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.
Well we still have one lone spoonbill hanging around the marsh area. Great to have one in November. The record was in 2009 when we had two or three still around until the end of Nov., don’t know how long this guy will stay but we are hoping he goes for a new all time record!
Obviously plenty to eat, I watched him snap up several small fish and shrimp so he has a reason to stay.
On a recent evening I was watching this little snowy egret catching dinner for himself in the salt marsh.
Normally I see snowys catch tiny fish such as minnows, but our friend Snowball here apparently had a big appetite because he snagged a good size seafood dinner this time!
Earlier this week one lone wood stork came gliding in from far back in the salt marsh which was lit by warm setting sunlight.
He took one quick look but didn’t land, guess he was done for the day.
A cormorant makes a hasty departure from the salt marsh earlier this week.
I was watching this guy fish for a little while. They are super fast swimmers under water and can be tough to track. They go under in one spot and surface seconds later 60 feet away. Plus they are fast eaters, unlike the anhingas who need to flip a caught fish off their bills. Cormorants grab and eat very quickly.
Late this afternoon I was watching a great blue heron relaxing along the edge of the salt marsh. I never saw him go in to fish, he just seemed to be soaking up the sunshine alligator style.
Suddenly he got this odd look on his face, twisted around, stretched out and squawked loudly. Then he got himself all fluffed up and that was it. Demonstration over. Mr. A was floating around in the water nearby but he was there all day and the heron never seemed to care.
So I’m not at all sure what brought all this on.
Although their season is beginning to wind down, our good buddy Mr. A was out in the salt marsh late this afternoon enjoying some warm setting sunlight.
Great Blue Herons seem to get particular enjoyment from chasing each other around.
This pair that flew across the reeds in the salt marsh this afternoon appeared to be having a great time.
The one in the back was the instigator and started the whole thing.
One day last week we were watching three spoonbills feeding in the salt marsh during low tide.
At one point I happened to glance behind me and saw number four come gliding in from the direction of the swamp.
Our new arrival dropped right in and started feeding immediately while his three friends never broke stride and acted liked the whole thing never happened.
In the second and third photo you can see the antler from a deer skeleton that still remains out in the marsh from last summer.