The River Otter exhibit was fun.  If you’re patient and the otter’s in the mood, you can make a nice image of it swimming.  Up your ISO to get a fast shutter speed and get close to the glass to block reflections.  Then press the button right  before “the moment”.

One of our Photography Interest Group members, Jeff S. has a write-up about the zoo on his blog:   http://www.firefallphotography.com/central-florida-zoo/.  There’s some good info and photos there – well worth a read.

Macaw – Many zoos have these very photogenic birds around.  They’re good posers!

Photography at this zoo can be challenging.  Many of the animals are behind glass or wire mesh fences, and far away or in bad light.   You’ll need to look for situations where you have a clear view of the animals and if you’re patient they’ll often come closer.  You can also try the standard techniques i.e. Use wide open apertures to blur the fencing;  Hold your lens close to the glass or use your hands to block reflections; etc.

Snake eyes – Albino Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake.  The “herpetarium” is dark.  I didn’t bring a flash, but If I had, I might have tried using it (held out to the side to avoid reflections).  The snakes don’t normally move fast – in this case I braced my camera so I could use a slow shutter speed (I also didn’t bring a tripod).

Busy Bee – There are a lot of pretty plantings and flowers at the zoo. I made this photo in the Butterfly Garden area.

And one last photo – we went by the marina in Sanford before going to breakfast and then the zoo.  It’s a nice place for sunrise.

I’m glad we got up early

As usual, you can click on these photos to go to Flickr, where you can see larger versions.  You can also see a few more photos from the Central Florida Zoo in this set on Flickr.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. Now – go make some photos!
©2013, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved.

Cattle Egrets and Cormorants are still incubating eggs and should start hatching soon.  Great Egrets, Tri-colored Herons, Anhingas, and Woodstorks have hatched and you can get great photos of parenting activity including feeding, nest maintenance, displays, and flight to / from nests.  All of the birds are in peak  breeding colors.

Tri-colored Heron in flight

Gatorland is a great place to practice flight photography.  Observe the bird behavior for a while, pick a likely place with a good background (hopefully in the shade) and wait.  Opportunities will occur!

Cattle Egret

Most of the Cattle Egrets were back in the bushes, in bad light and obscured by twigs.  Be observant and patient you’ll find one out in the open and maybe even in front of a dark background.

Here’s a couple more photos from yesterday:

Anhinga in flight – they’re very different (and attractive) in breeding season. 

Double Crested Cormorant – very pretty eyes if you can catch them in the right light

We also saw several other birds types including a Swallow-tailed Kite.

If you go during the week, take advantage of the early entry option.  We got there at 7:30 and there were only a few other photographers there.  As we were leaving about 10:15, there was a huge line waiting to get in.  I don’t know about you, but I prefer to photograph in the early morning light and when it’s peaceful.

Another reason to visit Gatorland is to see the new Panther Springs exhibit.  These animals are very impressive – I didn’t realize how large they are.  These two are a brother and sister pair that were raised in captivity and so can’t be released back to the wild.  The Florida Panther population is estimated at only 100 – 160 in south-west Florida.  Well worth seeing.

Hello kitty!

You can read other Central Florida Photo Ops blog posts about Gatorland from this link.  And this set on Flickr has many other photos I’ve made there

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. Now – go make some photos!

©2013, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved.

Second:  Happy anniversary, blog!  The first Central Florida Photo Ops post went up on May 7th, 2007 – 6 years and 270 posts ago.  Thanks once again for  all your encouragement.  I enjoy writing the blog, but I don’t think it would have lasted this long if not for the occasional comments and questions from readers.  Please keep them coming!

Third: Here’s some info on the rest of our South Florida trip.  The Dry Tortugas were the focus of our expedition, but we also visited Blowing Rocks Preserve, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Largo, Everglades National Park, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and Brian Piccolo Park.  Since these were such short visits, I can’t really provide detailed reviews of each.  Instead, I’ll show sample images to give you some background and an idea of  what you can see in each place.

I’ve heard that Blowing Rocks Preserve in Jupiter Florida is an awesome landscape place under the right conditions.  The morning we were there, the light was harsh and the  weather wasn’t ideal to show off the rocks.  I think studying the tides and winds (and some luck) are required to make the most of a visit to this place.  Here’s one photo I came up with.

Blowing Rocks Preserve – Sand steps, Three sets, Two close, No return? 

We stopped at Bill Baggs to look for a couple of birds that had been spotted there.  We didn’t have much luck with the rare birds, although I enjoyed seeing the light house and this awesome lizard.

This Cuban Knight Anole was over a foot long, much larger than the anoles we see in Central Florida

We spent a day driving through the Everglades, stopping at each area along the main park road and side roads.  It was very overcast, and I found it tough to compose landscapes.  I’m sure there are some great spots that people more familiar with the area know about.  I guess I need to go back and find them.

Brewing storm, Everglades National Park  - A pine tree and grass reflect on the inches deep Everglades “river of grass”

We made it all the way to the end of the road in Flamingo.  I was very excited to see a couple of American Crocodiles in the marina there.  Only about 2000 of these remain in the wild.  They look different and somehow even more menacing than the alligators we’re used to seeing in Central Florida.

