Which is the stronger of today’s two featured images? All are invited to leave a comment and explain why they made their choice. If you would like to create images like this, do consider joining me in Homer in early 2023.
What’s Up?
Conditions for photography were pretty good on Friday morning but I was less than inspired and did not do much … That evening was another busted sunset. I just got back from a pretty successful ride-around the lakeshore. With a brisk southwest wind and cloudy-very-bright conditions, I worked the crane family at eye level from the edge of the canal with the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens, the 2X TC and the a1. I am pretty sure that I got some decent stuff.
Today is Saturday 12 March 2022. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes three days in a row with a new one.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …
This image was created on 26 February 2022, day one of the second 2022 Homer/Kachemak Bay IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640: 1/1000 second at f/10 (stopped down 1 1/3 stops). AWB at 10:05:49am on a sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S with Bird/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Bald Eagle head portrait with distant blue water background
Pure BIRDS AS ART
Image #1 is created in the pure BIRDS AS ART style: clean, tight, and graphic, with a soft, soft, dreamy background. Note that though I stopped down 1 1/3 stops for a bit of extra depth of field on the subject, the background is completely de-focused, i.e., smooth and creamy. Why? See #3 below.
Background Softness (Bokeh?) Simplified
The simplification of my thoughts on the principles that determine the quality of out-of-focus backgrounds in a photograph — bokeh, by some definitions — came to me early this morning while I was in a dream-like state sometime between 3:30 and 5:30am. Note: I slept 10 hours!
1-To produce soft, buttery backgrounds, telephoto lenses are better than wide angle lenses because they effectively place you “closer” to the subject and offer narrower angles of view.
2-The closer you are to the subject, the more the background detail is reduced.
3-The greater the distance from the subject to the background, the more the background detail is reduced.
4-With everything above being equal, the wider the aperture, the softer the background detail. Note that #2 & #3 supersede #4. For example, if you are working relatively close to a subject with a telephoto lens at f/16, and the background is literally one-half mile away — a distant forest, for example, the background will be soft and creamy despite the small aperture. Conversely, if a bird is perched on a leafy branch, the leaves will be well-defined even if you are working at f/2.8.
5-When you are close to a subject with a telephoto lens and the distance-to-the-subject is not too great, say in the range of ten to twenty feet, stopping down will often bring up unwanted background detail.
This image was created on 19 February 2022, the scouting day for the 2022 Homer/Kachemak Bay IPTs. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800: 1/2000 second at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 9:51:06am on a sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S with Bird/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Bald Eagle head portrait with background grasses
A Big Sony 200-600 Misconception
Many folks assume that the Sony 200-600 f/6.3 G lens (and the Canon RF 100-500 f/7.1 lens as well), are not capable of producing soft, smooth, dreamy, creamy, defocused backgrounds as they are relatively “slow” at f/6.3 and f/7.1 respectively. As you can see in image #2, this is a big misconception. Why? As stated in #2 above, the closer you are to the subject, the more the background detail is reduced. The trick here was to get ACAP (as close as possible) to the subject and to work at the wide open aperture, in this case, f/6.3. The result: the potentially distracting yellow grasses were rendered almost completely out of focus. Note: I was about eight feet from the bird, and the grasses were about eight feet beyond the eagle.
On Bokeh
There are almost as many different definitions of bokeh (as it pertains to photography) as there are pronunciations. This one, from Wikipedia, works well for me:
Bokeh (from the Japanese: [boke]), is the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in out-of-focus parts of an image.
Some tighter definitions, like the one below from Adobe, do not work for me (in this instance), as they refer only to the qualities of out-of-focus points of light (AKA specular highlights).
Bokeh is a word with Japanese origins, defined as “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light.”
How to Pronounce Bokeh
This short (2:48) video is a bit humorous. You can skip the funny stuff and get to the “right answer” at the 1:37 mark, but be sure to watch to the end for the very fine points.
