Mom went out with my for my weekend photo shoot this morning to the Circle B. Driving into the park we saw one of the juvenile Barred Owls along the road. As we were walking along the lake shortly after sunrise, I heard a juvenile Barred Owl calling. We stopped to look for it and after a minute or two I was able to spot it high in a tree. Within a minute a parent flew in and passed off a small bird to the juvenile for breakfast. Be warned that some of the pictures are of the bird (a juvenile Northern Parula) being eaten. The light was still a little challenging but I got some interesting shots. We saw a ton of wading birds and close to 100 gators. I taught mom some of the bird calls and showed her how I look for smaller spiders and insects. On the way back to the lake after making our loop we were stopped by a large gator sunning itself on the trail. After a few minutes it moved on.
Juvenile Barred Owl with immature Northern Parula Warbler breakfast.
Juvenile Barred Owl with immature Northern Parula Warbler breakfast.
Juvenile Barred Owl with immature Northern Parula Warbler breakfast.
Juvenile Barred Owl all finished with breakfast.
Bald Eagle
Calico Little Blue Heron
Gator “hiding” in the duckweed.
Black-dotted Spragueia Moth (left) and Regal Jumping Spider (right)
American Kestrel
Rusty Bird Grasshopper (left) and Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillar (right)
Gray Squirrel-I almost never take pictures of them but this guy was very accomadating.
Aaaah spiders.
Southeastern Bush Katydid
Marsh Rabbit munching
Chrysobothris chrysoela Jewel Beetle (left) and American Lotus (right)
Tiny gators.
False Bee-killer (left) and American Bird Grasshopper (right)
Purple Gallinule
Look who’s hogging the trail.
Big yawn!
Moving on.
Not the most amazing picture, but how could I not share something named Smooth-headed Mummy Wasp
Great photos of the large gator blocking the trail. Don’t want to mess with him or her. I love how how you take pictures of not just the “stars” of nature (gators, eagles, hawks, etc), but you give equal time to plants and bugs that ate normally overlooked. Mom had a wonderful time. Thanks.
I had a great time and the park was beautiful. There were lots of huge Cypress trees and birds and gators everywhere since we went at five in the morning and got there at feeding time. Thank you, Matt for a great birthday present couldn’t ask for anything better than a day out with my son in a beautiful park, observing nature. And the pictures were great. They’re even better than I thought they would be and I was there.
Duplicate
As always – amazing photos! I know Marilyn enjoyed every minute of this present and I’m glad she knows more tricks since she’s my roomie on girls trips !
I wasn’t there but almost felt like I was “up close and uncomfortable” with that huge gator in the road.
Big Granny