A few days ago I finally had time to visit the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. Many of the rarities that have been wintering here have made themselves scarce. I didn’t see the Long-tailed Duck, the Ash-throated Flycatcher or the Vermilion Flycatcher. There were still lots of birds to see here, though. There were lots of […]
Author: Scott Simmons
Scott Simmons, based in Florida, is a lover of nature, landscape, and wildlife photography. Scott became interested in photography in 2001 when he was given his first SLR camera. When he acquired a telephoto lens, he became progressively more interested in birds and other wildlife. Scott enjoys learning about bird habitats and behavior, striving always to take images that are both beautiful and interpretive. Scott believes photography is a great vehicle to help others to appreciate the wonder for the stuff of earth.
Hal Scott Preserve, 2/17/2018
On Saturday, I visited Hal Scott Preserve to look for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. I found two, which was really nice to see. I also saw several Carolina Satyrs, and I got my best photos of the species. I then went to Tosohatchee, where I saw lots of interesting bugs. I’m playing with the video capabilities of […]
Gull-billed Terns at Orlando Wetlands Park, 11/24/2017
I decided to wander around Orlando Wetlands Park this morning and found a wonderful surprise. Two Gull-billed Terns were parked together right next to the main trail. I’ve never been happy with my photos of this species before, and I think today’s photographs were my favorite. Ducks are increasing in numbers with every visit. This […]
Baird’s Sandpiper at Orlando Wetlands Park, 9/25/2017
Two days ago, one of my friends found a Baird’s Sandpiper at Orlando Wetlands Park, and several of us saw it yesterday (and it’s still being seen today). I drove out to it during my lunch break and came back to the office all excited. Of course, my friends at work thought I was nerding […]
Marl Bed Flats, 7/26/2017
This morning I decided to head out to Marl Bed Flats to see what birds and bugs I might find. I was pleased to see that the flats aren’t nearly as dry as they were the last time I visited. There was standing water near the slough, and that was encouraging to me. I didn’t […]
Great Kiskadee and Lookalikes
Everytime I go to Mexico I love seeing Great Kiskadees. They’re beautiful birds, and they’re always calling, it seems, so you always know they’re around. But there are other species of flycatchers that look very much like them. The Social Flycatcher has a smaller bill and a slightly different facial pattern. I’ve seen those in […]
Maitland Community Park, 4/25/2017
On April 25, I returned to Maitland Community Park. One of my friends had seen a male Blackburnian Warbler there the day before. I did not find that bird, but I did see 8 species of warblers, which is pretty good for this Spring. There were a couple species that let me get fairly decent […]
Orlando Wetlands Park, 4/8/2017
On April 8, I drove out to Orlando Wetlands Park, one of my favorite destinations in Orange County (second only to Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive). I was not disappointed. I decided this year I would try to diversify my photography and make a special effort to photograph scenery, wildflowers and wildlife other than birds. Orlando […]
Henslow’s Sparrows at Hal Scott Preserve, 3/25/2017
A few days ago a friend of mine visited Hal Scott to monitor the Red-cockaded Woodpeckers that breed on the grounds. As he walked through the wiregrass, he flushed about 3 Henslow’s Sparrows. There is so much good habitat for this species in this park, but I’ve never really gone searching for them because they’re […]
Yellow-headed Blackbird
I’ve been chasing sightings of Yellow-headed Blackbirds in Florida for years. I’ve gone to Palm Beach County, where they are regular in the winter time, I’ve gone up to Alachua County, where they’ve been seen the day before and the day after I was there. I’ve chased them around Lake Apopka, where they’ve always eluded […]
