Gulf of Mexico

Live, Love, Laugh, Sing, Dance, Be, Do

By |May 18th, 2023|Categories: Anclote Key, Florida, Pasco County, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw this quote that aligns with my philosophy of Live, Love, Laugh, Sing, Dance, Be, Do and thought I would share a post about the reason I like the quote.

When Life Gives You A Twisted Neck Just Go With The Flow

By |March 8th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Egrets, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I took photos of this Great Egret with a twisted neck and buggy eyes at Fort De Soto I didn't think I'd still be laughing at them fourteen years later.

Winter California And American Herring Gull Comparison In Utah

By |November 8th, 2022|Categories: American Herring Gulls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, California Gulls, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since I frequently get asked which is which I thought this would be a good time to do a winter California and American Herring Gull comparison and ID feature post.

Resting Ruddy Turnstone

By |May 17th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Ruddy Turnstones|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Twelve years ago today I was on the beach at Fort De Soto County Park focused on photographing a male Ruddy Turnstone resting on the warm sand with the Gulf behind him.

Brown Pelicans And Memories

By |January 6th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Brown Pelicans, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Eleven years ago this morning I had an amazing time photographing flocks of Brown Pelicans plunge feeding in the Gulf of Mexico.

If You Used this Search Term: How Much To Feed A Juvenile Brown Pelican

By |November 14th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Brown Pelicans, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Please, please, find an authorized and licensed bird or wildlife rehabilitator in your area immediately.

How An American Oystercatcher Ruined A New Pair Of Pants

By |November 6th, 2020|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today's post is about an American Oystercatcher image taken in 2009 at Egmont Key in Pinellas County, Florida and the story behind it.

Great Egret In Front Of Stormy Skies

By |July 8th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Egrets, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the birds I found that summer morning was a Great Egret perched on a stump that the waves of the Gulf had deposited on the shore of the beach.

Photographing A Foraging American Oystercatcher In The First Light Of Dawn

By |May 16th, 2020|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The soft light of dawn has a special quality to it and I believe that it is evident in both of these American Oystercatcher photos.

Fun Photographing Reddish Egrets In Florida

By |January 25th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Reddish Egrets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had so much fun photographing Reddish Egrets when I lived in Florida and could see them nearly every time I went to Fort De Soto County Park's north beach.

Photographing The Earth’s Shadow With A Great Blue Heron

By |October 27th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Because I arrived at twilight that morning and had a clear sky I knew that I could take photos of the Great Blue Heron with the blue colored Earth's Shadow and pink Belt of Venus behind it.

Spread-eagle Red-winged Blackbird at Fort De Soto County Park

By |February 23rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Red-winged Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

In Florida I most often photographed Red-winged Blackbirds at north beach of Fort De Soto County Park where I could reliably find them in the sand dunes, sea oats, spartina and mangroves all year long.

Black-bellied Plover Bathing In A Tidal Lagoon On The Gulf Coast

By |February 15th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Black-bellied Plovers, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

After taking the quick bath in the tidal lagoon the Black-bellied Plover flew off towards the shoreline of the lagoon to shake and fluff its feathers until they were dry.

Foraging Semipalmated Plover in Florida

By |January 28th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Semipalmated Plovers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Among my favorite plovers to photograph when I lived in Florida were Semipalmated Plovers, I only saw them during their nonbreeding season where they spent time along the Gulf coast.

Short-billed Dowitcher Foraging in Sargassum on the Wrack Line

By |January 23rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Short-billed Dowitchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Short-billed Dowitcher slowly made its way through the Sargassum on the wrack line as I laid in the damp sand photographing it and the other shorebirds that were searching the seaweed for food.

Sleeping Juvenile Sanderling On The Beach At Fort De Soto

By |August 12th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Sanderlings|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I look at this photo of the juvenile Sanderling I see a bird that was so relaxed that it fell asleep while I photographed it because it was comfortable with my presence and I felt honored that it was.

Gray & Windy Day Great Blue Heron Portrait

By |July 30th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Great Blue Heron wandered past me one December morning at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach on a gray, windy day and because it was close I simply had to take a photo of the large wading bird.

Breeding and Nonbreeding Forster’s Terns

By |April 26th, 2017|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Florida, Forster's Terns, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The differences in breeding and nonbreeding plumage of Forster's Terns is enough that some bird watching and bird photography novices might even think that they are two different species of terns.

Strolling Yellow-crowned Night Heron – Thinking Back on Brighter, Warmer Days

By |January 10th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Yellow-crowned Night Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , |

This morning my mind drifted back to June of 2009, to a bright, warm day on the Gulf coast of Florida and a strolling Yellow-crowned Night Heron that I photographed as waves churned up behind it.

Sunrise ~ Sunset

By |December 11th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Montana, Pinellas County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , |

I feel worried for the future and I am filled with angst right now and I know I am not alone. However; I do know that even when times are difficult life is good. The sun rises after every sunset.

It is Tricolored Heron Not Tri-colored Heron

By |November 27th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I must admit I get a little bonkers though when I see images of birds where the name posted for the species in the photo is incorrect, for instance, it is Tricolored Heron not Tri-colored Heron.

Juvenile Brown Pelican Portrait on the Shore of the Gulf

By |September 24th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Brown Pelicans, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was wonderful to be close to the juvenile Brown Pelican and to be able to take portraits of it plus I also enjoyed being able to see all the fine details of its plumage, the texture of its bill and look into its dark eyes.

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