Early Friday at MINWR

I don’t have much to say this morning, so the photos will have to do most of the talking.  I started  yesterday along the Indian River at Space View Park.

Watching the morning sunWatching the morning sun.  This is a two frame, blended exposure.  I made the bottom half  exposed for the water with a Neutral Density filter to slow my shutter speed to 20 seconds at ISO 100 and f/11.  I made the top part with the filter off, exposed for the sunrise at ISO 100, f/11, 1/100 second.  I was very happy to see the Osprey fly through the frame with a fish as I clicked the shutter.  I blended them together in Photoshop with a layer mask.

I planned to drive around on Gator Creek Road next, but it was closed – so I headed to Black Point Wildlife Drive.

Juvenile Little Blue Heron
Juvenile Little Blue Heron.  There were several around, so they must be nesting nearby.  I’ve seen Green Herons breeding there, but not Little Blue Herons.

A Mottled Duck
A Mottled Duck.  I don’t spot these too often.  When I looked it up, I learned (or maybe re-learned) some things.  Mottled Ducks are related to both Black Ducks and Mallards, and are the only duck adapted to breeding in southern marshes.  The Florida population is a subspecies and the male has lost its distinctive plumage so that the both sexes are colored alike.

You can click on these photos to see larger versions, and I have many more MINWR images in this album on Flickr.

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

©2016, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved.

6 thoughts on “Early Friday at MINWR

  1. The pictures were wonderfully eloquent. Your asides were interesting, too. Altogether a treat over breakfast on a rather grey England morning.

  2. Hi Ed,

    What is prettier than a sunrise, and you made it even prettier. I consulted Wikipedia and it is also the Florida Duck. Some in canal behind my home, the neighbor feeds them so they are now a resident

    Portia

    1. Thanks, Portia – it was a pretty sunrise. I thought the info on this duck was interesting. It’s amazing what you can research now.

      Ed

  3. It is always a treat to visit Black Point area…Your sunrise is a delight and your technique for capturing is well worth the extra effort. It is beautiful!

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