Last week Pam and I took a quick trip over to Lakeland to meet up with an old friend from Canada who spends the winters with his wife and dogs in Florida. We met him at Lake Morton, which is one of our favorite bird spots in the region. It was a beautiful sunny day and there were a lot of ducks present. We only saw a couple of wood ducks, which was a little disappointing, but there were several ringed-neck ducks and a stunning male redhead duck that provided some great photo opportunities.
Male Redhead Duck Slowly Swimming Past
Lake Morton is also known for its population of swans, and we saw several mute swans and black swans. There were even some new black swan cygnets in the breeding pens. It was a good day for pictures and to catch up with a friend. On the way home we got to eat lunch at Cheddar’s, which is one of favorite restaurants. After a delicious meal, we headed over to Plant City to pick up a flat of fresh strawberries. Yum! Just a fun day all around.
Black Swan Cygnets Resting
A few days later we headed to another one of our favorite bird spots in Sarasota. The Celery Fields nature preserve is a designated Audubon sanctuary and is home to a large variety of birds. One of the highlights of the morning was photographing the nanday parakeets at the feeders.
Nanday Parakeet Finishing Up a Drink
We’ve added new photos to several galleries listed below:
Birdwatching is often about patience and timing, and sometimes it rewards you with unforgettable moments. During a recent visit to Bahia Beach Nature Preserve in Ruskin, Florida, we experienced such a moment when we encountered a fork-tailed flycatcher. This rare vagrant to North America dazzled with its graceful flight and striking appearance, making it a highlight of the birding journey.
The Fork-Tailed Flycatcher: A Snapshot of Elegance The fork-tailed flycatcher is a slender bird known for its strikingly long, deeply forked tail that gives the species its name. Its plumage contrasts beautifully, with a jet-black cap, gray back, and pristine white underparts. Measuring 14 to 15 inches in length, the tail alone accounts for much of its size, making the bird’s silhouette unmistakable in the field.
Fork-tailed Flycatcher Perched on the End of a Stick
Native to Central and South America, the fork-tailed flycatcher thrives in open habitats such as savannas, grasslands, and marshy areas, often near water. While it primarily resides in its southern range, some populations migrate seasonally, and a few individuals occasionally venture as far north as the southern United States. Such sightings are rare, making my encounter in Ruskin even more special.
A Day to Remember We arrived in the early afternoon on a cool and sunny day. As we strolled through the preserve’s pathways, we quickly noticed a group of photographers and birders and knew that was where the flycatcher would be. Perched elegantly on a branch above the water, scanning the skies for prey, was the unmistakable fork-tailed flycatcher. Its elongated tail feathers fluttered lightly in the breeze, and its watchful gaze seemed almost regal.
We positioned ourselves to get the sun to our backs and set up our cameras. I was initially shooting with my Canon R5 equipped with an 800mm lens. As I adjusted my settings, the bird took off, showcasing its acrobatic flight skills as it darted after an insect. The agility of its movements and the beauty of its silhouette against the afternoon light were mesmerizing. After several attempts, I captured a series of shots as the bird landed again, briefly resting on a nearby perch.
Fork-tailed Flycatcher Balances on a Small Twig
Photographing this bird was no easy feat. Its constant movement and the interplay of light through the bushes tested my skills and patience. I decided to go back to the car and switch to my Canon R6 camera which has a feature called Raw Burst Mode which captures images for a brief half second before actually snapping the shot. This feature is enormously helpful to capture the flight of a bird like the flycatcher that takes flies off frequently. Changing cameras was well worth it.
Fork-tailed Flycatcher Takes Off to Chase a Bug
The Beauty of Vagrancy In North America, the fork-tailed flycatcher is considered a rare vagrant. Factors such as weather patterns, food availability, or navigational errors may push these birds far beyond their usual range. Such unexpected journeys make sightings like mine at Bahia Beach Nature Preserve even more remarkable. This bird stayed for less than two weeks before moving on. It serves as a reminder of the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of bird migration.
A Call to Explore The fork-tailed flycatcher’s appearance in Ruskin is a testament to the richness of Florida’s ecosystems and the surprises they hold for those willing to look. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just beginning your journey into the world of avian wonders, places like Bahia Beach Nature Preserve offer the chance to witness moments that stay with you forever.
For me, the fork-tailed flycatcher will always symbolize the thrill of discovery and the rewards of persistence in nature. I hope my story inspires others to pick up their binoculars, step into the wild, and embrace the unexpected.
A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, please visit the galleries listed.
