Concrete boats on VA's Eastern Shore

My girlfriend and I were graciously invited to the Eastern Shore of Virginia this summer by a few friends.  Although the seas were a bit rough, we were able to get the boat out and try our hand at some bluefish.  While we were out, we made a pass through some calm water protected by several sunken WWII concrete boats.  The color of the moss coupled with that of the water and rust, made for some interesting photos, even under the harsh mid-day light.

My grandfather celebrated his 92nd birthday this fall by harvesting a big mature doe.  Here are a few shots from deer season.  Hunting with Robert means first choice of hunting location and doorstep service to the blind.  It was real nice to pack a hot cup of coffee to the blind and prop my feet up on my pelican case for a relaxing morning.

Robert with his trusty 30-6 Browning.

Sun rise over one of our green fields.

Robert taking watch over a secluded wheat field.

Just about time for a doe to walk out and feed.

Elk Flight At Sunset

Got in the air late in the day last week due to fire patrol.  I was worried I would not get my elk found before the sun set.  Even with a few elk not checked off my list, I could not help but dig out my camera.

KENTUCKY ELK

UK elk research bull runs over the hill after capture

A nice 6x6 bull in Knott Co. KY.

THE FARM AT SUNSET

Florida Ecosystems Class Trip - Day 8, Blue Springs

Day 8 found us waking up in the backyard of my former adviser's graduate student who is now a bear biologist in the Orlando area.  We met up with him shortly the night before, as he was handling the first unprovoked attack by a black bear in the state of Florida.  He graciously let us camp in his backyard.

We birded a bit in the morning, but spent the majority of the afternoon at Blue Springs State Park.  Blue Spring is the largest spring on the St. John's river.  We waded up to the blue hole and I dove down to the entrance and managed to kill my underwater video camera, but not before I got a few pictures.

Jim, Nathan, and Marie underwater at Blue Springs State Park

After Blue Springs, we headed to the Ocala National Forest and set up camp for the night.  We celebrated St. Patty's day with a campground full of fine central Florida rednecks.

Florida Ecosystems Class Trip - Day 7 AM, Flamingo

The storms that battered the Keys also battered my tent.  You could have floated a small boat in the middle.  Figuring that if it rained, my tent would get wet around the edges, I had neatly piled my gear right in the middle of the newly formed pond.  Long story short, four of us slept in the van and managed to get about an hour of sleep between the uncomfortable seats and the mosquitoes.

We again beat the sun to a pond near Flamingo where Wood Storks were making bombing runs overhead.  After about 200 pictures, I was able to get the focus and exposure dialed in.

Wood Stork, Flamingo.

After a short stop to check out the birds, we loaded up and made the long run towards Orlando.  We stopped at a nice wetland area just outside of Orlando with loads of waterfowl and wading birds.

Our group on point looking at a Mottled Duck, Central Florida.

Mottled Duck, Central Florida.

Dr. Cox tempting the alligators, Central Florida.

Montana Cox: gator snack, Central Florida.

Lichen on a tree in Central Florida.

Backlit palmetto in Central Florida.

Backlit palmetto in Central Florida.

Serious birders, Stratton and Mack, Central Florida.

Sunset in Central Florida

Florida Ecosystems Class Trip - Day 6, Key Largo

I caught the sunrise from Flamingo for the second day and was no less than impressed, again.

Sunrise over the Keys, Flamingo.

We headed back towards Miami to catch Route 1 into the Keys.  Our first stop was Dagny Johnson botanical state park.  We hikes a two mile loop through the park which was situated on the remnants of an ancient reef.

Lizard on a tree at Dagny Johnson state park, Key Largo.  We also got a great look at a Worm-eating Warbler.

Jim and Nathan navigate the rising tide at Dagny Johnson state park, Key Largo.

The afternoon found us weathering severe thunderstorms in the Keys.  We sought shelter at the conch shack for an hour or so and ate our fill of fresh conch fritters.  Later, we headed south to Islamorada and got our first glimpse of the blue water that the keys are known for.  One of my personal highlights of the trip came that evening when I got my dozen oysters on the half shell paired with a dozen stone crab claws while sitting on the porch of the Pilot House Marina.

Florida Ecosystems Class Trip - Day 5 PM, Flamingo

The afternoon of day five found the group tuckered out from our run down the spine of Florida.  Still, many of the birders birded and the hikers hiked.  I, on the other hand, positioned my chair facing south into Florida bay and prepared for the evening photo light.  Jim and I paired up and hiked into the salt scrub for a few hours.  Later, we drove to the marina and saw American crocodiles and a manatee.  I have no good photos of either as both just had their snouts above water.

Black-and-White Warbler in the salt scrub, Flamingo.

Another Florida cactus, Flamingo.

The trail through the salt scrub, Flamingo.

A Black Skimmer in the parking lot of the Flamingo marina.

An HDR image of the pond just north of the Flamingo campground at sunset.

Florida Bay at sunset, Flamingo.

Florida Ecosystems Class Trip - Day 5 AM, Flamingo

We rolled into the flamingo campground late the day before, and woke with anticipation at sunrise the next day.  We are camped right on the water of Florida bay and awoke to a sunrise over the Everglades.  We started the day out with a hike and a few mosquito bites.  The trail cut a straight path through a wooded area were many epiphytes (plants growing on other plants) could be seen.  At the end of the trail, a short boardwalk led out to Florida Bay where we saw an Osprey with a bonefish in its talons.

An epiphyte attached to a branch in the Everglades, Flamingo.

An epiphyte growing from the bark of a tree, Flamingo.

Interesting tree with large, spinney seed pods, Flamingo.

This tree is known as the "tourist tree" for its red, flaky bark, Flamingo.

Detail shot of lichen on a tree, Flamingo.

Cacti in Florida?

Osprey with a Bonefish, Flamingo.

Bird list for the morning:
White Pelican
Swainson's Thrush
Osprey

Florida Ecosystems Class Trip - Day 4 PM, Corkscrew Swamp

After a morning at Archbold Biological Station, we packed up the vans and made the short drive south to Corkscrew Swamp.  This area has an elevated boardwalk that meanders out into the swamp.  Just after we started our walk we were greeted by a five foot eastern diamondback rattlesnake.  Several tourists were positioning their cameras within a foot of the snake.  This area is home to the largest remaining stand of bald cypress and is also a wood stork rookery.

A lizard just off the boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp.

An Egret wading in Corkscrew Swamp.

A Tri-colored heron fishing in the Corkscrew Swamp.

   Bird list for the day:
Florida Scrub Jay
Swallow-tailed Kite (life list)
Wood Stork (life list)
Baltimore Oriole
Red Crested Gnatcatcher
Egret
Anhinga
Tricolored Heron
Little Blue Heron
Black-Crowned Night Heron

Florida Ecosystems Class Trip - Day 4 AM, Archbold Biological Station

After a long drive the previous evening from Tall Timbers, we woke up in scrub jay habitat at Archbold Biological Station.  We ventured out as the sun rose and were greeted by a few curios scrub jays.  These birds are always fun to shoot as they tend to have no problem flying right up to the group.

Banded Florida scrub jay, Archbold Biological Station.  These birds were always moving so it was necessary to crank up the ISO to get the shutter speed necessary to stop the action.

Banded Florida scrub jay, Archbold Biological Station.

Banded scrub jay, Archbold Biological Station.

Palmetto at Archbold Biological Station.

Archbold is situated on the Lake Whales Ridge which is a remnant dune area running down the spine of the Florida peninsula.