Bottled it...

Got back to BS HQ just after 15:00 and dusk was setting in!!!!!

Time is not on my side this first half of the week, so it'll be an early attempt on Tuesday for the 'legs.

The last week has been spent on a non-birding trip to Miami... it was thirsty work on South Beach (and a bit warmer than the Blyth equivalent).

Grin

I've been reviewing some images from across the pond this afternoon and stumbled upon these pictures - an obliging peregrine on Naples beach, Florida. Taken in either December 2006 or January 2007, I was alerted to this bird by a passer by - had I "seen the 'hawk' on the beach?"

I get a lot of useful tips from passers by when photographing birds, most are not very complimentary! I must admit that I hadn't taken much notice of the info until I proceeded my walk along the beach - and not 100m to the south of where I'd been photographing some white ibis was this stunner... feeding on what looks like an expired willet.

As can be seen, the peregrine was very wary... good job Mrs Birdingsometimes had her camera to get the record shot above... while I tried for a few myself with the 100-400mm.

An image of this bird featured in "Birding World" magazine (March 2007, Issue 243, 89) and provides detail of the taxonomic status of peregrine. This female bird is of the Greenland tundrius race which winters in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and northernmost South America.

It certainly was a privilage to get such good views of this raptor, not a sight I'd expect to repeat in the UK (especially if it's taken a willet out!).

American Royal Tern

Following on from last months Florida selection, it was pleasing to recieve Birding World magazine today and find that one of my (american) royal tern images had been used for an article on the species after it's (well, "african", form) occurance in Ireland and Wales during June 2009. Taken in January 2007, this tern species was very approachable on the Gulf coast beaches, often associating with groups of black skimmer, forsters tern, ring-billed gull and laughing gull.

Florida Selection

Great Blue Heron

Reddish Egret

Wilsons Plover

Bald Eagle

Northern Cardinal

The trip to Florida in anuary 2006 was so good that I had to go back!

This selection of photographs is from January 2007, all taken with a Canon 10D and Canon 500mm lens. The 10D was a very good camera indeed, although the fact that the birds out in Florida are so obliging did help! The immature great blue heron was on the beach outside our hotel in Naples and was very bold - I have a picture somewhere with it standing next to me - almost my height!

The reddish egret was also at Naples, I love the way that this species "dances" with it's wings spread while hunting - I assume the open wings create shadows on the water so that the fish are attracted.

Wilsons plover is a great species - a colossal bill! This bird was photographed at Tigertail beach. The shore also held piping plover, tri-coloured heron and western sandpiper.

The mighty bald eagle was at the aptly named eagle lakes south of Naples, and was one of several in the area - along with many anhingha, osprey, blue-winged teal, mottled duck etc.

The northern cardinal was photographed at the feeding station at Corkscrew Swamp, where painted bunting, northern waterthrush, american goldfinch and red-winged blackbird were also easily photographed.

Feeling a little blue...

I'm really struggling to get out ... so here's a stop gap picture. This little blue heron was photographed in January 2006 at Corkscrew Swamp, Florida - a wonderful reserve near Naples.

The reserve features a variety of habitat, with pine upland, wetland prairie, cypress forest and marsh - all viewable from a well maintained boardwalk, some 2.25 miles in circumference. Easy for photography, with many species comfortable with the observers presence. Bird species include wood stork, anhinga, painted bunting, red-shouldered hawk and a variety of warblers. In addition, alligator are also very likely to be observed!