It has been an active hurricane season with 3 storms affecting us since early August. Hurricane Debby kicked things off with incredible rain. Despite making landfall in the big bend region as only a category 1 storm, our area received over 15 inches which caused a lot of flooding. In fact, several streets in our subdivision were impassible for a couple of days. That had never happened before. Next up in late September was hurricane Helene which again made landfall in the big bend region but as a category 4 storm. The storm surges from Helene devastated our coastal areas. There were piles of sand on Anna Maria Island that reminded me of the snow piles from Midwest winter storms. Helene went on to destroy many areas in Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. We experienced moderately strong winds, but since we are about 15 miles from the beaches, we didn’t encounter any of the surge, and our rainfall was only about half of that with hurricane Debby. Just 2 weeks later hurricane Milton came ashore in Sarasota as a strong category 3 storm. It was a direct hit for our area and was definitely the most powerful storm we have faced since moving to Florida almost 10 years ago. There was significant damage and loss of power in the area. Despite the intensity of the storm, we came through in pretty good shape. There were lots of branches and leaves to clean up and a couple of smaller trees that needed to be straightened and staked. Several tiles from our roof were blown off. There was a lot of dirt and mulch that needed to be cleaned from the lanai, but no screen damage. We were more fortunate than many others.
Our Back Yard the Morning After Hurricane Milton
Last week after getting things cleaned up from the storm, my good friend Art and I visited the Sebring area again. I’ve written about the area several times in the past. It was amazing to see debris piles as far as 50 miles inland. Unfortunately, our citrus crop may take yet another hit this year. We saw several groves with oranges all over the ground after being blown off by the strong winds.
I have added a few more shots from the day in the following galleries:
Last week right before hurricane Helene decided to wreak havoc on our area, my friend Art and I took a ride over by Sebring. It’s an area that we like to visit because of the diverse landscape. Most of the region is comprised of large farms with citrus groves, and a lot of cattle ranches. But there are also roads that go through hardwood forests and swamps. We typically find a wide variety of wildlife. It seems like every trip provides some kind of pleasant surprise.
On this day we found almost 60 different species of birds. During his last trip to Sebring, Art came across a family of endangered Florida Scrub Jays. We hoped that they hadn’t moved on to a different area. Fortunately, they were still there. I’ve posted about scrub jays in the past if you would like to read more. They are amiable and curious birds that will often come to calls.
Florida Scrub Jay Hopping Around in a Magnolia Tree
One of our nice surprises of the day happened early in our trip. We came across a beautiful red-headed woodpecker that was picking bugs off a fence post. We usually find them up in the trees but rarely down low. This bird would fly back and forth from the post to a large pine tree, and it gave us some nice poses.
Red-headed Woodpecker Perched on a Fence Post
Agricultural land is often a good place to find crested caracaras. This trip was no exception. We saw several. But the best action happened when we spotted two sitting on top of a tall utility pole. They stayed for a few minutes then flew off, but quickly returned. It gave us a chance to get some good flight pictures. Caracaras seem to be more trusting of people than other birds of prey. Maybe because they are scavengers and are often around farm workers and machinery.
Crested Caracara Lands on Top of a Telephone Pole
There were meadowlarks everywhere on this trip. We saw dozens of them. Their distinctive calls seemed endless. After reviewing photos, there were several juveniles so it must have been a good nesting season. The early morning sun really highlighted their bright yellow breasts and provided for some good photos.
Juvenile Eastern Meadowlark Perched on Top of a Weed
Finally, a trip to this area wouldn’t be complete without an encounter with some owls. There is a spot we found a couple of years ago that we know is home to some barred owls. Certain times of the year they will respond to a call. On this day, a pair came to check out our call. While one of the owls stayed hidden among the palm fronds, the other perched on an outer frond to see what to see what the noise was about. It stayed for several minutes and gave us some good photo opportunities.
Barred Owl Resting on a Palm Frond
Other birds we saw were many sandhill cranes, egrets, herons, wild turkeys, hawks, and even a bald eagle. It was a good day. A few more pictures from the trip are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, please visit the galleries listed.
Summer in Florida is the time of year when photography gets slow. While there are several species of birds that migrate here for the summer months, we start getting anxious for the fall and winter migrations. It’s a good time of the year for butterflies. Unfortunately, it’s also our rainy season and mosquitoes love the water. Venturing out in the early mornings before the heat kicks in is often prime time for bugs.
Summer is also the time to pull out all the camera equipment, get everything cleaned and refreshed, and decide what needs to be updated and what is no longer needed. In my case, I sold some items and upgraded one of my camera bodies. It turned out to be a good move because the focusing system on the new Canon R6 Mark II is really something, especially for anything that is flying.
