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.



The first American Alligator of the morning cruises the canal.



While more begin to hunt near the Pumphouse.



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



You can see and hear them calling all day long.



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



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



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



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



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



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.



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.



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



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



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



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



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



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.



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



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!

Lake Apopka Drive, Part 1

Another busy month is almost gone and I finally get a chance to go out to do some birding. I took the opportunity of a Friday after Thanksgiving to head back out to the Lake Apopka North Shore drive. I arrived just after sunrise and was greeted by my friend Paul Hueber who was searching for the Lark Sparrow that was seen the day before.

No sign of the sparrow. Maybe due to a fluffy Red-shouldered Hawk sitting in the nearby trees.



A bit farther down the drive I saw a pair of photographers getting out of their car. They wanted a closer shot of another Red-shouldered Hawk. This one was sitting on the wires. Kind of odd for a hawk to do.



Belted Kingfishers were all over the place this morning. Of course, they hardly sit still long enough for a photo and are so skittish that I am happy to have at least a couple of distant shots.



Just when I was thinking I might not see too many Ospreys I found one munching on the last bits of breakfast.



Not too much farther ahead I found another staring out at the lake.



Over in the canal, a Pied-billed Grebe kept a watchful eye on me as I slowed for a photo.



Male Red-winged Blackbirds were very approachable today and feeding on grasses on several stops along the way.



I think this American Alligator had too much Thanksgiving dinner last night. He can barely move.



Nearing the pump house, a Palm Warbler stops for a moment on the power lines.



I took a walk down the path along the lake but didn't find too much except for a couple of Ospreys drifting by in search of their next meal.



A slightly beaten up Viceroy was the only this of interest as I headed back toward the car.



A Double-crested Cormorant preened as it spread its wings to dry out.



Another Belted Kingfisher was above the bridge leading away from the pump house but I had to take my shot through the windshield so it wouldn't take off.



The nerve of some birds. This Great Egret took its sweet time crossing in front of me as I reached the halfway point in the drive. There was an interesting duck just past this spot but I will save that tale for a future post.



The last bird of this first part will be a nicely lit Glossy Ibis that was poking around for a snack.



Take a break. Part Two is right around the corner.

Lake Apopka North Shore Drive, Pt. 1

I have been waiting to get out to the new Lake Apopka North Shore Drive. Folks have been reporting fun birds but the drive is only open Friday-Sunday and my weekends have been a bit too crazy. Today I finally got my chance to head out.

I wanted to get there as soon as it opened and was greeted by a nice bright Moon before dawn in downtown Orlando on the way to the drive.



The beginning of the drive is at the end of Lust Road where many birders have gone for years but as far as you could go was the gate which is now open and has a new sign welcoming visitors.



Many carloads of birders were already on the Drive ahead of me. At the first little job was a very boisterous Black-necked Stilt family. Every time the chick would wander a bit too far, Mom would start calling loudly for all to stay away.



Eventually, the Black-necked Stilt chick would return to a parent's side to feed closer. I tried to get some shots of the parents attempting to shoo off a Glossy Ibis to no avail. The Ibis didn't seem to care too much about the fuss.



The best thing about the Lake Apopka North Shore Drive is that it heads due West for most of the time so the lighting is perfect in the early morning.



Dragonflies were all over at daybreak. Occasionally one would light atop a swaying grassy stalk.



Green Herons were flying across the drive all morning but never settled in for a photo. Tricolored Herons were a bit more cooperative.



Common Gallinules were also abundant but you don't often see one sitting up on an exposed branch!



Looking over the edge of the road I spotted an Anhinga making a catch and had to strain over the passenger seat to get a snap.



I was actually surprised I didn't see too many American Alligators out today. I have seen more hiking the North Shore in the past. Some BIG ones in some of the canals.



Great Blue Herons prowled the edges of the water but I didn't see any score a breakfast on my rounds.



Red-winged Blackbirds were beyond counting. They were all over with most males calling and defending territories.



Not a lot of vultures around this morning but I did have a nice close fly-by of an adult Turkey Vulture.



This early in the morning the Ospreys were feeding and feasting all up and down the Drive. I will devote another post exclusively about Ospreys soon.



Most of the vegetation is weedy shrubs, grasses, and Cattails but every now and then a splash of color would appear like the white Moon Glory blossoms.



Down by the Pump House turn a female Anhinga rested on a structure across the water.



I decided to take the righthand turn past the Pump House not knowing there was another stretch closer to the lake. I would take that portion of the drive next time around. This lane was fairly bird free and the only big bird I spotted first was a Limpkin. Too bad I could only get a shot through the wind shield.



On the opposite side, a wet male Anhinga tried to stay out of view.



At the end of this northerly drive I started to see Barn Swallows swooping over the canal at the bend. As I turned to head toward a flock sitting on wires ahead I noticed a Great Blue Heron sunning in the roadway. It is always fun to see this behavior.



Just past the heron, a pair of Roseate Spoonbills were crossing to reach the canal and fields to the North.



The Barn Swallows here were copious with only a few resting on the wires. Many more were feeding and returning to nests under a small bridge over the canal. I ended up with a lot of swallow photos (with a rather interesting discovery) that warrant them their own post in the future, as well.



The final bird shot on this pass was a female Red-winged Blackbird that was searching through the grasses for a snack.



I thought of just heading home then but, as mentioned earlier, I found that there was another spur of the Drive so I swung back around to take one more pass and hoped for some interesting shot. Glad I did. Stay tuned...