Fort De Soto County Park

Monday Blues – Little Blue Heron That Is

By |January 28th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Little Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I don't know how much snow fell over night here in the Salt Lake Valley because it is still dark outside and while I am truly not "blue" about it I thought some images from warmer times of a blue bird might be in order for a Monday.

The Answer To The Gull And Tern Quiz Is…

By |January 28th, 2013|Categories: American Herring Gulls, Bird ID, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Gulls, Laughing Gulls, Royal Terns|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The majority of you voted for the correct answer: Juvenile Herring Gull, 1st winter Laughing Gull and Royal Tern

Bird Images From Warmer Days And All At 300mm Or Less

By |January 26th, 2013|Categories: Atlantic Ghost Crabs, Birds, Fish Crows, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County, Short-billed Dowitchers, Willets, Yellow-crowned Night Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Gray skies, freezing temps and the inversions are beginning to get to me so I thought I would share some bird images from warmer days on Fort De Soto County Park's north beach in sunny Florida.

Comparing Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night Herons

By |January 22nd, 2013|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bird ID, Black-crowned Night Herons, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Utah, Yellow-crowned Night Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The adult Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night Herons aren't terribly difficult to tell apart though the juveniles can be more of a challenge.

Roseate Spoonbills In A Sea Fog

By |January 9th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Roseate Spoonbills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One very foggy May morning I came across a small flock of Roseate Spoonbills in a tidal lagoon at Fort De Soto's north beach and photograph them for about 15 minutes before they flew off to find food.

Tricolored Heron Shaking It Up On Tip Toes

By |December 28th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Great Blue Heron I photographed on Christmas Day seems to have focused my attention on wading birds, yesterday it was Reddish Egrets and this morning I present a Tricolored Heron shaking its feather while on tip toes

Reddish Egret Morphs

By |December 27th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Reddish Egrets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These two Reddish Egrets; a dark and a white morph, were photographed on the same day at Fort De Soto's north beach in May of 2009 and both of them were showing signs of being in breeding plumage.

Images of Christmas Past – Happy Holidays

By |December 25th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Australia, Bald Eagles, Birds, Burnie, Common Mergansers, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Northern Harriers, Roseate Spoonbills, Tasmania|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I took a stroll down memory lane, actually I looked for images I have taken either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in my files but in a way that is taking a stroll down memory lane.

Short-billed Dowitcher On The Wrack Line

By |December 20th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Short-billed Dowitchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this Short-billed Dowitcher and the out of focus Sanderling the day after a storm had pushed mounds of Sargassum seaweed onto the wrack line and the birds were busy looking for food within it.

Wilson’s Plover in habitat

By |December 11th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Wilson's Plovers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Wilson's Plover and its mate were being run ragged chasing after the two chicks they had fledged, this adult stopped in front of me where I had laid down in the sugary white sand and rested a few moments in the dried Sea Purslane stalks.

Ruddy Turnstone On Driftwood

By |December 5th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Ruddy Turnstones|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was tickled one morning when I came across this Turnstone in nonbreeding plumage perched on a piece of weathered driftwood just after the sun came over the horizon with the waters of the Gulf of Mexico behind it.

Low angle Long-billed Curlew

By |December 3rd, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews, Low angle|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since winter has thus far decided to stay in more northern latitudes and higher elevations I decided to post an image of a Long-billed Curlew taken in southern, sub-tropical climes a few years ago.

Tricolored Heron – Up close

By |November 26th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this hunting Tricolored Heron I was laying flat on my belly in the shallows where the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico gently lapped the shore.

Great Egret and a Mullet – The Great Egret Wins

By |November 15th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Egrets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I remember the morning I took this photo well, it was a warm morning in February at Fort De Soto's north beach, the Great Egret was in the tidal lagoon near the Concession Stand and it had been actively hunting when it came up with this Mullet.

Tricolored Heron in breeding plumage with prey

By |November 10th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While in breeding plumage Tricolored Herons have redder legs, darker red eyes, blue lores and blue on the bill plus a longer, white occipital plume than they do during the nonbreeding season.

Etiquette – Birders, Bird Photographers and the General Public

By |November 9th, 2012|Categories: Etiquette, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Roseate Spoonbills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I think it is always important to try to remember that not everyone knows that there is such a thing as Birding or Bird Photography Etiquette. It could be a good time to bring the subject up; politely of course.

Laughing Gull White Balance Mess up and Fix

By |October 19th, 2012|Categories: Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls, White Balance adjustments|Tags: , , , , , , , |

All photographers mess up, some times it is the focus, sometimes it is not having enough shutter speed for active subjects and sometimes a dial gets bumped and when it is not noticed it can affect all the images taken after it has been changed.

I’ve Got The Blues – Great Blue Herons That Is!

By |October 15th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It seems I have always had a fondness for Great Blue Herons although I don't recall the first time I ever saw one. Great Blues are large wading birds that have a prehistoric look to them and even their calls; more like a croak, sound like something from the long distant past.

Sandwich Tern In Flight With Prey

By |October 12th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Sandwich Terns|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This image Sandwich Tern was taken at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach several years ago, it was a breezy, very warm day and there were schools of baitfish running just offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

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