Finally, summer is a great time to go back through old photos and clean up the hard drives. It’s a project that needs to be done from time to time because the photos keep piling up. Also, with software updates being introduced, some older photos can be brought back to life. There’s plenty to do to stay busy without being in the field.
Recently we went out to practice with the new gear. One trip took us to the farming area near Sebring where we saw many more birds than expected. Our best encounter was with a pair of barred owls.
Barred Owl Perched on a Palm Stump
A few days later we traveled over to Lake Wales to visit Bok Tower Gardens hoping that all the flowers would bring in some hummingbirds. We saw two, but the stars of the day were the butterflies. They were everywhere and made for an enjoyable opportunity to play with the new features on the cameras. We will likely head back to Bok Tower Gardens later this year when the hummingbirds return for the winter.
Zebra Longwing Butterfly About to Land on a Firebush
A few more pictures from these journeys are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, please visit the galleries listed.
This past Monday, my friend Art Nadelman and I made a visit to Bahia Beach Nature Preserve in Ruskin. The preserve is less than a mile from Tampa Bay and has become one of favorite winter spots for waterfowl. We often see many other species of water birds like herons, egrets, gulls and shorebirds. Occasionally we also see some beautiful roseate spoonbills. We don’t typically go to this spot during the summer because of mosquitoes. But we had another motivation for making the trip.
Last fall Canon released a new zoom lens that received rave reviews in testing. Both of us ordered the lens back in November when it was first available to ship. It only took 6 months for us to get them. No need to comment here. We felt like this would be a great place to put the lens through a good test because the preserve is an easy walk and generally provides a lot of good photo opportunities, especially for birds in flight.
Roseate Spoonbill Flares to Land
The day turned out to be a blast. We arrived at sunrise to clear skies with lower humidity and a nice breeze. Better yet … no mosquitoes! The recent rains expanded the water areas and brought in a lot of birds. The hiking trail isn’t much more than a half mile long and it meanders along a large pond on the entire east side of the trail and two other ponds along the west side. We started off by walking to the very end of the path so we could position the sun behind our backs as we reversed and headed toward the park entrance.
Reddish Egret Grabs Another Small Fish
The birds were very active. We logged about 40 species, but the number of birds was impressive. I’ve written about reddish egrets in the past. Many photographers and birders head to Fort De Soto Park near St. Petersburg to see them. There are usually 1 or 2 fishing in the tidal pools. We rarely find them inland and, on this day, we had 4 feeding around us! There was also a flock of 19 spoonbills that didn’t seem to mind us being near them. Another of my favorite shorebirds is the black skimmer. It’s fun to watch them glide over the top of the water with their bottom beak skimming just under the surface for fish. There were close to 20 fishing in the ponds. We would normally only see those numbers on the coast but not inland. The waters were alive with birds. At times the shoreline seemed like a white mass with all the snowy egrets and great egrets. It was a feeding frenzy. There were numerous species of terns diving into the water for fish along with several types of gulls. It was amazing to see the activity.
Sandwich Tern and Black Skimmer Join the Feeding Frenzy
In addition to the aerial displays, there were also other shorebirds. Black-necked stilts were everywhere. They’re funny-looking birds with their very long pink legs. As we finally got back near the park entrance, we came across a killdeer family that had 4 little fuzzy chicks running through the weeds. It was a fantastic morning.
Killdeer Chick Stops For a Moment
If you’re wondering about the new lens, it performed beautifully. Both of us agreed, after reviewing hundreds of photos, that the lens is very impressive. I’m still not sure I can let Canon off the hook for the wait, but the results are exciting. We’ll see how it holds up in the long run.
For more information about Bahia Beach Nature Preserve, follow the link below.
As promised from my last post, here is the story about our recent trips to the Fort Myers area to look for snail kites. I’ve written about snail kites in the past because they are such fascinating birds with an equally fascinating story. The Everglades snail kite subspecies is unique to central and south Florida. They are beautiful birds, a little smaller than an osprey. Adult males are striking with gray bodies, a white band above their tails, bright orange feet, and red eyes.
Snail Kite Male Rests at the Top of a Dead Tree
We ended up making two trips a few days apart because we learned that damage caused by Hurricane Ian 20 months ago changed the habitat and moved the kites to a different area. We also learned from a local resident photographer about where to likely find the kites. So, the second trip turned out to be amazing. We saw close to 20 snail kites! Typically, if we saw kites, it would be anywhere from 1 to 5. To see 6 to 10 would be considered a great day. They were feeding in a network of canals that were full of snails.
