Since I moved to Florida and became interested in birding, I’ve wanted to get good photos of all the little plovers that show up in Florida on a regular basis. I found most of these plovers without much trouble, but Snowy Plovers have eluded me. They’ve been somewhat of a nemesis bird for me, until […]
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.
Shake Reduction
Today I finally got a copy of Photoshop CC. There’s a new feature in this software that I’d been excited about trying out–shake reduction. I wish I could use a tripod for all my shots, but the reality is that I’d miss a lot of shots if I used a tripod. And since my lens […]
American Kestrel (Southeastern Subspecies)
American Kestrels are pretty common in the U.S., and here in Florida, we get to enjoy them in significant numbers throughout the winter months, but beginning in March or April, most of our Kestrels leave us. But there are some that stay with us all year round. The southeastern subspecies of American Kestrel mostly found […]
Marl Bed Flats, 5/22/2014
Yesterday morning I visited Marl Bed Flats again. I’m pretty amazed at how good this place has been in May. It’s given me several Seminole County firsts, including a Short-billed Dowitcher, Stilt Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper and now a Semipalmated Plover. Black-necked Stilts are still here, though in much smaller numbers; now only about 4 remain […]
Northern Parula at Central Winds
On Friday I visited Central Winds Park. Migration is winding down, but Northern Parula are singing throughout the park. Breeding has begun! One singing male posed nicely for photos; I suspect these are some of my best photos of the species. I was also surprised to see a young fledgling flying/hopping from tree branch to […]
Least Sandpiper
Last week at Fort De Soto I had the opportunity to pretty little Least Sandpiper on the shore of East Beach. This one was pretty cute running around the beach.
Black Birds at Marl Bed Flats
Not all black birds are blackbirds, and not all blackbirds are black, but they are all birds. This morning at Marl Bed Flats I saw lots of black birds, and some of them were blackbirds. My favorite blackbird, though, was only partly black. Bobolinks are blackbirds, and the males are black, the females aren’t. I […]
Fish Crows: Egg Thieves
Crows are smart, and because of this I’m somewhat fascinated with them. They’re not particularly attractive birds, but they have a lot of ingenuity. I’ve read stories of crows working together to steal food from gulls. One crow comes up behind the gull and pulls a tail feather, distracting the gull. When the gull looks […]