Phil Lanoue Photography
I previously worked as a news and sports photographer. Recently I have been enjoying wildlife photography. My approach toward bird photos is similar to sports photography. I attempt to capture mostly action and hopefully a unique perspective.
Snagged One!
Yesterday evening I was watching this green heron fishing in the salt marsh during low tide. Green herons are small, stocky birds that slowly stalk the edges of ponds and marshes searching for minnows and shrimp. They will elongate their necks when striking out for a fish, then compact themselves again to eat their catch. This little heron was doing a fine job last night as I saw it catch quite a few fish!
I Knew This Guy Was Up To Something…
Yesterday evening I observed this alligator behaving in a suspicious manner in the marsh pond. At first he just came floating in, but then started doing this odd zig- zag pattern while staring at the side of the pond near where I was standing. I suspected he was scoping out the situation and sure enough he was…
Within a very short amount of time he very slowly and stealthily climbed up the bank of the pond and stuck his nose out from the brush to take a peek around. Then he decided to take a little stroll over to the other side where he climbed down along the rocks. Occasionally they get this sneaky sort of look and you know they are up to something!
Last Gasp
Last week I was watching this great blue heron doing some late evening fishing in the marsh pond. At one point he struck at the water and came up with a fish who’s last gasp of life we see here prior to heading down the heron’s throat. Kind of sad for the poor fish but so it goes in nature, the birds need to eat in order to survive and propagate their species.
They’re Back!
Well…technically I don’t believe it is our previous pink visitors who have returned, I suspect these two juvenile spoonbills that appeared in the salt marsh yesterday afternoon were new arrivals and not part of the group of five we had last week.
These two appeared to be somewhat older then the other two youngsters from last week. Comparing photos of each it seems that this pair from yesterday are developing some facial and head colorations that last week’s younger ones did not have. Although these two still have yet to develop the adult red colored eye, their age in general appears a bit more advanced then the juvies from last week.
The last time I saw any of our first spoonies was the one I photographed in the heavy rain Tuesday. We still hope those original spoonbills return at some point but in the meantime we were quite pleased to see this pair out feeding in the salt marsh along with their wood stork and ibis buddies yesterday!
Anhinga Fly And Fish
Recently I grabbed these shots of an anhinga as it flew past the tree line and then swooped down looking for a spot to land along the edge of the marsh pond. Once settled in and satisfied with his base of operations, the anhinga hopped into the water and did what he does best…spearing a fish dinner!
Dropping In Unexpectedly…Part II
Here is the follow up to the post from earlier this week showing what happened after a juvenile spoonbill dropped into the salt marsh right next to an adult that was already in there feeding…
At first I thought the adult was happy to see the young spoonie, but it quickly became apparent that the older bird was in no mood to share his hot fishing spot with the upstart youngster. The juvie was chased on several occasions just to make the message clear, but eventually they both settled down and seemed to mostly get along.
Notice how much more pale pink in color the juvenile is compared to the adult who also has the adult red eye while the youngster’s eyes are still dark. Also you can see how the color and vibrancy of the birds change as the late evening sun goes in and out.
“There Has To Be A Fish In There Somewhere…”
Lately the marsh pond has become inundated with widgeon grass, which is a submerged plant that is able to grow and thrive in brackish water. This aquatic plant provides a habitat in which many small invertebrates can grow, which in turn provide food for birds and alligators, that’s the good part. However, the grass can also cause fits for some of the wading birds who invariably come up with a beak full of grass along with their fish. This morning we saw a tricolored heron in exactly that predicament. The bird got his fish but needed to hold on to the fish as it separated out the grass and dropped it back into the water while keeping control of the small wriggling fish.
Morning Activity
So…the rain of the past few days has blown by and it’s once again a beautiful day here so I thought I would head out this morning to see if I could track down our visiting spoonbills. Well, I hope the inclement weather has not upset them because I saw no spoonies. Zero. Their wood stork pals who they often hang around with were everywhere but no sign of the pink goofballs.
So making do with what I did see, here is an anhinga fishing and big bubba giving me a bit of an attitude from the side of the marsh. I plan to check back later this evening and hope I can spot some spoonies…
Phil Lanoue Photography 