First of Summer Turtle!
June 30, 2018 - An early morning walk at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge yielded our first adult Loggerhead sea turtle. Plus beautiful sunrise photography!
Beyond the Backyard
While the blog started as a record of my backyard garden and birds, it quickly grew as I discovered bird photography. This page contains images taken “beyond the backyard” during my travels around Central Florida (and beyond!)
Summer Day at LAWD
June 24, 2018 - A summer day at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive (LAWD) yielded a wading bird feeding frenzy, lots of Green Herons, begging Barn Swallows, and a singing Indigo Bunting
A Rainy Morning and an Unexpected Lifer at LAWD
May 20, 2018 - Gray skies, moisture-filled air...but the Gray Kingbird put on a good show for me, as did the begging juvenile Barn Swallows and the tiny Black-necked Stilt babies.
Springtime Nature Therapy at LAWD
May 13, 2018 - Nature therapy at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive included migrating Bobolinks and nesting residents like Common Gallinules, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Black-necked Stilts
Spring is in the Air
February 25, 2018 - Both springtime and Red-Winged Blackbirds are in the air at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive! Nesting is underway as birds molt into their breeding plumage
Good Birds and Good Friends at Lust Road
January 21, 2018 - You can spend a whole morning photographing birds at Lust Road. Yesterday's highlights included Ash-throated Flycatcher and Western Kingbird
Another Beautiful Morning of LAWD Photography
January 17, 2018 - Beautiful January morning of photography at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, where Painted Buntings and Northern Harriers charmed my lens and the Pied-billed Grebes are already courting
Glorious Day at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
January 14, 2018 - Fantastic photography at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive (LAWD) on a sunny winter morning. Ash-throated Flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher, Horned Grebe, and more!
Sunrise at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
January 12, 2018 - Sunrise and bird photography at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, where the skies were full of Roseate Spoonbills and American White Pelicans
Golden Light but no Goldeneye
January 10, 2018 - Afternoon photography at a local pond, where the golden light was beautiful although the visiting Common Goldeneye didn't appear
Nesting Underway at Viera Wetlands
January 8, 2018 - Nesting is underway at Viera Wetlands, where Great Blue Herons, Anhingas, and Cormorants are claiming palm trees and showing off their breeding plumage
Cold and Fog at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
January 6, 2018 - A cold, overcast day still turned up some good birds at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive Reopens in Time for Christmas!
December 28, 2017 - The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive reopened just before Christmas. Even a foggy day there is a good day, complete with Merlin, Gadwall, American Wigeon, and a Vermilion Flycatcher!
Dreaming of a White Christmas
December 25, 2017 - Some beautiful white Whooping Cranes make for a white Christmas in Florida
Christmas Bird Count 2017 at the Lake Hancock Outfall Wetlands
December 17, 2017 - Photographic highlights of the Lakeland Christmas Bird Count, Outfall Wetlands property. Best bird was Northern Waterthrush.
Foggy Morning and Lifer Clay-colored Sparrow
December 7, 2017 - A foggy morning made for a beautiful sunrise, the Grasshopper Sparrow cooperated, and the Clay-colored Sparrow surprised me :)
Viera Wetlands is Open Again!
November 24, 2017 - My first visit to Viera Wetlands after Hurricane Irma yielded nesting Great Blue Herons, a fishing Belted Kingfisher, and first-of-fall coots!
Quiet Time with the Little Birds
November 5, 2017 - A pair of Eastern Bluebirds serenaded me while I watched mixed flocks of passerines wake up and search for their breakfasts.
Fall Walk at Orlando Wetlands Park
October 29, 2017 - A fall walk at Orlando Wetlands Park gave me a chance to photograph our returning winter birds
Chasing Warblers at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
September 5, 2017 - A Labor Day photo outing at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive yielded fall migrants: Yellow Warblers, Prairie Warblers, and the entertaining Belted Kingfisher
Another Morning at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 29, 2017 - A slow morning of photography at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive made perfect by one juvenile Barn Swallow :)
Feeding Frenzy at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 25, 2017 - Alligators, wading birds, and Ospreys all vied for fish in a feeding frenzy at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive pump house pond
Another Magnolia Park Summer Sunset
August 23, 2017 - Another summer sunset at Magnolia Park. Always a fun place to photograph, even when the colors are just average!
