Bunche Beach

I had never heard of Bunche Beach, but my friend Nancy, and I, met a mutual friend, Liz, one early morning last week and she suggested we meet there.
Upon exiting the vehicle, the noseeum skeeters were all over us, but as we got away from the mangroves and headed toward the beach, they eased up.  It was really a pleasant morning on the beach.

As the tide receded, there became a vast area of wet sandy beach where we were able to walk out toward the feeding birds.  There were all kinds of shore birds, some in flocks and some loners, scavenging the beach for breakfast.  Liz walked out and took aim on a lone pelican and a group.  I still haven't seen her shots, but here's one of her at work.

I scooted in behind her but didn't manage to capture anything I liked but did catch a pelican in flight.

Later, came a bald eagle trying to steal an osprey's breakfast, which I missed.  The eagle was long gone as the osprey wheeled overhead, by the time I was aware.  I managed this shot of the osprey as he was leaving, and eventually saw the eagle in a tree, way too far away to photograph.

I also managed to capture this great blue heron in flight, and while not a great photograph, it made me glad that I was on the beach with the birds and not on a crowded shuttle to Key West to buy touristy things.

Venice Rookery

I had a bad day with my big lens.  It seems to have an issue with focusing to infinity and there abouts in auto mode.  I didn't even realize it until the next day and will have to use it manually the rest of my trip, and then it goes in for repair.
Venice was it's usual active self and I was pleased to see so many varieties and quantities of bird there.  There were a lot of anhinga and heron and egret, but there were also some cowbird, osprey, the ever present vultures, and a whole flock of school children.  Good that they learn early.

So here are some images from my morning at Venice.  I think we'll be visiting back there in a week or so.  Maybe then I can post some photos of the young ones we saw on the nests.

Passing Through Ding Darling

Last time I went through Ding Darling, I spent a lot of time there and was privileged to view a wide variety of birds.  I felt especially privileged to see and photograph a large contingent of Roseate Spoonbills, who seemed to be just waiting for us to arrive and in no hurry to leave.  Not so lucky this trip.  However, I was lucky enough to witness several other species which I had not seen before, and was especially happy to capture this osprey keeping watch while his mate fed their young.

 

I also saw some cormerant, anhinga, white and brown pelican, gopher turtle, great blue heron, small blue heron, hooded merganzer, red breasted merganzer, egret, ibis, red bellied woodpeckers, tourists, and the ever present noseeum's (nasty critters).

 

Reports going in were not looking good, and the place was a bit slow, as are most of the bird breeding habitats right now.  At least, the ones I've been to.  I'm guessing water level has something to do with it.  Water is kind of low right now, even though it is raining as I speak.  I'll bet this guy is happy about that.

In spite of all that, it was a rewarding short drive through the habitat and glad we made the trip.

I'll probably be back here before I leave south Florida.