Snail kites are raptors that feed entirely on apple snails. At one time Florida only had one native species of apple snail and it was found mainly in the Everglades. But over the years, the Everglades watershed has changed dramatically with surrounding development and man-made attempts to better control water flow. With the habitats disappearing, apple snails, along with the snail kites disappeared and they were put on the endangered species list in 1967. According to one source, the number of kites fell to less than 100 in 1972. But they’ve made a remarkable comeback, ironically due to an invasive species of apple snail.
Snail Kite Male Flies by with a Fresh Snail
Usually most invasive species of plant or animal have an alarming effect on the environment. A great example is the explosion of the python population in the Everglades which has had devastating impacts on the native wildlife. It’s thought that the foreign snails were introduced to the US from South America and were used mainly in aquariums. When they outgrew aquariums, people released them into the wild where they thrived. But the invasive snails have benefited both snail kites and limpkins since the snails are their only diet.
Of course, there’s always a “but”. In the case of snail kites, the invasive snails were as much as 3 times larger than the native Florida variety. The problem for kites was the larger snails were much more difficult to lift out of the water and their beaks couldn’t reach all the way into the shell to dislodge the meat. So, kites have evolved. A recent study showed that snail kites have grown by an average of about 12% over the past several years so they have the strength to carry the larger snails. Their beaks have also grown about 12% longer to enable them to reach all the way into the snail shells. It’s a very interesting story about how something bad has helped something else. I don’t know the eventual impact foreign snails will have on the environment. But for now, there are two species of birds that are happy!
I’ve included several links to stories about snail kites and the apple snails that have changed their lives.
It’s been over 6 weeks since my last post. We always anticipate the winter and spring seasons to be some of the best times for wildlife photography here in Florida. Many birds migrate here, while many more migrate through our area in April and early May. But this year has been oddly quiet in several of the usual hotspots. We didn’t observe the numbers of waterfowl this year and the spring migration for several songbird species seemed almost non-existent. A little research may have revealed one of the reasons for the changes. According to weather experts, we are experiencing our first “El Niño” climate pattern in 5 years. We’ll have to wait for our next “La Niña” season to see if there is any connection. For whatever reasons, 2024 turned out to be somewhat disappointing.
Despite the downturn, there were some highlights. We managed to find a flock of green-winged teal that made a small lake near St. Petersburg their winter home and provided some great photo opportunities. The number of our local wood ducks appears to be on the rise. It was also a good year for painted buntings visiting our feeder. There were days when we would see 3 males along with a female. We had never seen more than 2 males in the past. For the first time, hummingbirds were at our feeders all winter. We found a bird called Chuck-will’s-widow. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen one. They are part of the same family as whip-poor-wills and nighthawks and look very similar. This bird was sitting on her nest.
Chuck-will’s-widow Sitting on Her Nest
As we head toward summer, the wildlife environment changes. Different migrants arrive, while others become more active and visible. It’s the time of year for magnificent kites. Thankfully, it seems like some of the catastrophic habitat damage caused by hurricane Ian in 2022 is recovering. We went to south Florida last week to check on snail kites. I’ll be posting another update on that trip shortly.
A few more pictures from the past few months are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, please visit the galleries listed.
For the past 9 days, our daughter and granddaughter have been visiting us from Japan. Of course, anyone who comes here wants to go to the beach so last week we took a trip to Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg. They have a huge beach that is good for shelling. While the ladies were walking the shore searching for shells, I wandered over by one of the large tidal pools to watch a reddish egret fish for its breakfast.
In the United States, the reddish egret is typically only found along the shores of the Gulf of America. They are not a common bird but we often see several at Fort De Soto Park. In fact, the park has become a destination for birders and photographers looking for a reddish egret.
They are very entertaining when they begin hunting for food. They work the shallow waters of the tidal pools where small fish get trapped by the receding waters. The egrets will run through the water, often with their wings raised like a cape to herd the fish into areas that are easier for them to grab.
Reddish Egret Striking the Water for a Small Fish
For more information about reddish egrets, follow the links below.
One of my favorite birds is the green-winged teal. They are beautiful small ducks that migrate here every winter. While green-winged teal are a common species, they can be difficult to find because they prefer smaller shallow ponds with plenty of cover. Last year we were dealing with the high water left over from hurricane Ian which created numerous areas for them to inhabit that were inaccessible for us. So, we had virtually no good photo opportunities all season.