A Third Pied-Billed Grebe Nest at Lake Apopka
August 19, 2017 - I photographed a third Pied-Billed Grebe nest far off in the marsh at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive in early July. Four little babies hatched! :)
Beware the Red-winged Blackbirds! at LAWD
August 15, 2017 - Red-winged Blackbirds were attacking Swallow-tailed Kites who hunted insects over the fields, right over the blackbirds' nest.
The First Sign of Fall at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 13, 2017 - My dad and I spotted our first-of-fall Belted Kingfisher at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive on July 16. Fall migration is underway!
Osprey with Fish! at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 11, 2017 - A morning of exciting action and flight photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive...and so many Osprey with Fish!
Lazy Summer Morning at Lake Apopka
August 9, 2017 - More summer photography from the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. Lots of juveniles-Pied-billed Grebe, Green Heron, Least Bittern, Purple Martins
Rich’s Turtle Hat Trick
August 7, 2017 - An early morning on the beach yielded three Green Sea turtles - a turtle hat trick for Rich!
Another Summer Morning on LAWD
August 5, 2017 - Another fun morning of photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive (LAWD) - Green Herons, Common Gallinule, Least Bittern, White-winged Dove
Feeding Time for the Barn Swallows at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 3, 2017 - I photographed not one, not two, but fourteen bugs that Mom brought in to feed her baby Barn Swallows at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
Mississippi Kites
August 1, 2017 - It's been fun photographing a few Mississippi Kites mixed in with the Swallow-tailed Kites at Lake Apopka Wildlife Refuge this summer
Let’s Go Fly a Kite! at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 30, 2017 - Hundreds of Swallow-tailed Kites kettling overhead makes for a happy bird photographer...especially when the birds start feeding on the wing
Nature’s Fireworks at Magnolia Park
July 28, 2017 - Over the 4th of July weekend I photographed some of nature's fireworks. The sunset was spectacular that evening at Magnolia Park!
July 4th at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 26, 2017 - July 4th bird photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive: Osprey with Fish, yawning Least Bittern, swallows, and Swallow-tailed Kites!
More Summer Fun at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 24, 2017 - The photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is awesome this summer! Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Blue Grosbeak, Loggerhead Shrike, Indigo Bunting
Another Pied-Billed Grebe Family at Lake Apopka!
July 22, 2017 - Photos of a Pied-billed Grebe family with two small chicks. They rode on Mom's back and struggled to eat fish for breakfast.
July 4 Weekend at Lake Apopka
July 20, 2017 - I kicked off my July 4 weekend with a Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive visit and photographed all sorts of fun birds
Red-winged Blackbirds at Nest
July 18, 2017 - I found a Red-winged Blackbird nest at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, complete with two fledglings and a dad who fed them
Common Gallinule Nest at Lake Morton
July 16, 2017 - Photos of a Common Gallinule family tending their nest and three young chicks. Mom and Dad brought in food while a juvenile sibling baby-sat
Nesting Green Sea Turtle
July 14, 2017 - Rich and I photographed a nesting Green Sea turtle at the Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge in early July. The poor turtle was missing a flipper.
June Morning at Lake Morton
July 12, 2017 - A June morning of photography at Lake Morton yielded juvenile cygnets, Wood Ducks, Wood Storks, and a Common Gallinule nest
Purple Gallinules at Lake Parker Park
July 10, 2017 - Photography of Purple Gallinules at Lake Parker Park - and a few other fun birds!
Eyes to the Skies at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 8, 2017 - Another fun morning of bird photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, where my eyes were in the skies with flight shots galore!
Baby Purple Gallinules at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 6, 2017 - Baby Purple Gallinules and their parents posed for my camera at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
Orchard Oriole and Lifer Cave Swallow at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 2, 2017 - My addiction to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive continues! On this particular visit, I scored a first-summer Orchard Oriole and my lifer Cave Swallow
Forky the Pig
June 28, 2017 - Fork-tailed Flycatcher in action - catching the bug, losing the bug, regaining the bug, and eating the bug!
Two Cuckoos on a Quest at Lake Apopka
June 26, 2017 - The photographer-cuckoos met the bird-cuckoo at Lake Apopka. We also saw Pied-billed Grebe babies, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, and our lifer Mississippi Kite! :)
Baby Pied-billed Grebes! at Lake Apopka
June 24, 2017 - I got to photograph baby Pied-billed Grebes at their nest at Lake Apopka. They are so cute with their stripes and orange spots!