Owls, Otters and Osprey, Oh my!

River otter on Shingle Creek, S. Orlando

Thick ferns on the west side of Shingle Creek. Taken with 100mm macro lens

Sunday morning early I went down to Shingle Creek to practice some macro photography. I did bring a longer lens along in case I saw some birds or wildlife. As soon as I started down the trail an owl swooped in and landed in a tree. I could only get a blurry shot because I had the 100mm lens on the camera. I was looking for some apple snail shells to photograph up close. Before I found them I noticed two otters playing in the river. Now, I had to switch lenses to get their picutre. I discovered that I didn't have a plate for the tripod collar on the lens and had to hand hold it. I propped the lens and myself against a tree and took shots until they decided to move on.

Near miss, dog bite and birds galore!!

I set out early on a foggy morning to Kenansville and Joe Overstreet Road to look for and photograph birds. After a near- miss on the road (car turned left into me, I swerved and he missed me.)After I stopped shaking and thanking the Lord for protecting me, I continued to my destination. I couldn't see many birds until the fog was gone but I could hear them. I went to the end at Lake Kissimmee but didn't see much except for an eagle carrying something off to its nest. All I know for sure is that it was not a fish. I thought I may walk down the road some where I dog came out to greet me. Correction, he came out to bite me! Only a nip and didn't break the skin but I did have a bruise from it. Cancel that idea and return to the car (carefully  going back past the now vicious dog's house!)

Driving back down Joe Overstreet Road I spotted Eastern Meadowlarks, eagles, hawks, glossy ibis and sandhill cranes. Continuing to Three Lakes WMA, I wasn't sure what I may find there. I checked out a trail for a short time and also found a viewing platform on Lake Jackson. We sure have a lot of vultures here in Florida. On the way back down the road I found an eagles nest close to the road. With the binocs I spotted the eagle who was sitting on the nest. A caracara was perched in a tree near the road but I never got a photo of it. When driving alone once you spot something and stop you are usually past it and either have to back up or get out of the car and scare the bird away.