Birds Photographed in Central Florida by Marcus Sharpe
Mar 8th, 2010 by Marcus
Wood Duck at Lake Davis, Orlando, FL.
Red-winged Blackbird at Lake Davis, Orlando, FL.
Red-winged Blackbird at Lake Davis, Orlando, FL.
Yellow-rumped Warbler at Lake Davis, Orlando, FL.
Red-bellied Woodpecker at Mead Garden
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Male - at Mead Garden
American Robin at Mead Garden
Barred Owl in my Backyard - 03/07/2010
Click on Photos to Enlarge.
Mar 7th, 2010 by Marcus
Barred Owl
Photographed at Mead Garden in Winter Park, Florida on March 07, 2010.
Hermit Thrush
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler
Downy Woodpecker - Male
Click on Photos to Enlarge.
Mar 5th, 2010 by Marcus
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Photographed at Mead Garden in Winter Park, Florida on March 05, 2010.
Carolina Wren
Palm Warbler
Click on Photos to Enlarge.
Mar 4th, 2010 by Marcus
Mottled Duck
Photographed at Mead Garden in Winter Park, Florida on March 04, 2010.
American Robin
Eastern Phoebe
Cedar Waxwing
Anhinga - Male
Click on Photos to Enlarge.
Feb 26th, 2010 by Marcus
Ponce Lighthouse
Last Saturday all visitors to Merritt Island NWR were directed by Kennedy Space Center Security that we must exit to the North instead of crossing the Draw Bridge directly into Titusville. Turns out The Titusville Max Brewer Bridge is broken. Not only broken, but frozen into a ‘Boat Traffic only’ position. If you are planning a trip to the refuge the only access is from the north on SR 3. This detour from Titusville, will add approximately 70 miles to your trip (round trip). What a pain. The bridge is so old a new part has to be fabricated and no one knows when the bridge will reopen. (Updated 03/02/2010 – According to the County Bridge Department, it will remain closed for 5-14 days or more!)
Yesterday I decided to travel up the coast to New Smyrna Beach and more specifically, Smyrna Dunes Park. The photo above is the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station taken from Smyrna Dunes Park.
Completed in 1887, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station was built when the area was known as Mosquito Inlet. After decades of restoration by the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association, it stands today as one of the best preserved, most complete Light Stations in the nation. ( Enlarging the photo shows two people standing on the walkway at the top of the Lighthouse.)
Loggerhead Shrike
This bird allowed me to stand 8 feet away from him. I observed him for over 20 minutes from this distance. I was too close to focus my camera. To photograph him I had to back away. Only the Florida Scrub-Jays have allowed me to approach so close. Observing such a beautiful bird from 8′ away was thrilling.
Loggerhead Shrike
Willet
These photos were taken in Mead Garden, Winter Park, Florida on 02/26/2010.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Mead Garden
Yellow-throated Warbler - Mead Garden
American Goldfinch having Lunch - Mead Garden
Click on Photos to Enlarge.
Feb 21st, 2010 by Marcus
Clapper Rail
Photographed at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida on February 20, 2010.
Clapper Rail
Reddish Egret
Little Blue Heron
Florida Scrub-Jay
Northern Gannet
A Migrating 'Northern Right Whale' about 1/2 mile offshore
From December to March Canaveral National Seashore, (MINWR), on the East Coast of Central Florida is host to the Northern Right Whale. The Whales come to the shores off the east coast to calve and rest until they make their way back north to the feeding grounds of the Northern Atlantic.
During the winter, pregnant females travel to the warm waters of the Georgia and Florida Coasts – to the only known Northern Right Whale calving area in the world – to give birth. From spring to fall the whales congregate in the northwestem Atlantic feeding and courting.
The maximum length of the right whales is about 60 feet, and the maximum weight is slightly more than 100 tons. They feed on large schools of crustaceans, specifically copepods and krill, and may feed on small fish near the ocean floor.
The Right Whale got its name because it was the ”right” whale to hunt – it is slow moving and floats after being killed. It is the most endangered species of whale off of the U. S. Coasts. It was the first whale hunted by American whalers, and it was so depleted that it has not recovered despite being protected for over 50 years. Less than 300 Northern Right Whales exist today.
Laughing Gull
Wood Stork
Eastern Towhee
Brown Pelican Preening
Click on Photos to Enlarge.
Feb 17th, 2010 by Marcus
Florida Scrub-Jay Posing For a Photo
All photos but two were photographed at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida on February 16, 2010. I did not know the people in the 1st two photos & was not part of there group. I walked up and photographed what I saw.
Florida Scrub-Jay
Great Blue Heron in Nest
Photographed at the Blue Heron Water Reclamation Facility in Titusville, Florida.
American Bittern
Photographed at the Blue Heron Water Reclamation Facility in Titusville, Florida.
Laughing Gull
Ringed-Billed Gull - 1st Winter
Greater Yellowlegs
Red-Shouldered Hawk
American Coots
Florida Scrub-Jay
Florida Scrub-Jay
Northern Harrier Hunting Over the Salt Marsh
Click on Photos to Enlarge
Feb 12th, 2010 by Marcus
American Wigeons - Male & Female
Photographed at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida on February 11, 2010.
Roseate Spoonbills
Lesser Yellowlegs
Northern Gannet
This bird was not close to me at all. Therefore the sharpness is not so good.
Whatbird: The Northern Gannet is a very large seabird. Pelagic species found on the Atlantic coast. Often seen from shore, also may be found far from shore in open ocean. Breeds on coasts of north eastern Canada. Winters from Maine to Texas-Mexico border along Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 68% of the world population breeds around the coasts of Great Britain.
Ringed-Billed Gull
Tricolored Heron
Launch Pad 39B at The Kennedy Space Center as seen from MINWR
This photo was taken on the road leading to Playlinda Beach at The Canaveral National Seashore (MINWR).
Florida Scrub-Jay
Florida Scrub-Jay
Reddish Egret
Click on Photos to Enlarge.
Feb 5th, 2010 by Marcus
Masked Duck
Masked Duck
Photographed at The Viera Wetlands near Melbourne, Florida on February 04, 2010. The Masked Duck is a very rare duck for our area. He never got very close and usually was in the thick grass diving for food.
Anhinga - Male
Photograped at The Viera Wetlands.
Ring-necked Duck - Male
Photograped at The Viera Wetlands.
Red-shouldered Hawks delivering a fresh meal
Red-shouldered Hawk
Photograped at The Viera Wetlands.
Florida Alligator
Photograped at The Viera Wetlands.
Anhingas - Male & Female, Fire in the background
Photograped at The Viera Wetlands.
Bald Eagle
Photograped at The Viera Wetlands.
Great Horned Owl
Photograped at Merritt Island NWR.
Black Skimmer
Photograped at Merritt Island NWR.
Click on Photos to Enlarge.
Feb 1st, 2010 by Marcus
Clapper Rail
We have been having rain for the past few days in Orlando; Here are some photos from Merritt Island NWR taken last January. I have only seen an American Bittern this Winter.
Photographed at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on January 24, 2009.
I about dropped my camera when the Clapper Rail started calling about 10 feet away in the thickest vegetation. I don’t believe I would have seen him otherwise. After about 1/2 hour he came out in the open and I got this shot.
Sora
American Bittern
Click on Photos to Enlarge