Friday, January 01, 2016

Lake Apopka New Year's Drive, Part 1

Another year, another trip to Lake Apopka. I am really starting to enjoy the fact that I get there right as the gate opens and can be one of the first, and then the first, to be out on the drive. Gives me time to get to birds before others and snag some shots before the traffic scares anything off. Like this American Bittern that strode upon the stage just after sunrise.

American Bittern

The first American Alligator of the morning cruises the canal.

American Alligator

While more begin to hunt near the Pumphouse.

American Alligator

Red-winged Blackbirds are easy to spot through out the drive.

Red-winged Blackbird

You can see and hear them calling all day long.

Red-winged Blackbird

Ospreys are busy having breakfast as soon as the Sun has come up and can be found atop most phone poles.

Osprey

I spotted this Limpkin along the edge of the road and followed it to an open space just up ahead.

Limpkin

There it revealed it had breakfast, too, and tried to position the snail shell to extract the tasty snail inside.

Limpkin

It let me watch the whole time even though it was still weary of my clicking camera.

Limpkin

Around the bend, a Snowy Egret prowled along a branch.

Snowy Egret

You can never have too many shots of Great Blue Herons. Especially when they let you get right next to them in the early morning light.

Great Blue Heron

Wilson's Snipe are typically very skittish and you usually see them fly off in front of you when you walk through their hiding places. For some reason, I found a pair on the side of the drive that decided staying still was a better choice.

Wilson's Snipe

I guess they figured that those few blades of grass were disguise enough.

Wilson's Snipe

Common Gallinule are copious and as hard as I try I can't resist a shot now and again.

Common Gallinule

Another more showy Snowy Egret wades into shallow water in search of a snack.

Snowy Egret

A Red-shouldered Hawk called from one of the few manmade items on the back part of the drive.

Red-shouldered Hawk

A few Savannah Sparrows can be found flitting through the green grasses right along the road but seldom pause for a good shot.

Savannah Sparrow

Most of the Eastern Phoebes I saw today were so busy feeding that I couldn't get many good shots. This one stayed still for a little bit for me.

Eastern Phoebe

One final Red-shouldered Hawk was perched in a snag at the last turn out of the drive.

Red-shouldered Hawk

I am still trying to find the reported Gray-headed Swamphen. I have missed it on the previous 5 times around. The day is young so why not have one more try before heading home? Part Two is next!

No comments: