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April Morning at Orlando Wetlands

Posted Saturday, April 11, 2026Saturday, April 11, 2026 Jess Yarnell2 CommentsPosted in Orlando Wetlands

It’s been a while, but I finally got to venture out with my camera this morning. There’s been such photographic excitement from Orlando Wetlands this spring, with the baby Spoonbills, baby Sandhill Cranes, and now the baby Barred Owls. I decided to take my 100-500 and just walk around to get some exercise and enjoy the show. Of course, now I want to go back with my 600mm, tripod, and teleconverter!

I started out looking for the owls but came across a nice pair of volunteers reminding me of the Falcon 9 rocket launch in a few minutes. Orlando Wetland is not too far from the Space Coast, and I stopped to enjoy the show. The sun was still very bright in the eastern sky, so I ended up photographing the rocket and the landscape separately, then stitching them together in Lightroom.

The volunteers were super friendly and pointed out details I would not have noticed. We watched the rocket ascend, and you could see the burst of flames at the second-stage cutoff. A few minutes later, we heard this distant rumbling noise that was the noise of the engines – light travels faster than sound, remember!?

After that, we started to feel a faint vibration in the ground. The alligators were especially sensitive to it. All around the wetlands, they started to bellow. I was glad to have the volunteers explaining this part because I’m not exactly a fan of over-excited gators! Then we heard the sonic boom as the booster landed. Pretty cool!

I continued on my walk, pausing to say hello to the Anhinga in spiffy breeding colors. He stared at me and asked if I know a good barber (hi Noelle!)

As I made my way back to Alligator Alley, I noticed a few Cattle Egrets in breeding colors doing regular fly-bys. They’d go to this one tree with lots of dead branches, then wrestle with the twigs until they broke off a good stick. Then they’d fly back to this island where there was a small nesting colony. Fun repetitive behaviors like this make for great flight shot opportunities…

Then I found the current celebrities, a pair of Barred Owlets that have recently emerged from their nest in the trunk of a tree. They have started branching. When I got there, they were mostly sleeping! One owlet was more cooperative when it came to looking at the camera. The light wasn’t great, but hey, sometimes you need inspiration for your next visit. I can’t wait to try my 600mm Beast with these adorable little guys.

There were Purple Gallinules all over the wetlands. I love their bright iridescent colors. Then I came across some gallinules that were fighting each other. They face each other in the water, lean back with their legs pointed at their opponent, and splash/kick each other to settle territory disputes. It’s never quite clear who the winner is but the action is always fun!

As I headed back to my car, I found the other local celebrities – a Sandhill Crane family with two colts. I think the colts are around three weeks old now. They were just out for a stroll down the wetlands trail. Periodically they would stop to offer a nice bug to the babies.

Sandhll Crane Family — Sandhill Crane Family

They walked very quickly, and I kept walking ahead trying to stay on the good side of the light. After a while I just stopped and watched. There’s something so amazing and precious to just be in Nature sometimes. :)

So hopefully I can get out again soon, and until then – Happy Spring!

Springtime in the Backyard

Posted Friday, March 27, 2026 Jess Yarnell1 CommentPosted in Birds

I got to enjoy a few minutes of photography in my own backyard a few weeks ago. The Painted Buntings have been putting on quite the show, sometimes with 4 males stacked up at the feeder at the same time. An old friend used to post “Feeder envy!!” But when I went out to take their pictures, they started playing peek-a-boo with me…

My dad’s favorite Tufted Titmouse kept calling out “Peter, Peter, Peter!” as they darted into the yard. They’d jump to the feeder, grab a seed, and carry it off to a nearby tree to carefully eat it. They are such sweet little clowns.

A Common Ground-Dove was prowling under the feeders. Then he saw me and froze. My Beast is apparently terrifying to some birds. I love the pretty brown under his feathers when he flies. Maybe this spring he’ll find a mate and bring his kids by for a family portrait.

A Northern Cardinal flew in, happy that I had refilled the feeders just for her. My dad loves cardinals too. It seems like every time I focus on a cardinal, I find another fun/rare/interesting bird nearby. It’s like magic.

“Phoebe! Phoebe!” An Eastern Phoebe made a surprise visit and posed on the bird finial at the top of my feeder. The afternoon sun was starting to wane but she was still on fly-catching duty.

She wasn’t the only one. A little Palm Warbler bounced along through the grasses, looking for his dinner. He grabbed a moth, swallowed it, and was on his way looking for the next bug. It takes a lot of energy to make his tail pump!

My hummingbird is still here but I expect her to migrate any day now. Safe travels, little ones!

Other Birds at the Orlando Wetlands

Posted Friday, March 13, 2026Friday, March 13, 2026 Jess Yarnell3 CommentsPosted in Orlando Wetlands

It’s so easy to focus on the beautiful Roseate Spoonbills while visiting Orlando Wetlands these days. But the other birds are getting jealous – they are pretty cool, too!

This pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers hopped up into a dead palm tree. I think they were considering a nest in one of the cavities. Together they made their way to the top of the tree. Their motions could best be described as the birdie Hokey Pokey. Till one of them flew off!

The Anhingas are starting to get into their breeding plumage. I love that bright blue eye. Springtime brings out the spiffiness in even the most common birds.

The Starlings serenaded the photographers who were all focused on the Roseate Spoonbill colony. This bird’s feathers glistened in the sunshine that morning. I love the iridescent rainbow on his chest.

This little Green Heron was on the lookout for his breakfast. He crouched silently in the shallow muck, watching and waiting. When a small fish dared to move, he pounced!

This Limpkin could be heard from all over the wetlands as he screeched his hellos. Did you know that the call of the Limpkin inspired the sound of Buckbeak the Hippogriff in the third Harry Potter movie?

As I made my way back to the boardwalk, I had to stop and say hi to this Palm Warbler. He stood on the railing to greet all visitors and show off his emerging yellow colors. The image captures his curious expression but not his never-ending tail bob.

This beautiful Purple Gallinule was stalking his breakfast. I got down low to capture his curious expression as he stopped to watch me. He promised he would clean off his feet later.

There are several Black-crowned Night Herons nesting near the boardwalk. I enjoyed the opportunity to do some flight shots as the clouds gave way to sunlight, backlighting the tips of his feathers.

The Great Blue Herons were on a nest with several youngsters. They were pretty big but not easy to photograph. The adults would fly back and forth to bring in nesting material. Look at the blue on his face – that’s part of his breeding plumage.

Speaking of breeding colors, look at this Great Egret and his spiffy green lores! He’s all ready to find a mate and build a nest. He told me that he’s enjoying the calm before the storm, because once the cute babies hatch, they will nag him like crazy.

Here’s a flight shots of another Great Egret, also in breeding colors. I love the detail you can capture with flight shots and backlighting on a cloudy morning.

Our last bird of the day was one of the most common, and yet one that I love to photograph. This is Red-winged Blackbird. He sat perched in the reeds, singing his heart out. I love photographing them as they puff up their chests, throw back their heads, and let out a call that echoes through the wetlands. “Spring is here! Come out and enjoy!” That’s great advice. We should do that!