I found all the normal wading birds and shorebirds on Bio Lab Rd today. Wading bird highlights were the normal herons and egrets, both ibises, and Roseate Spoonbills. We also had a fair share of Stilt Sandpipers, both Dowitchers, both Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Plovers, and Least, Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers. I also found a small flock […]
Tag: Scott Simmons
Acapulco Birds
I spent last week in Acapulco, Mexico. I wasn’t there for birding. I was there with a small group of people that were working in an orphanage. I barely went anywhere outside the orphanage, but I did walk the streets nearby in the mornings, and once in the afternoon, just to see what I might […]
Royal Tern
Royal Terns may be our most common tern. I always enjoy watching them fish, plunging into the water in search of prey. I love photographing them along coastal beaches. They are one of our largest terns, second only to Caspian Terns, but their long orange bills and pale under the wings.
Sandwich Tern
Last Saturday I went with a couple of friends to North Lido Beach in Sarasota (after finding the Tropical Kingbirds nearby). We found a couple Sandwich Terns along the shore. This is one of my favorite species of tern, partly because the pale tip makes them so easy to identify, and partly because their slender […]
Best Canon Lenses for Bird and Wildlife Photography
For bird wildlife photography, having a long telephoto lens is a tremendous advantage. It allows you to you to have your subject large in your frame while keeping your distance. Most wildlife photographers occasionally crop their images significantly, since wildlife usually stays pretty far away. So sharp lenses also give you a huge advantage. There […]
Guide to the Econ River Wilderness Area
The Econ River Wilderness Area is another of my favorite places ot visit in Seminole County. It’s only about 10 minutes from my home, so I can visit there on a whim, which is nice. The wilderness area covers about 240 acres that extends from Old Lockwood Rd to the Econ River just north of […]
My Favorite Florida Spiders
Since moving to Florida, I’ve had the opportunity to see some pretty enormous spiders. Golden-silk Orbweavers and Black and Yellow Argiopes are pretty large, and they’re spectacular-looking as well. Of course, not all our spiders are huge. But whenever I have the chance to get close enough to them for photographs, I’m always struck by […]
Bachman’s Sparrows at Hal Scott Preserve
This morning I drove out to the Hal Scott Preserve. I was hoping to find a Red-cockaded Woodpecker; I had no luck there, but I did find at least 20 Bachman’s Sparrows. I’ve never heard so many calling, and I saw 8 more more. Some were juveniles too. I think these are my best photos […]