While driving down a dike road that is usually blocked we decided to pull over and walk a bit. This stretch runs through a wooded area, multiple dikes, and views of wide open marsh. Big marshes.
Of course alongside one open view we passed one of the locals napping and catching a little sun.
Best viewed large.
Specs; OM-1 mk2, OM 100-400 II, Lightroom, DxO Filmpack.
He’s not the largest around but he had somehow kept clean of the weeds surrounding him.
At some point they become too large for most of the predators to bother with, I think he is one of them. He didn’t bother to slip away.
When I first spotted the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks they were far, in a dark swamp area, and not an easy shot. I ignored them.
Finally I tried to get a better angle, and suddenly it became more interesting. All kinds of swamp locals kept showing up.
I couldn’t get a better angle, light was worse, but just then an Alligator showed up. I had to shoot at that point. 🤣
Included here;
I saw no success here. There are plenty of small fish there, and there must be some squishy things too. But no luck for this White Ibis.
There is a trunk running under a dirt road. Water flows between marshes on either side. It was low tide when I walked here, a Great Egret was fishing in the shallow water.
I leaned over a grabbed a few quick shots as the bird walked along the waters edge. The Egret was too busy to be bothered by me. Snacks were available.
A scene out of Main Street USA that is just as true today as when I shot this in 2015.
Taken from a small side path along a swamp pond. This is place where you carefully place one foot in front of the other, twist so you don’t trip on any of the Cypress Tree knees, and watch for the locals to avoid any ‘issues’. A nice spot.
The water always has nice shades of color from the different trees along the banks. You can usually watch the traffic go by, the alligators moving from one end to the other.
Not something we see very often, nesting Little Blues.
Most of the time they are in the deep brush. I think we usually only find them in the open around the Florida wetlands. This was local and a clear view.