From BPN-friend Kevin Hice via unsolicited e-mail
Again artie, that was a great trip. I was more than pleased. For me, I could see right away that you knew how to get us and the boat in great position for the best eagle photography. You took into consideration all the factors including the sky conditions, and wind and sun angles. It was a real pleasure to meet the captain. His knowledge of the wind and the currents helped to put us in great position all the time and he did his very best to help on all fronts.
One of the most important factors for me is timeliness. We never had to wait on the captain or on you, artie, and that made the trip a huge success. We got after it every day and had countless great photography opportunities. The other eagle photography tours never got out as early as we did, nor did they pursue the birds as relentlessly as we did.
One can never say that Arthur Morris doesn’t have the passion to get after the Bald Eagles. I have never shot as many photos as I did on this trip even with my poor hand eye coordination. I got plenty of keepers and enjoyed meeting the others in the group and learned a few things from them as well.
Thanks again, Kevin
Homer 2022 Bald Eagle Highlights and Handholding Compositional Tips by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Enjoy and be inspired by just a few Homer Bald Eagle highlight images. Hand holding intermediate telephoto lens will always yield slightly different compositions. Learn more about that topic in this short (3:14) video.
All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK
2023 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs
IPT #1: MON 20 FEB 2023 through the full day on FRI 24 FEB 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers
IPT #2: SAT 25 FEB 2023 through the full day on THURS 2 MAR 2023. Six full days/24 hours on the boat: $6600.00. Limit 5 photographers
IPT #3: FRI 3 MAR 2023 through the full day on TUES 7 MAR 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers.
Save $1,000.00 by doing back-to-back trips. Save $1500.00 by doing all three.
This trip features non-stop flight photography as well as many opportunities to create both environmental and point-blank portraits of one of North America’s most sought-after avian subjects: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Other reliable subjects will include Sea Otter, Glaucous-winged and Short-billed (formerly Mew) Gulls.
In addition, we should see Common Murre, Black Guillemot, Pelagic Cormorant, two or three species of loons, and a smattering of ducks including two species of merganser, all three scoters, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Bufflehead, Harlequin, and Long-tailed Ducks. Close-range photographic chances for these species will require a ton of good luck. Some of these species, especially when in flocks, can, however, often be used effectively when pleasing creating bird-scapes.
If we need to be out early, we will be the first boat out. If conditions are great, we will stay out. And when there is a chance for sunset silhouettes, we will be in the right spot.
We will be traveling through gorgeous wilderness country; landscape and scenic opportunities abound.
Also featured is a professional leader, often referred to as the world’s most knowledgeable bird photography trip leader, who is conversant in Canon, Nikon, and Sony. You will learn practical and creative solutions to everyday photographic problems. You will learn to see the shot, to create dynamic images by fine-tuning your compositions, to best utilize your camera’s AF system, and how to analyze the wind, the sky conditions, and the direction and quality of the light. This is one of the very few Homer trips available where you will not be simply put on the birds and told to have fun. You will learn to be a better photographer. But only if that is what you want.
You will learn to get the right exposure when it is sunny, when it cloudy-bright, when it is cloudy, when it is cloudy-dark, or when it is foggy. Not to mention getting the right exposure when creating silhouettes.
You will learn to make pleasing blurs working in manual mode and to create silhouettes working in Shutter Priority mode.
Most importantly you will learn to pick your best flight images from tens of thousands of images.
You will enjoy working with the two best and most creative boat captains on their sturdy, photography-spacious, seaworthy, open-deck crafts.
The second and third IPTs are the only Bald Eagle workshops that feature an incredibly helpful first mate.
Only five photographers (not the usual six), plus the leader.
Small group Photoshop, Image Review, and Image Critiquing sessions.