Green-winged Teal Preening in the Morning
But this year we found a park near St. Petersburg where a modest flock has taken up residence for the winter months with a group of blue-winged teal. Thankfully, they have been close enough to shore for some good pictures. The duckweed that they enjoy seems plentiful so hopefully they will stick around for a few more weeks.
Follow the links for more information on these pretty little ducks.
As the end of 2023 approaches, it’s time to reflect on the past year. Although I didn’t get out as much as in years past, some of the photo opportunities were amazing. In February we located a bird that I had never seen in the wild. In fact, in 2022 we drove over 3 hours down past Lake Okeechobee to search for the same species but came up empty. However, this year we were successful in finding one over by Orlando.
Vermilion Flycatcher Perched in a Tree in the Sun
Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg was the real showcase spot. Weather played a huge part during the year. Back in the spring, a couple of cold fronts conveniently pushed through and created a fallout of migrating birds. We saw many tanagers, grosbeaks, buntings, warblers, and orioles. I captured some pictures of birds that I hadn’t seen in years. My favorite moment was coming across a male scarlet tanager who was so exhausted and hungry that he hopped within 10 feet of me sitting in the grass. He was more focused on food than his own safety.
Scarlet Tanager Male on the Ground Eating a Large BugBlue Grosbeak Male Perched on an Old Palm Frond
In September, hurricane Idalia accomplished something that no other storm has done for decades. The track of the storm created a corridor for many iconic American Flamingos to flee Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico north to the United States. The event captured news outlets across the country as some of the birds were spotted as far north as Wisconsin. Several showed up along the west coast of Florida and there are still reports of sightings.
American Flamingo Calling to Others
Unfortunately, the remnants of hurricane Irma in 2022 along with the heat wave and drought during the summer had an impact on several of our favorite bird spots. We lost a great bald eagle nest in Lakewood Ranch and our best place for seeing endangered snail kites near Fort Myers was severely damaged during the hurricane. It appears a large population of apple snails was wiped out, which is the main food source for the kites.
It looks like 2024 will get off to a good start. Migrating waterfowl have returned to the region and are much more accessible this year because of the lower water levels. Many areas continue to recover from the storms and habitat is improving. We participated in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count last week and were surprised to see one of the flamingos that remain in the area. Hopefully that will be a good omen for next year. We’re keeping our eyes on a report of a very rare duck that’s been seen over in Palm Beach County. If he stays around for a few more weeks, I think I see a road trip on the horizon. Stay tuned.
This past week we took a trip over to Lake Wales to visit Bok Tower Gardens. It’s one of our favorite spots to go for hummingbirds. Bok Tower Gardens is a beautiful place built atop one of the tallest areas in all of Florida. It was originally built by Edward and Mary Bok in the early 1920s and was meant to be a bird sanctuary. He was a Pulitzer Prize winning author and the editor of Ladies Home Journal for 30 years.
Large Purple Crepe Myrtle Along a Trail
The gardens are beautiful with many native plants. Because it’s Florida, there’s always something in bloom. The property sits in the middle of huge citrus groves and the views stretch for miles. That also means the air is filled with sweet fragrances in the spring when the trees are full of blossoms.
Polydamus Swallowtail Butterfly on a Red Jatropha Flower
The tower was finished in 1929 and contains a 60-bell carillon. It is known as the Singing Tower. The Boks gifted the gardens and tower to the US and the tower was dedicated as a National Historic Landmark by President Calvin Coolidge. The music is played by a carillonneur. There have only been 4 full-time carillonneurs in the history of the tower. The current carillonneur, Geert D’hollander, has been there for 11 years. The bells are played each half hour during the day with short concerts twice daily.
Singing Tower at Bok Tower Gardens
The gardens are a mecca for hummingbirds, butterflies, and many other species of birds. Sometimes there are uncommon visitors during the fall and spring migrations. A few years back a hummingbird native to the western US made an appearance. This year another has returned. It’s called a rufous hummingbird and they are generally found west of the Rocky Mountains. The last time one was spotted in the gardens, it stayed for several weeks. With any luck this one will do the same. But, in case this one decides to continue south, we wanted to capture some shots before it left. Unfortunately, the adage “you should’ve been here yesterday” held true. We thought we saw a rufous, but we weren’t certain. It can be difficult to correctly identify specific birds when they are juveniles because their adult feathers haven’t filled in. Either way, we didn’t get the shots we hoped for. We’ll keep watching for updates from the park. Hopefully we’ll get another opportunity.
For more information about Bok Tower Gardens, check out the link below.
