I'll post notes periodically about photography outings giving some information about locations and wildlife (or other stuff I found interesting). There will most certainly be repetition of locations as I revisit them over time.
Charlie Elliott Wildlife Management Area - Mansfield, Georgia, USA - 11May2024
11May2024: Charlie Elliott Wildlife Management Area - Mansfield, Georgia, USA
Green herons played nicely as I approached quietly in my kayak on Fox Lake. The later green heron photos (on the forked stick) were about 15 ft from the boat ramp as I was heading back to the vehicle. I drifted into the ramp and beached myself and watched for a while until a vehicle approached and spooked it off.
The osprey was hiding up in the trees on to the east of the nest pole with this large fish. The sun was nearly behind it, but filtering through the green leaves. That left an odd tint in the image, but it cleaned up nicely with a little white balance adjustment.
Rhodes Jordan Park - Green Heron & Kingfisher - 10May2024
10May2024 Rhodes Jordan Park - Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA
Shortly after I arrived, one of the red-shouldered hawks crossed the lake carrying something (it turned out to be a snake) in the direction of the nest (visible from the paved walkway).
I headed toward the nest and was happy to see the adult and one baby in the nest. The adult was partially obscured at times by parts of the tree, but its actions looked like it was eating.
This green heron was stalking water creatures along the woodline near the boardwalk bridge at the senior center.
The kingfisher flew into the bridge area near the senior center and almost immediately dove in for a meal. As they do, it smacked the little fish on the branch several times before swallowing it down.
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
Young Alligator
27Apr2024: Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive (Apopka, Florida, USA) is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday each week, plus certain holidays for vehicle traffic. It is a manmade series of cells for water filtration. Lucky for us, these wetlands attract a lot of cool creatures. The drive through the property is very flat with frequent areas to pull off the road to get out of the vehicle or to let others pass. In most areas, passing stopped vehicles is easy enough if both drivers are paying attention and being courteous. The roadways are not paved and a lot of dust is kicked up by cars ahead at times.
Pay attention near the road and scan the vegetation. The variety of birds is amazing.... and then there are gators everywhere.
Black Crowned Night Heron
Great Blue Heron
La Chua Trail/Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park/Orlando Wetlands
24Apr2024: I arrived at a locked entry gate for La Chua Trailhead a few minutes past 7am. It's a good idea to check opening/closing times and not assume places open at sunrise.
There is a nice boardwalk through the first part of the trail. The light is in your face first thing in the morning when facing the trees to the left of the boardwalk. (It's a good idea to check sun position before making plans. I frequently use the Sun Surveyor app on my phone.)
A red-shouldered hawk, blue grosbeak, and great blue heron gave me some good shots for the early morning session.
On the advice of a fellow I met on the way out of La Chua Trail, I ventured a few miles south to the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Visitor Center. Sandy, a volunteer at the visitor center, was a fountain of information about the park and refuge. She pointed out that some wild horses and bison were visible from the center and had spotting scopes setup and aimed appropriately. The view from the observation tower was nice. Based on some clues Sandy provided, I found a bald eagle near the visitor center, but I did not find the barred owl that had recently been seen.
The two hour trip from Micanopy to Orlando Wetlands took nearly 3.5 hours with construction traffic and a horrible wreck on the turnpike.
Once I arrived, I was overwhelmed with the number of wood storks. Roseate spoonbills, great blue herons, egrets, osprey were plentiful. Most of the action was along the boardwalk behind the [under construction] education center. I made the full walk around the 'birding loop' and really didn't see much on that part of my 3 mile walk. (There's a lot of trail that I didn't cover in this park.)
Bolen Bluff/Paynes Prairie and Sweetwater Wetlands
22Apr2024: Gainesville and Micanopy, Florida, USA
This was my third trip to Bolen Bluff Trail in the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, but was the first time I had been able to venture out to the observation platform. The other times the trail had been impassable due to the high water and muck.
From the time you emerge from the trees, it is approximately a half mile to the platform (based on Google satellite measurements).
I arrived mid-day, and the high sun was not friendly. Heat distortion killed any shots I attempted there.
There were wild horses to the left and behind the platform (toward highway 441 in the distance). There were bison to the right of the platform at a long distance. A bald eagle, some northern harriers, red-shouldered hawks, buzzards, great blue herons, red-winged blackbirds, boat-tailed grackles, and egrets were among the birds I saw.
I had better luck at Sweetwater Wetlands Park a few minutes away. Several types of herons, red-winged blackbirds, sandhill cranes, rabbits were observed.
Alligators were visible in virtually every open spot of water this day (and some on land).
. The limpkin and boat-tailed grackle in the slide show were seen at the Ecopassage Boardwalk Overlook on Hwy 441 at Paynes Prairie.
West Point Lake, Alabama
20Apr2024: This trip to West Point Lake had me arriving just after sunrise with my kayak. The intent was to go exploring some nooks and crannies where I had seen, from a great distance, a pair of adult bald eagles perching a few weeks ago, hoping to get some shots.
West Point Lake is partially in Alabama and partially in Georgia. These eagle and osprey shots were taken from the kayak in Alabama water, mostly between the West Overlook Park and Southern Harbor lighthouse.
Juvenile Bald Eagle
Osprey
