Todays outing - Boyd Hill

[ArpeggioAngel]

Mike told me a long time ago about this great preserve in south St Pete and I have been wanting to check it out ever since.
So today I hooked up with Mike and we went down there for some hiking and sightseeing. Weather was nice - about 75 and sunny, but due to the recent cold snap, we really weren't expecting to see much.
Turned out exactly the opposite - was a great day for wildlife!!

As soon as we entered the preserve, I managed to photograph these butterflies - butterflies in January - God I love Florida!

Zebra Longwing:

Monarch:

Not sure what this one is - checked my field guide and cannot come up with a positive ID. Was really really tiny though - slightly out of focus:

Sorry for the poor quality on this one but he was sitting quite a ways out from where we were standing.

Pretty purple flowers:

Over edited (like it this way) this shot of the scenery...not as pretty as the photos Elle posted of Scotland, but will have to do for now:

More to come in next post.....

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Another heavily edited scenery shot:

Great Blue Heron:

Statue of a great blue heron - they have these aluminum animal sculptures around the park and they are pretty cool:

Osprey in flight:

Bald Eagles in flight:

Still got a couple more to edit - including the highlight of my day...will get those posted soon....

 

[necromantica]

oh wow you must have a really nice camera those are great photos!

 

[Mrs InsaneOne]

Very nice Katie! I really love the butterflies and the birds! The flowers are gorgeous too!


Jenn

 

[diamondlil]

Great shots, can't wait for more!

 

[Tula_Montage]

The "in flight" shots are outstanding Katie. I have never managed to be quite enough to catch any like that before.

Keep the photos coming missus!

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Thanks for the kind comments everyone.
Yeah - Elle - I have been trying for a long time to get some good "inflight" shots. These are the best I have managed so far...I was just thrilled to see some eagles. I know we have them here, but I don't get to see them very often, let alone "close enough" to get a decent picture.

Continuing...
Another Great Blue Heron shot:

And two Osprey perched in a dead tree:

And I was lucky enough to catch one decent picture of this elusive creature - the Wild Dorfer in his element!

And as promised...the highlight of my day...next post...I need a full one for all the photos I edited of him.

 

[diamondlil]

Great 'Dorfer shot! Did you have to use a hide to capture him on film?

 

[Cflaguy]

LMAO Katie....

Mike looks like someons just took his doughnut.

Come over soon to travers Gator Creek, Withlacoothee, and or the Green Swamp.

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

So Mike was the one who told me about this park. He had been there in the past and has seen snakes on every outing there including an Indigo.
We weren't lucky enough to see an Indigo - but we did see this guy. We had been walking on a boardwalk through a "swampy" area of the park and walked right past him. Another couple asked us if we saw the snake and pointed him out to us.

Florida Cottonmouth:

He was very mellow - more than likely just soaking up some warmth from the sun after our couple of 40's/50's days.
At least, until Mike used his monopod to move some of the leaves and twigs away from him so we could get better pictures...then we got this:

No strike - just the threat of an open mouth.

When Mike tried moving stuff in front/under him - he was very curious. Moved forward a tad and had the tongue going trying to figure out what was rustling in the leaves:

And this is just to show how well he blends in to his background. If you weren't looking, you would walk right past him (like I did even though I was looking!).

It was a great day at the park. And I am just thrilled that I was able to photograph my first venomous snake in the wild!!

 

[diamondlil]

Beautiful portrait shots of the cottonmouth!

 

[Tula_Montage]

The cottonmouth is beautiful but your shots are terrific. I would kill to photograph snakes in the wild...

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Great 'Dorfer shot! Did you have to use a hide to capture him on film?

He busted me the first time I tried to catch a shot of him. Have to be very sneaky to manage a pic without him knowing!

Beautiful portrait shots of the cottonmouth!

The cottonmouth is beautiful but your shots are terrific. I would kill to photograph snakes in the wild...

Thanks very much! It definately started my year off on the right foot. I have been looking for rattlesnakes everywhere down here and have yet to find one I can photograph. This guy made my day...I can only hope any future venomous snakes I find to photograph are this patient!

 

[Cflaguy]

Katie...

We need to go to the Green Swamp soon. Early evening. That swhere I got the shots of that five and a half ED.

 

[mbdorfer]

Mike looks like someons just took his doughnut.

Hah! I wasn't thinkin' bout doughnuts :grin01:

Great shots Katie!

 

[Cflaguy]

AH, of course...

Why didn't I think of that?

 

[Weebonilass]

Boy, this site is just loaded with talented folks... I really need to start working more on my skills, so I can keep up with in the shadows of you guys

I love the cottonmouth... but I know they aren't all that patient Definitely a great way to start off the year

 

[djfreebase]

Sooooo lucky to be able to see snakes like that in the wild. The closest iv been to a Cotton mouth is at London Zoo. No contest to seeing them in there natural enviroment

 

[Susan]

Hah! I wasn't thinkin' bout doughnuts :grin01:

Great shots Katie!

Great LolDorfer! But I think some of us can come up with a few more if we put our brain cells to work.

And wonderful photos Katie, as usual! It's easy to see how the cottonmouth obtained it's name!

 

[Cflaguy]

Problem is Susan....

Great LolDorfer! But I think some of us can come up with a few more if we put our brain cells to work.

And wonderful photos Katie, as usual! It's easy to see how the cottonmouth obtained it's name!

Cause of the beer, brain cells are few and far between.