All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK
What’s Included
One four hour or two two-hour boat trips every day (weather permitting), all boat fees and boat-related expenses (excluding tips), ground transportation to and from the dock and back to the hotel each day, in-the-field instruction and guidance, pre-trip gear advice, small group post-processing and image review sessions, and a thank you dinner for all well-behaved participants.
What’s Not Included
Your airfare to and from Homer, AK (via Anchorage), the cost of your room at Land’s End Resort, all personal items, all meals and beverages, and tips for the boat captain and/or the first mate.
Please Note
On great days, the group may wish to photograph for more than four hours. If the total time on the boat exceeds 20 hours for the five-day trips, or 24 hours for the second trip, the group will share the additional expense at a rate of $225/hour.
Some folks may wish to rent their own vehicle to take advantage of local photographic opportunities around Homer.
Deposit Information
A $3000 non-refundable deposit/trip is required. You may pay your deposit with credit card or by personal check (made out to BIRDS AS ART) and sent via US mail only to Arthur Morris. PO Box 7245. Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Your balance, due 90 days before the date of departure, is payable only by check as above.
In Closing
I have been going to Homer off and on for close to two decades. Every trip has been nothing short of fantastic. Many folks go in mid-March. The earlier you go, the better the chances for snow. The only way to assure that you are on the best of the three trips is to sign up for all of them. Can you keep up with me? If you have any questions, or are good to go for one, two, or all three trips, please let me know via e-mail or give me a call on my cell phone at 863-221-2372.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Thursday morning dawned cloudy-dark, but I went down to the lake anyway. And was glad that I did. It was so dark, that all 600+ images I created were made with the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens, hand held while working wide open at f/2.8. As you will see near the end of the YouTube video below, that choice proved to be quite fortuitous. I photographed the crane nest with two eggs — I am hoping that they hatch soon, and then spent some quality time in the rain with the crane family. With the young eagle in the nest, lots of nesting Osprey, and the crane family of four, the last four mornings of photography at ILE have been quite productive.
I am continuing to immerse myself in the story and music of John Prine and have been swimming every day. I have begun to work on two keynote programs for the Georgia Nature Photographers Association (GNPA) Expo, April 7-10, 2022, at Jekyll Island, GA. I will be sharing details here soon. Very soon. I am quite thankful that I was able to recover the three years’ worth of temporarily lost images … I have spent the last few days picking optimized images to be re-sized for slide shows via a Photoshop Action. Last night I was working on the July 2021 folder and was completely amazed at how many great flight and Royal Tern chick images I had from the Jacksonville tern and gull rookery. I will surely be running an IPT or two there this summer.
Today is Friday 11 March 2022. The forecast for this morning is for mostly to partly cloudy with a breeze from the south. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare (including the time spent creating the video) and makes two days in a row with a new one.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …
Four Excellent Bird Photography Mornings at ILE with Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Bird photography in late winter and early spring can be quite excellent down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Enjoy four recent mornings with me. This short (4:15) video includes lots of photo tips. Which is your favorite image from the video? Why did you make your choice?
March Indian Lake Estates In-the-Field Sessions
Two hours of intensive instruction: $200.00 (Add $100.00 if we are blessed with very small chicks). Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Sunny mornings with east winds are best. Likely subjects include ridiculously tame Sandhill Cranes and colts, a young Bald Eagle in the nest, Black and Turkey Vultures, Crested Caracara, Limpkin, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and more. Small crane chicks hopefully coming soon.
If you’d like to join me, please get in touch via e-mail or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.
The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.
I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back-and-forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Here are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide:
Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here you will have a chance for two difficult birds, Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.
Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.
You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which is the strongest image in the video below? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice. I have a somewhat surprising but clear favorite. I will share it with you here soon.
Markus and artie/i-phone photo by Andrea
What’s Up?
