A quartet of American Avocets worked their way back and forth in the shallow water, feeding as they went.
The early morning light was behind them creating reflections in the still water.
Avocets eat little bits of things they find probing in the mud, generally unidentifiable bits from the photographer’s vantagepoint.
The sun was up but had ducked behind a cloud that was low on the horizon, creating a milky light. The water was shallow and this American Avocet was among the birds taking advantage of the easy feeding.
Coming straight at me, this trio of Blue-winged Teals looked like they were on a mission.
Of course they turned, providing a more classic view, which was quickly followed by a view of their tail ends.
Pied-billed Grebes are mighty cute, always looking a little “baby faced.”
On this morning at the Ding Darling Wildlife Drive the water was still and the light very nice for reflections.
Grebes seem to be in constant motion, quickly reversing direction as they search for prey in the water.
This was one of those days that there was so much bird activity I missed a lot of action, including the fly in and landing of a pair of Grebes.
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
January 5,2020
The sun was up but the light was dim this morning. This American White Pelican made a nice reflection in the pond as he effortlessly took off.
These Pelicans start the lift off without any notice, just lift their wings and go.
One more skip.
I thought he might settle back down the way he was dragging his feet.
Finally, clear of the water. The whole process was just a couple seconds.
Mary’s House Pond, Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC.
This juvenile Juvenile Little Blue Heron is just starting to show some mottling as he turns from white to blue.
He was the only wading bird around this small pond at the end of the afternoon.
He took his time poking around the perimeter, going in and out of the dappled sun.
This tidal pond was fairly still, with a group of Snowy and Great Egrets having a feeding frenzy in the left corner as the water ebbed.
This pair of Snowy Egrets flew in to see what was happening, creating some interesting reflections. A few ripples in the water made doubles of part of the closer bird in this next image.
In this one I like how the closer bird is connected to the further bird’s reflection.
The ripple had a different effect here, making an S curve out of the closer leg reflection.
As the pair came closer to shore and started their landings some bushes ended by view.
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
January 1, 2020
In the old westerns when you heard that you knew there was trouble lurking.
These Yellow-bellied sliders have little to fear, at least from this Alligator.
I am partial to images with reflections. A small floating leaf gives away the water as this Double-crested Cormorant glides by.
The sun was going down behind me as I looped back by the pond where I had photographed the Mottled Duck pair and Tricolored Heron.
I took some landscape images and then realized the ducks and heron were still there, in the tall grass.
The Tricolored Heron started working his way back out into the open.
And the ducks followed him.
The heron continued to wade and the ducks swam behind, all in a row.
