on closer examination – A Snowbird's Life Through the Lens

'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, Heros, history, learning, live and learn, moments, on closer examination, perseverance, photography

The Brooksville Raid…

January 20, 2020January 19, 2020 naturecoastimagesblog

The Brooksville Raid was not a civil war battle but a skirmish, which had no clear winner. Perhaps that’s why the reenactment weekends are structured by coin toss as to which side wins. And the other side wins the next day. A very civilized way to do things I suppose. The gates open at 9 AM and the battle doesn’t happen until 2:30, so there is a lot of time to wander in the encampments where the reenactors spend the weekend, not just reenacting the battle but reliving life in the camps also. They wander through the crowds in their costumes, the troops practice their drills, and it does help you to imagine what life would have been like for those poor soldiers. Maybe not so poor on a gorgeous, sunny Florida day, but that wasn’t always the case now was it?

Sarsaparilla, I hadn’t had it before. Choose your bottle and fill it for $5, and refills are $2!

'scene' along the way, a second look, birds, eagles, Florida wildlife, moon, nature, on closer examination, perseverance, photography, reality check

You can’t win them all…

January 17, 2020January 17, 2020 naturecoastimagesblog

My assumption that heading to the eagle nest for pictures would be a sure thing was definitely optimistic. Why wouldn’t I think that after Monday’s great day of shooting? So I went yesterday, determined to get better acquainted with the lens and tripod I hadn’t used for probably a year, not since the last time I had gone out for photos of owls. As usual there were photographers there when I got there, and I learned that the babies had been fed earlier. Dad was on the nest with the babies, they said, and we saw Mom fly in and land in some pine trees out of reach of our lenses. And that’s how things stood for the couple of hours I was there. My attention wandered to the faint moon still showing in the sky, and eventually I wandered to the fishing pier where I found the tide lower than I had ever seen it. It was amazing to think that I’ve stood on that pier and watched dolphins swimming right below me, but not this time.

When I got home I looked through the pictures I’d gotten, few that they were, and I looked again at what I’d taken on Monday and found a few more that I liked. And that was that. But it was a nice day to be outside enjoying the weather and chatting with the other people keeping vigil. It seemed we all left at about the same time, I wonder what excitement may have happened later. What did we miss? Maybe that’s what keeps us going back…

a second look, birds, cats, making memories, nature, on closer examination, perseverance, photography

Also at the zoo…

January 14, 2020January 13, 2020 naturecoastimagesblog

After I tore myself away from the orangutans I went in search of the Sumatran tigers, and the clouded leopard (above). At the Lowrey Park Zoo of course.

And the koalas were also high on my list. I know these are not great pictures, but their enclosure was dimly lit and had reflections on the plexiglass so I’m surprised to have images at all. The koalas escaped my view on every trip I made to the San Diego Zoo years ago. Imagine standing under their tree with lots of people exclaiming over how cute they were, and despite having them pointed out by lots of helpful people I never once managed to see them. And I tried for four years.

I spotted the Lorikeet enclosure and remembered that I enjoyed it last time and headed in. This time one of the keepers gave this family a little cup of water to hold and the birds descended on them en masse. It was fun to watch.

Even though I knew what to expect from the Macaw flyover I still failed to get a photo of them in flight.

I was ready to leave when I got a heads up from another photographer that the Florida leopard kittens were going to be displayed in their enclosure soon. I pictured tiny kittens and of course I headed for their area. But no, these brothers were born last June, but it was still fun to see them. And yes, there were other monkeys at the zoo. But in looking over my pictures I also discovered more orangutan photos I missed yesterday. Is it any wonder? I probably had 100 of them or so to choose from.

I love the zoo. And this one offers you a deal. Buy a one day pass and get admitted for free for the rest of the year. That was what I planned to do but another photographer I chatted with is a member of the zoo, and a member can bring a guest in with them, so when he offered to have me be his guest I graciously accepted. Thanks for that Frank, it was very nice of you.

a second look, nature, Nature's beautiful creatures, on closer examination, perseverance, photography, second chances, simple things, technology

An orangutan kind of day…

January 13, 2020January 12, 2020 naturecoastimagesblog

I knew it all along, as soon as I saw the FCCP photo walk to the Lowry Park Zoo I knew that I would go, and that my day would be all about the orangutans. I hoped there would there be babies, and that wish was granted. I fell for them when I lived in San Diego and saw them at the San Diego Zoo many times. And even Frankie fell for them this time, so much so that we brought one home.

backyard visitors, birds, Florida wildlife, go with the flow, home, home improvements, life goes on, nature, neighbors, nesting, on closer examination, perseverance, photography

Be it ever so humble…

January 9, 2020January 8, 2020 naturecoastimagesblog

This birdhouse of my uncle’s has seen better days, but it has hosted families of bluebirds for at least a few years now. And two years ago I came over to his house and stationed myself out front with my tripod and camera and captured the action as they were feeding their young. But last year the blue birds were chased off, evicted sort of, by another, larger bird, and they didn’t raise a brood in this house, so my uncle moved the house across the street to what is now my house.

Lately there has been a lot of activity at the birdhouse, and the other day I finally tried to see what bird was paying attention to the house, hoping for bluebirds of course. But I could’t see what they were so I took a few pictures, but I still couldn’t say for sure what they were since was getting dark out, and it was even darker under the carport. But I heard some activity early yesterday and I saw a bird actually leave the house and fly to the palm tree close by. It turned out to be a Red-bellied Woodpecker. This may explain why the entrance hole is not the precise hole that it once was. This bird has done some home improvements, made it her own. I can relate. Be it ever so humble there’s no place like home. Ah, but I wrote this a couple of days ago and there are new developments. Seems I wasn’t too far off the mark hoping that it was bluebirds that were interested in the birdhouse.And the other possibility is that there is an odd couple in the neighborhood. Stay tuned…

'scene' along the way, adventure, Circle B Bar Reserve, egrets, Florida wildlife, making memories, nature, on closer examination, perseverance, photography

Alligator Alley…

January 7, 2020January 6, 2020 naturecoastimagesblog

While fighting the very bright sun and very deep shadows can be frustrating, it can also make for some fun photos. Take the B above, which is actually a weed, but it looked like neon in a spot of sunshine.

I didn’t venture onto Alligator Alley when I was in Circle B Bar reserve in the past. I deliberately avoided it for fear of, well, being eaten by an alligator. But on Sunday I was assured that the alligators don’t eat this time of year. Their systems are in low gear, and were they to eat any food it would rot in their gut. So we walked the trail and hoped that all the alligators had gotten that memo.

You occasionally find yourself sharing the trail with the wildlife. And, oh my, look what this one was doing…Even as we took the pictures we lamented the people who had been walking toward us on the path were now in our pictures. But it’s not like you can plan these things.And this Great Blue Heron with an eel was a surprise find also. We all spent some time watching this alligator as it was cruising toward that heron. We took lots of pictures as it just cruised on by. And then it turned the tables on us…

Yup, looked like it was coming our way, but it continued his turn and headed back down the river. Dodged another bullet. And for a few months of the year Alligator Alley is closed for hiking because that’s the alligator mating season. I guess they are looking out for those of us lucky enough to spend time in this park.

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