From the blazing afternoon temperatures we know it’s still summer in Central Florida, but fall bird migration is already well underway.  Rich and I escaped for a quick fall getaway to Fort De Soto to observe some of the migrating birds.  Last year we had a great time on the North Beach with the hundreds of terns staging for their migration.  I was hoping for equal fun this year, and I wasn’t disappointed.

When we first arrived on Wednesday evening, we made a stop at the East Beach turnaround, which can be a great afternoon location to observe shorebirds.  I found this Semipalmated Sandpiper, who stopped over in Florida on his way from the northern Canadian Arctic down to the northern shores of South America.  It’s a long way to fly!  No wonder he looked a little tired.

Several kinds of terns were feeding along the shore, including this juvenile Forster’s Tern.  I think this was my first opportunity to see a juvie Forster’s.  You can tell he’s a juvenile because he still has bits of brown in his feathers.  You could easily hear the juvies as flocks of birds were feeding.  The juveniles haven’t lost that nesting colony habit of calling out their hunger pains to anybody who will listen!

Rich and I moved along to the North Beach for sunset, and there I located and photographed some Piping Plovers and my lifer Snowy Plover.  As the sun slipped lower in the sky, I put my wide-angle lens on the camera and found a good sunset location.  During the last 15 minutes of light, the clouds moved in and gave me some interesting features in the sky.  Pretty!

The next morning, Rich and I headed back to the North Beach for more birding action.  The terns were feeding along the shoreline.  It’s a challenge to photograph them as they dive into the waves.

In the lagoon area, I spotted three Roseate Spoonbills preening in the pretty morning sun.  I can’t resist a good spoonbill picture.  I waded into the water and made Rich laugh as I knelt down, got wet, and got my shot…

A Little Blue Heron was stalking the shoreline of the lagoon along with a Great Blue Heron.  I stood quietly as the Little Blue walked closer and closer to me.  Look at the big toes on his feet as he carefully stalked his prey.

It was really great to get out with my camera, as work has been keeping me busy again and I haven’t gotten out in a few weeks.  This little fall getaway to Fort De Soto was wonderful.  We’ll have to do it again soon! :)