American Crocodile

We had tentative plans to find some night-time / star trail photography dark sites in the Everglades, but with the long days and cloudy weather, we never got to it (another reason to go back).  While in the Everglades we saw Purple Martins (rooming with House Sparrows), Shinny cowbirds, Brown Cowbirds, Spotted Sandpipers, Red Headed Woodpeckers, Swallow Tail Kites, Red Shouldered Hawks, an Anhinga rookery, Black Vultures (that were eating rubber off of cars!), the American crocodiles, and of course Alligators, Turtles and many other common birds.

The place we were staying in Key Largo had a private beach and boat ramp, and we spent one sunset there.  It was pretty – the rocks in the foreground look like a Japanese garden.  So much so that I wonder if someone arranged them.

Gulf view from Key Largo at sunset

On our way home, we stopped at Brian Piccolo Park to see the Burrowing Owls.  They were easy to find in their marked nests and fun to watch.  We also saw a few Monk Parakeets there.

Brian Piccolo Park:  Burrowing Owl guarding nest

Other wildlife seen on the trip included Loggerhead Shrikes, Ground Doves, Eurasian Collard Doves, White Headed Pigeons, a Great White Heron, Cardinals, a Northern Curly Tailed Lizard, and Iguanas.

It was a fun but exhausting trip!  For more photos, please look at this set on Flickr.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. Now – take a long weekend and go make some photos!

©2013, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved.

One of the Photography Interest Group members (Kevin M.) wanted to visit the Dry Tortugas during bird migration.  I’d always wanted to see it too and I’d never been to the Everglades so I suggested we combine a trip.  He organized an extended expedition and we set off last Saturday with Kevin K. in a packed Prius headed for Key Largo – our base of operations.  Since there’s so much to cover, I’ll tell you about the Dry Tortugas in this post, and fill you in next time on the Everglades and a few other places we went.
The Dry Tortugas are a remote group of seven small islands / keys (named Garden, Loggerhead, Bush, Long, East, Hospital, and Middle) located about 70 miles west of Key West.  These islands and the surrounding waters make up the 100 square mile Dry Tortugas National Park.  It’s known for its isolation, clear waters, unique and migratory bird populations, shipwrecks, and Fort Jefferson.

Fort Jefferson Parade Grounds - Dry Tortugas National Park, Garden Key – I’m not sure which bird is in the center top. It looks like either the Perigrine Falcon or Cooper’s Hawk we saw earlier in the day. This is a 7 image, stitched pano (~50 megapixels). I uploaded a larger than normal version. If you want to see more detail, click on this image and then on Flickr select actions/view all sizes.

Fort Jefferson construction took place from 1846 to 1875.  It’s the largest masonry structure in the western hemisphere but was never completed.  Like many other forts, it became obsolete when rifled cannons were put into use.  Photo ops lurk throughout  - so be alert and explore!

Inside the Fort Jefferson walls – I’m happy that two people strolled into my composition. They couldn’t have positioned themselves any better. The fort housed prisoners in the Civil War era and these two and their appearance in this IR, B&W photo add to the ghostly feel of the fort.

There’s a lot of interesting background and history about this place.  Dr. Samuel Mudd (convicted of conspiracy in the Lincoln assassination and later pardoned) was imprisoned here.  There’s also an interesting novel I enjoyed reading in Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon series that takes place here (Flashback).  It covers a lot of historical background too.

Info for Photographers

The easiest way to get to the park is via the Yankee Freedom that departs Key West daily.  They provide everything you’ll need for a day trip.  If you’re more adventurous, you can charter a sea plane or an extended cruise on a smaller boat, or even take your own boat.  If you don’t take the Yankee Freedom, just make sure you do your research and go prepared.  The park is primitive and there are no supplies / food / water for visitors – so bring everything you might need.  As of April 2013, the Yankee Freedom is only 6 months old and in great shape.   A buffet breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and water / soft drinks / hot coffee all day are included in the fare.  And you can return to the boat during the day to use the rest rooms or cool off in the air-conditioning.  All three of us thought the ship and crew were excellent.

Brown Noddy in flight

The day we went, about  30 – 40% of the passengers were birders – some of them very experienced.  Several bird species are found in the Dry Tortugas and nowhere else in North America.  It’s also on the main  fly way for birds migrating between Central America / Cuba and the rest of North America.  In late April / early May, it’s a vital resting place for the birds.  John James Audubon visited in May of 1832 and spent several days cataloging species.  I’m certain we didn’t see as many as he did, but we did pretty well.  Kevin M. and I each got several life birds.  Here’s our list from the few hours we were there:

Masked Booby (nesting), Brown Booby, Brown Noddy, Bridled Tern, Sooty Tern, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, Least Tern, Audubon Shearwater, Magnificent Frigate Bird, Northern Gannet,

Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Blue Wing Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Northern Parula,

American Redstart,  Scarlet Tanager, Summer Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, Hermit Thrush, Ovenbird, Chuck-Will’s Widow, Indigo Bunting,  Ruby Crowned Kinglet,  Black Whiskered Vireo,

Grey Catbird, Peregrine Falcon, Coopers Hawk, Ruby Throated Hummingbird, Cave Swallow, White Winged Pigeon, Ruddy Turnstones, Laughing Gull, Osprey, Brown Pelican, Cattle Egret, and Snowy Egret.

