Beauty
of the Wild
Nature
photography by Jay Paredes
February 25, 2007
Note: When
replying to this email, please delete the pictures to avoid network
congestion. Thank you.
Hello again friends,
It's been a very busy beginning of the year for me. We're presently
understaffed at work and the little girl at home has been keeping me
plenty busy. She's growing up fast and and learning her birds. She can
already identify owls, penguins, parrots, and spoonbills. I'm going to
make sure we add swallow-tailed kite to that list very soon...
"The Last Sunset", Loxahatchee
National Wildlife Refuge (Lox Road Entrance), HDR image, December 31,
2006.
I stayed late into the evening at the southern end of Loxahatchee, to
catch the final sunset of 2006. In this part of the refuge the main
activity is boating and fishing.
Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis,
Boynton Beach, FL
When looking for Snail Kites, it can be pretty much hit or miss, and
getting a good picture of one in South Florida, is even more difficult.
Our hunt for Snail Kites in January wasn't going particularly well, and
we were just about to give up, when this cooperative juvenile kite put
on a show. The Snail Kites roost inside the Loxahatchee National
Wildlife Refuge, but each morning they head out to the surrounding
canals to hunt for apple snails.
White Ibis Eudocimus albus,
Coconut Creek, FL
Sometimes, you don't have to go very far to get a nice image. This shot
of a White Ibis taking off, was taken from my backyard. Ibis, herons,
cormorants, osprey, and the occasional kingfisher frequent the lake
behind our house at this time of the year.
Painted Bunting Passerina ciris,
Okeeheelee Nature Center
The Okeeheelee Nature Center in West Palm Beach Florida, attracts many
species of birds to their bird feeders, including the stunning Painted
Bunting. Other birds that you will find there are the Ruby-throated
Hummingbird, Indigo Bunting, Ovenbird, and the Brown Thrasher. It's a
great place to observe many of these smaller birds that can be
difficult to find elsewhere. It was a cloudy day and in between the
short rain showers, I would set up my camera equipment to take several
shots. Because of the rain I was the only person there and it reminded
me of my childhood, when we lived for a short time in Honduras and the
Painted Buntings would frequent our yard.
Roseate Spoonbill Ajaia ajaja,
Eco Pond, Everglades National Park
Eco Pond in Everglades National Park was devastated by Hurricane Wilma.
The storm surge filled this small freshwater oasis with saltwater. It
has taken most of 2006 for it to recover and now the pond is mostly
freshwater again. One of the results of the saltwater contamination is
that most of the cattails that used to surround the pond have died off,
giving ample room for photographers and birders to approach the bank
and get closer to the birds. If you choose to do so, watch out for
Pygmy Rattlesnakes that may be hiding in the tall grass.
Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus,
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
The Red-shouldered Hawks at Loxahatchee are busy building their nest.
This is the second nest that they have built this year, because the
first one collapsed due to wind and weight. To build the nest, the
hawks gather twigs and Spanish Moss from the surrounding Cypress Trees.
"The Moon", Wakodahatchee Wetlands.
The security guard at Wakodahatchee was making his evening rounds,
telling visitors to leave because the park has closed. On my way out I
saw the moon looking larger then usual in the evening sky.
Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, along
with Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, Glossy Ibis, Little
Blue Herons, and a Roseate Spoonbill.
The Stormwater Treatment Areas were constructed to filter the water
coming from Central Florida and Lake Okeechobee. The goal is to reduce
phosphorus and nutrients from agricultural and yard runoff before the
water reaches the Everglades. You can find out more about role of the
Stormwater Treatment Areas and the Everglades Restoration effort from
the excellent documentary "Water's Journey
Everglades", which is often repeated by the local PBS stations.
The Stormwater Treatment Areas have become a heaven for many bird
species. The Everglades was once described a place filled with such
abundant wildlife that the water seemed to dance with the movement of
the fish, and the birds were so numerous that when the flock takes off
it would blot out the sun. One of the few places you get the chance to
see such sites are at the Stormwater Treatment Areas. The only way to
visit these areas is through a guided tour. You can find more about the
tours at the South
Florida Water Management web site.
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis,
Coconut Creek, FL
I know many of you on this mailing list are receiving it at work. Don't
forget to send me your new e-mail address or your home e-mail address
if you will be changing jobs or your employer tries to block these
e-mails as spam. Until next time, enjoy the beauty that surrounds you...