Artwork--A Whole Bunch of Stuff for Florida

I was really hoping to get one more Alaska post in before I had to leave for Florida, but it's not gonna happen. I've been busting my tail for two weeks getting ready for two shows there: Mount Dora February 7th and 8th, and Sanibel Island February 14th and 15th. I've never done two shows back to back without coming home in between, so there has been a lot to do before I leave, which is already a day later than I wanted to.

I have a whole bunch of new artwork that needed scanning, matting, and framing. Then I made prints of all the new stuff (I do all my reproductions in-house) and it all needed matting. Also, I haven't done a show in four months, so I needed to restock older inventory--more matting and framing. Then there's prepping the camper, loading the van, packing clothes, paying bills, shoveling snow.... You get the idea. There's just been no time for blogging!

I decided to post the new work since it's quick to do. All of this new work can be seen--and ordered!--on my website following the link to the right of this post. These pieces were all done to target the Florida audience, although some of the birds are found in other places. They were all photographed in Florida, with the exception of the mockingbird, which was photographed in Piedmont Park in Atlanta last fall. However, it is Florida's state bird, so I figured it was a good one to have.

I'll get back to the Alaska posts by March.

"High Stepper" (American Bittern) 12x15.5, framed to 16x20, $990.00
Reproductions available

"The Bluest Eye" (Brown Pelican) 7x12, framed to 11x16, $575.00
Reproductions available

"Pokin' Around" (Northern Mockingbird) 12x8, framed to 16x12, $600.00
Reproductions available

"Scrubby" (Florida Scrub Jay) 8x10, framed to 11x14, $495
Reproductions available

"Thornless" (Roseate Spoonbill) 14x20, framed to 18x24, $1,400.00
Reproductions available

Spoonbills and Ibis

 Florida 2013 continued

Once the clapper rail had moved off into the mangroves we got back in the van and drove a bit farther along the Black Point Drive. We didn't get far before I saw a group of wading birds very near the road. Among them were a couple of glossy ibis, a bird I had some very poor photos of from a previous Florida trip. They were moving fairly quickly so I didn't get very many images, but they are WAY better than what I had.

Glossy ibis pair feeding near shore. Pretty bird with iridescent feathers--I see purple, red and green.

This one caught a fish. You can see the reflection of roseate spoonbills to the right.

There was a group of roseate spoonbills preening in the shallows. I took what may well be the best spoonbill images I ever will when we were in Florida last year, so I didn't spend a whole lot of time with them. That's the downside of only having one day in the park--you've got to keep moving to make sure you get all the way through. It was fun though watching the group doing their morning calisthenics.

The always odd yet gorgeous roseate spoonbill.

Suddenly there was a crowd!

Spoonbills with white and glossy ibis.

Then Bob pointed out a group of greater yellowlegs a bit farther along the road. I had just gotten the camera on them when they took off. Dang!

Shortly after this we arrived at the half-way point of the drive, and the bathrooms. We stopped to use the facilities, and parted ways with Bob and Joyce of Crow Tours. We traded business cards and they gave us some good tips for other places to bird in central Florida. Who knows, maybe we'll hook up with them down the road.

At this point the road turns towards the east and into a slightly more elevated area, which changes the habitat dramatically. There's less water and more trees and grassland. This is where we usually see large numbers of coots, and farther along in the deeper ditches one is nearly guaranteed to find alligators. This day was no exception, but I'm not a big gator fan, so I stopped for my mom to take a look then drove on. I wanted to get to the Visitor Center to look for songbirds and have some lunch--I was hungry!!

Next: Buntings, sapsuckers and a surprise appearance at the Visitor Center.

Spoonbill Surprise

(Florida 2012 Continued--Remember--click on any image to see a slide show of larger images)

While we stood around watching the American Avocets, Lori pointed out a pink shape in the sky, flying right towards the pond from the east.  I looked up to see a lone Roseate Spoonbill gliding in over the trees. 