The large Bald Eagle chick has been cavorting around in the nest like a Mexican jumping bean. As a result of exercising its wings strenuously, the eaglet is now strong enough to jump into the air. I would guess that it will be leaving the nest in several weeks and will almost surely be flying within a month, if not sooner. On Tuesday morning I had the pleasure of photographing with Markus Leinberger, a friend from Germany. We did great on the eagle chick, and just missed the baby cranes swimming across the canal. Markus was amazed at how tame the little ones are. After our morning session, Markus and his girlfriend Andrea came by for a pool deck brunch. We spent a great deal of time discussing the state of bird photography in Europe and the US and the state of various photo contests the world over. A great time was had by all.
Wednesday morning was even better. After I did the flapping and jumping baby eagle, I was just in time to photograph the baby cranes swimming across the canal. And on the way home I had a nice Osprey with a half-eaten fish on an in-the-clear branch in its nest tree. Evenings have been a bust with clouds and Wednesday afternoon looked promising at first until the clouds took over.
Today is Thursday 10 March 2022. The forecast is for mostly cloudy with a south wind — not bad for the eagle nest. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare (over the course of several days) and makes one day in a row with a new one.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on this page and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT.
And Please Remember
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Brand New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Please Remember Also
Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
30 Good Reasons to Visit Gatorland
In this short (3:48) video, you can check out the variety of wading bird species that can be easily photographed at Gatorland in Kissimmee, FL in most years. Keep reading for info on the 2022 Gatorland Photographer’s Pass Program.
2022 Gatorland Photographer’s Pass Program
Though the 2022 Gatorland Photographer’s Pass Program (GPPP) is much improved from last year’s program, it falls well short of the great program that was in effect BC (Before Covid). I am hoping that the program will be restored to its former greatness next year. This year’s program includes ten scheduled days. The first is on 19 March, and the last is 21 May 2022. And it gives photographers the opportunity to get into the park at 7:00 am instead of the normal 10:00 am entry time.
Reservations are required two days before your visit. For example, if you wish to visit on 27 March, you need to make your reservation on March 25th. You can make reservations here on the Gatorland website, or by calling 407-855-5496 ext. 226 during business hours with your credit card in hand. There is no late stay option this year. The price is $25.00 + tax per visit and includes early entry at 7:00 AM at the SOUTH ENTRANCE. All tickets are date specific and non-transferable. You will not be able to leave until 10:00am when Gatorland opens.
Choose from the following 2022 dates:
March 19, 2022 (Sold out but keep reading …)
March 27, 2022
April 2, 2022
April 10, 2022
April 17, 2022
April 22, 2022
April 30, 2022
May 8, 2022
May 13, 2022
May 21, 2022
A far better deal for folks who live in the area is the Birding Seasonal pass for $125.00 per person. That includes visits on all ten dates. And best of all, you can never be shut out. If, like me, you are on the list for the Birding Seasonal pass, you can show up on any of the GPPP days, have your name checked off the list, and enjoy a great morning of photography.
If you have a party of 15 or more folks and would like to book a Private Group early entry, Gatorland is able to offer additional dates of your choice (subject to availability and pending approval). Please contact: JoIndomenico@gatorland.com.
The famous Gatorland Bird Rookery was created in 1991 as an alligator breeding marsh. While the birds lose an occasional chick to the gators, they gain pretty much complete protection from ground predators. This unique habitat has grown into one of the largest and most accessible wading bird rookeries in Florida. Today, this area provides protected nesting, foraging, and roosting area to more than 20 different species of birds, many of which are listed as Endangered or Species of Special Concern. Gatorland’s boardwalks provide birders and photographers with access to these incredible birds, their nests, and their young, allowing people to safely observe them while capturing stunning photographs.
You can learn exactly how to make the best possible photographs at Gatorland in here ; details below.
Gatorland In-the-Field Instruction
Gatorland In-the-Field Instruction with me will be available on most of the scheduled dates. If you are interested in setting something up, please shoot me an e-mail for rates and details.
The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.
The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.
I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back-and-forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Here are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide:
Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here you will have a chance for two difficult birds, Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.
Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.
You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
