# Florida wildlife, lots of pics!



## Silverpenguin (Dec 14, 2008)

Right, I've processed some of my shots from my latest trip to Florida. Being that hurricane season was over there was a lot more about this time, plus I had better equipment with me to make the most of it. I've just put up a random selection here as I couldn't decide what ones to show. All taken with either D3 or D300 and all with the 200-400 VR (most of which had the 1.4 on as well).

*Random locations*

Cormorant profile - a great example of how sharp the 200-400 is even with a 1.4 on!







Ibis at sunset






Me taking that shot (I think, but it was around that time)






Sanderlin (or Dunlin?!)






Ruddy Turnstone







*Green Cay Wetlands*

Osprey and Belted Kingfisher. They were sitting in an old dead tree at sunset, and I thought it funny that they were on a branch each, both looking for fish and facing away from each other 






The same Osprey. The sun had just gone below the treeline but he was flying up where the light had this amazing red glow!






Tri Coloured Heron fishing


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## Silverpenguin (Dec 14, 2008)

*Viera Wetlands:*

Little Green heron hunting






American Bittern - watched this usually hard to spot bird for about 20 mins. Eventually he found a snake and they had a 10 minute fight to the (snakes) death. Got so many shots of the Bittern both alone and with the snake, so here is one of them...






Least Bittern - another tricky to photograph bird, I got him out in the opn 'just', the move FAST through the reeds!!






Although I quite like this one too:






Snow Egret fishing in late afternoon






Great Egret at sunset






Cormorants at sunset






Phew, loads more but that's a nice selection. Saw a HUGE alligator as well, might stick him up at some point.

And lastly...no birds! lol






American Alligator (Viera) - had this shot in mind for ages but this was the closest I got to it. He was backlit and facinh away from me which wasn't ideal. Maybe next time!


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## Overread (Dec 14, 2008)

!!! now that is an impresive set of shots!
Really like your creativity with the birds in flight in the first post.
I tried to pick a fav - I really did -honest -- but I couldn't,
Of the lot I think your hunting photos are the best - great action shots - would love to see more of Bitten vs Snake


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## LaFoto (Dec 14, 2008)

What a delight to look at. Each and every photo presented here is ever so good! 
(Though I would not want to see any more photos of the Bitten vs the snake, for I feel for that snake. Looks like it was a pretty one ...  --- says the mother of a snake owner who has grown to like snakes ).

Sames as Overread, I find it impossible to pick out a favourite.
The sharpness (and colour of background! ) of the first is overwhelming.

The little "story" in the osprey-kingfisher photo is so funny.

The light on the osprey in flight is so wonderfully extra special!

The photo of the tricoloured heron fishing ... that actually has good chances to reach the top of my estimation ladder... but then there's the snow egret, and the "frozen" water around his feet ... but no. The heron it is. I think...


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## Battou (Dec 15, 2008)

...I wish I could do that well, these are stunning.


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## Overread (Dec 15, 2008)

I am hoping that its one of those time, practice, experience and good light things!
At least that thought is what is keeping my sanity together...


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## EricD (Dec 15, 2008)

Excellent series of photos~~  Nice capture on all of them!!


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## Heck (Dec 16, 2008)

Outstanding!


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## Jeff Canes (Dec 16, 2008)

nice series, what part of Florida is this

_Sorry did see that you gave two of the locations as Viera and Green Cay Wetlands_


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## dxqcanada (Dec 16, 2008)

Hmm, excellent images.
These definitely shows the quality of the lens and how much it counts.


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## stsinner (Dec 16, 2008)

What gear are you using?  Those are amazing shots!


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## DadeCountyAnthony (Dec 16, 2008)

Wow, that is an excellent set of shots. I personally love #1 cormorant and # 14 Great Egret at sunset. 

Great work and thanks for sharing.


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## lockwood81 (Dec 16, 2008)

Wow, all amazing shots.  Nice work.  I live in Florida and don't see all that wildlife.


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## Jeff Canes (Dec 16, 2008)

lockwood81 said:


> Wow, all amazing shots. Nice work. I live in Florida and don't see all that wildlife.


The Viera wetlands is west of Melbourne, a little southwest of space costal baseball stadium, it the same south exit off I-95; Green Cay is in Palm Beach northwest of Delray Beach, On google map they both looks like a reclaimed or fabricated area

I&#8217;ve heard a lot about Green Cay before but have never gone there before, may i'll try to get there over Christmas holiday


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## Silverpenguin (Dec 17, 2008)

Thanks all for the kind comments, equipment specs are in the first post 

I am based at West Palm Beach when I visit Florida and these were shot at various random locations, as well as the couple of wetland places I mentioned. You see just as much wildlife when your just out and about as you do at the wetlands which is one of the reasons I love Florida so much!

EDIT: Viera is exit 191 off the I-95, Green Cay and Wakodahatchee (both within a mile of or two of each other) are off exit 51 I think, or it might be 53...forget off the top of my head.


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## lvcrtrs (Dec 18, 2008)

These are the pics I want to see when I look to buy a new camera. They are precisely my style. Amazing close-up and stop-action. Fab-u-lous! I love the heron fishing shot. I just bought the D90 and can only hope I can produce the SHARP output you have captured. Do you recollect your settings for the egret and heron fishing. If I were in FL you would have a student.


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## Lyncca (Dec 19, 2008)

Wow. These are absolutely amazing photos!


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## Silverpenguin (Jan 3, 2009)

Thank you for the kind comments 



lvcrtrs said:


> These are the pics I want to see when I look to buy a new camera. They are precisely my style. Amazing close-up and stop-action. Fab-u-lous! I love the heron fishing shot. I just bought the D90 and can only hope I can produce the SHARP output you have captured. Do you recollect your settings for the egret and heron fishing. If I were in FL you would have a student.


Thank you, and sorry for taking so long to answer your question. You can read about the background story to the Heron fishing in this article I wrote on my blog.

P.S. I live in the UK, I was just visiting Florida


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## Kondro86 (Jan 4, 2009)

silver penguin how did you get such level pics of the birds on the ground with the boardwalk. I was just there (_Green Cay Wetlands)_ today and found it rather hard. let me know thanks in advance. -Danny


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## TCimages (Jan 4, 2009)

Great work!  Thanks for sharing


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## Jim Stafford (Jan 4, 2009)

Fantastic, just fantastic.  Anything, about how you go about taking shots like this besides the basic equipment and settings would be so helpfull to newbies like me.


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## holga girl (Jan 4, 2009)

ooooooh, i'd like to see more!


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## Silverpenguin (Jan 5, 2009)

Kondro86 said:


> silver penguin how did you get such level pics of the birds on the ground with the boardwalk. I was just there (_Green Cay Wetlands)_ today and found it rather hard. let me know thanks in advance. -Danny


I shot through the lower gaps in the side walk, between that and using a longer focul length you can give the impression of being lower than you actually are 




Jim Stafford said:


> Fantastic, just fantastic. Anything, about how you go about taking shots like this besides the basic equipment and settings would be so helpfull to newbies like me.


I've got some articles in the featured photos section on my blog that go some way towards explaining how I captured some of my images. There are also other write ups including one about this series of photo's which may or may not be helpful


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## photo28 (Jan 5, 2009)

Very nice pictures! wow!
its been a looong time since i visited, been very busy!:angry1: Its great to come back for the first time in a while and see such beautiful shots! I actually just go back from Florida, I went scuba diving and took some pictures underwater... if they come out good i'll put some.


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## surfingfireman (Jan 5, 2009)

Fabulous pics.  The osprey with kingfisher one is just... poetic.


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