The bird had barely touched the water when it began feeding, swinging its great bill back and forth through the shallow water before it had even tucked in its wings.

We watched, fascinated.  None of us had ever been so close to a spoonbill before.

To our delight, it began moving directly towards us, skirting a small group of Blue-winged Teals.

The spoonbill waded closer and closer until it was no more than 20 feet away.  By this point it had drawn quite a crowd of birdwatchers, the avocets having lost their shine with this colorful bird putting on such a show.

 I eventually had to turn the camera vertically to get the whole bird in the frame.

The two sexes are nearly identical, so I have no way to know if this was a male or female. Info on Wikipedia says that they have a pink patch on the upper breast when breeding, so I guess this one is mated or looking for one.  They nest in trees, which I think is a remarkable feat for all of the long-legged birds who do the same.

We watched this amazing creature for I don't know how long before it finally moved off down the shore, and we moved along too, still having much of the drive to cover.  This is certainly one encounter we won't soon forget.

Cruickshank Trail

Florida 2010 posts continued...

After much starting and stopping I finally made it to the trail head. Cruickshank Trail is a loop that follows several dikes that snake their way through the refuge. This was an ambitious undertaking for me, a five mile hike after a fairly sedentary winter. At least it was pancake flat.

For wildlife watchers the opportunity to get out of the car and away from the traffic is golden. You have the chance to pick a spot and sit, and will often be rewarded with a visit from one critter or another. Unfortunately, since I was getting a fairly late start, I did not have that luxury, and had to pretty much hoof it all the way around.



Aside from this old pier and the trail itself, there was almost no sign of man--or men or women, for that matter. The trail was deserted. I read that upwards of 90% of visitors to National parks rarely leave their cars. While I think that's sad and pitiful, it suits me just fine. I like the solitude I can find in the parks.



This Yellow lesser-legs likes that statistic too.


Not too long into the hike I came across this Tri-colored heron. As soon as I saw it I stopped dead in my tracks, and brought the camera slowly up to my eye. I tried to send out good energy, but the bird wasn't buying my benign vibes.



It fidgeted uncomfortably atop its shrubby perch, eying me warily.


He pondered for a moment or two...


...then decided to leave. I sometimes find in these places that the birds are more accustomed to cars than to people on foot, and are spookier around hikers. I had to go slowly and stop the instant I saw something or I would scare it away. Of course, for the most part they saw me first and I only saw them as they were flying away. Sigh....


This White pelican didn't take to the air, but it did swim away, watching me over its shoulder.


What a treat it was when this spoonbill flew past, low and into the sun. I am struck by their shape when they fly, and their black feet make me think of a dancer in black shoes, toes pointed as he leaps through the air. What an odd, beautiful bird.

Concentration

Florida 2010 posts continued....

After my short walk at the nature center (where I missed a painted bunting at their feeder by less than five minutes) I decided to head back out to Black Point Drive and hike the Cruickshank Trail, a five mile loop into the lagoons of the wildlife refuge. By now the light had improved along the drive as the sun moved south, allowing me to get some better photos.

I had mentioned in an earlier post my astonishment at the sheer number of waterfowl at the refuge. I think this image shows that the best.


By now it was early afternoon, and many of the birds seemed to be settling in for a siesta, making viewing much easier. The duck in the background is a Northern pintail, while the pair in front are American wigeons. The group on the hummock contains a mix of both.


While the birds seemed more settled, small squabbles still broke out, like between these skirmishing wigeons. Don't fight kids, you're both pretty!


The Roseate spoonbills were moving about, and I was thrilled to catch this group flying past.


As I neared the trail head I came across this Great blue heron fixated on some tasty morsel in the rocks along road. It stood utterly motionless.


I inched the car forward to get a better shot, and the bird never flinched.


You can see a bit of fluff stuck on the end of its beak, probably from grooming. This bird stood still for so long I got bored and left!