than other butterflies.

April 16, 2021
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.
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.
- Buntings
April 14, 2021
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 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 the Ground By His Nest
For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.
- Burrowing Owls
April 10, 2021
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.
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.

April 9, 2021
Something a Little Different

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to join a group of photographers on an outing sponsored by a local camera store and the Tamron lens company. We went to Fort DeSoto State Park in St. Petersburg before sunrise to take some photos of the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Last year, the bridge was updated with new lighting, and it is beautiful. Unfortunately, clouds spoiled the sunrise, but the bridge was stunning anyway.
The bridge crosses Tampa Bay on interstate 275 right before the bay flows into the Gulf of America. The bridge is over 4 miles long and is tall enough to allow cruise ships and huge cargo ships to pass underneath.
Sunshine Skyway Bridge with Purple Lights Predawn

April 7, 2021
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 with a Ruffled Feather on the End of a Branch

April 6, 2021
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.
Male Painted Bunting on the Ground Looking for Grass Seeds
For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.
- Buntings
February 20, 2021

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