Whew!

Singing Scarlet Tanager – Fort Jefferson parade grounds

Here’s a couple of links to info maintained by one of the Yankee Freedom crew (Chelsea):  Dry Tortugas Birding Blog and Dry Tortugas Birding info.  Check them before you go for current information.

Photo hints:

You’ll be doing a lot of walking and climbing and there aren’t any lockers where you can leave excess gear (although the crew says they’ve never had a problem with lost / stolen equipment).  Pack only what you can carry around all day.

Tripod/Monopod:

Allowed and a good idea if you need it for your birding lens.  Otherwise, just to lighten your load I wouldn’t recommend it.  I was able to hand hold / brace my cameras and didn’t miss my tripod.  You’ll want to plan differently if you’ll be there for sunrise, sunset or at night.

Lenses:

Unfortunately, if you’re going for both scenic landscapes and birds (and why wouldn’t you?), you’ll need a variety of lenses.  Long / bright for the birds and wide for the landscapes.  There are also photo ops from the boat that will be quite challenging unless your camera body or lens has stabilization.  You’ll pass about 100 yards from a colony of Masked Boobies on Hospital Key as you enter the park.  Be ready for a unique and challenging chance to capture these birds on the nest with chicks.  And if you miss the Brown Boobies while you’re at the fort, be sure to watch for them as you leave.  They often hang out on Marker 3.

Best time to visit:

Late April / early May is the best time of year for birds, although it’s already getting hot by then.  If you’re even a bit of a birder, it’s worth putting up with the heat.

Other:

Our trip over was on a fairly calm day.  Even so, there was quite a bit of pitching and tossing.  If you’re at all susceptible to seasickness, you should take something in advance.  Also, be ready for weather at the park.  A poncho and camera cover for rain, and sun block or long sleeves and a hat for the tropical sunshine.  You won’t have problems with insects since there’s no standing fresh water on the islands.

Northern Gannet – Floating near the dock in the Dry Tortugas

Summary

Wow – what a fantastic trip!  We had a wonderful time in this remote and fascinating place and it’s now a new favorite of mine.  It takes some time and effort to get to, but there is so much to see and photograph – don’t miss it!
 

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. Now – go make some photos!

©2013, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved.

head-wa-ters (noun): the upper tributaries of a river.

Clouds and Cypress Reflect from Shingle Creek – It’s hard to believe this urban creek just south of Orlando is the northernmost headwaters of the Everglades

If you look out the window as you fly over Florida, you’ll see much of the land is undeveloped.  As you near Orlando though, you’ll see a great deal of housing, roads, city buildings, and theme parks.  Central Florida can be a very urban place – it’s encouraging that even in the midst of all the development, there are a great many areas where you can experience nature, wildlife, and beautiful landscapes.  Many places I visit are fairly well-known.  But I had never heard of Shingle Creek before reading Wild Florida Waters, by Doug Alderson – a book about exploring Florida via kayak and canoe.

Driving through Kissimmee, Florida in the middle of airports, fast food, shopping malls, housing developments, and theme parks, you might not even notice  this waterway - but you really should look for it.  The first pioneer settlement in the Central Florida area was along this creek.  Settlers cut down old growth cypress to use for shingles, hence the name.  Shingle Creek is also generally considered to be the northernmost headwaters of the Everglades.  The creek begins in a swamp very close to I-Drive where thousands of tourists visit the convention center and theme parks and go shopping every day.  It flows into Lake Toho in Kissimmee, then into the Kissimmee River system and on through south Florida to the Everglades.

I see different numbers for the size of Shingle Creek Regional Park.  One source says that it’s about 456 acres, another says that over 1000 acres have been purchased.  Either way, it’s large and the landscapes are beautiful.  There are trails to hike and bike and if you have a canoe or kayak you can venture into some very thick cypress swamps south of the Steffee Landing park entrance.  You can see alligators, otters, water moccasins, ospreys, hawks, woodpeckers, limpkins, herons, egrets, and even bald eagles.  It’s truly a wonderful oasis in the middle of urban Central Florida.  I’m grateful we’re preserving it and I’m going back soon to explore more of it.

Apple snail eggs – These snails deposit their eggs just above the water line. Seeing them is a good sign of healthy water. The snails feed on an algae that grows on eel grass which helps filter and clean the water. Eel grass doesn’t grow well in cloudy polluted waters, so you won’t find Apple snails there. You won’t find Limpkins or Snail Kites there either because Apple Snails are a main part of their diet.

More reflections –  Shingle Creek south of Steffee Landing

You can enter the park from two locations.  Use these addresses to search for it in Google Maps (just searching for “Shingle Creek Park” didn’t work too well for me):  4266 W. Vine Street, Kissimmee, FL 34741 -or- 2491 Babb Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.  Now, step away from the pavement and go make some photos

©2013, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved.