Do I Really Need a New Camera?

 The answer is a resounding no! Did I just buy a new camera? The answer is a resounding yes!

Bruce made me do it. After six years of continuous use and a fall that broke a bit of the screen, Bruce convinced me to get a newer model, along with a longer zoom lens. While I did just that, we compromised and I bought used models of both. Actually we went straight to Colonial Photo and Hobby last Friday following another trip to Orlando Wetlands Park, henceforth to be called OWP.  Blame it on the eagles! We saw probably four and they were just too far away for my lens. That said, it did not keep me from trying as was in full evidence as you will soon discover. 

After playing pickleball four mornings in a row, we take Fridays off and do something else that is fun. Now, my friends, is the time to be bird watching as they are so plentiful this time of year.  We left the house around 6:30 in order to catch the sunrise, using the nearly empty 408 for the first part of the journey. The sky was just beginning to change color.

Pulling into our parking space, we were thrilled to have made it and joined several others walking to the boardwalk in order to see the rookery in action. But first, I noticed the sky looking colorful across the street from the parking lot and of course I had to document the beauty.

As far as expectations go, we were assured that we would see the Spoonbills, Wood Storks, and Turkey Vultures in mass, but as to what else we would see, we had no idea as every single visit is a new adventure. In fact, if we lived closer than 28 miles away, you can bet your bottom dollar that we would be there far more often! My honey brought along binoculars this time.

Getting ahead of myself, so let's back up to the lovely sunrise.

Not nearly as colorful as some days, but pretty nonetheless. I am a big sucker for the bare tree silhouettes. Before long it was full-on daylight, with many, many birds flying to and fro. A very large number of Spoonbills were present and active with this one using the bare tree to do a little preening.

Those pink feathers!! Seeing those puts me in mind  of how very much in love I am with the blooming Tabebuia trees, more of which have been planted on property in recent years. Beside the front pool, this one looks particularly full and fetching this year.

Okay, that was a digression for sure.  We are still in sunrise mode!

There are just so many birds, far too many to count.

The above is just a very small sample. As we were still on the boardwalk I spotted my first eagle with glee. I mean I was gleeful as I exclaimed to Bruce, "honey there's an eagle." 

What else can you say? 

Talk about a new adventure, when the vultures decided to all swoop out of the trees all at once, it put one in mind of the movie The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock!

I am not sure which is worse, crows or vultures for this kind of thing! Note how tiny Bruce looks! It was pretty darn wild. As you are undoubtedly bored by now with my continuing to wax eloquent regarding the excellence of the new boardwalk, my advice to you is to just humor me for another month or so. Is that asking too much? I should hope not. :)

Because the truth of the matter is that being able to walk out to where the birds are is just tremendous.

Oh my goodness honey, there's another eagle!

Hard to tell isn't it? Thus, the lens discussion. Just noticed, out of the very many shots that I took, this fun one. Hey you, get off of my palm!!

Catching up to these fellows who had been on the boardwalk with us, well, check out their gear as they take yet another eagle shot.

And to answer the curious, no, my new lens is nothing like the above. Those cost thousands of dollars and weigh far too much for me to hold steady! 

Watching the American Coots, who numbered in the many multiples, walking on water is oh so fun!

Hidden amongst the reeds and Coots, there was this beautiful Green Heron.

You're getting the picture aren't you? Bird Heaven! 

It was not all big birds either. 

Can you believe that camouflage?  I think it is a Savannah Sparrow but if anyone knows something different, I am open to suggestions.

Here's a cutie hanging onto the tall grasses.

Perhaps a Yellow Rumped Warbler? 

So we saw eagles, herons, spoonbills and all manner of other birds, 23 by my count, but one of the best was finding this Sandhill Crane on her nest.

Let us look at the whole picture, shall we?

Simply amazing to think that those two birds gathered all of the material to build a nest out in the middle of a wet field in order to bring new life into the world! Friday and Saturday, volunteers give guided tours from about 10-seater golf carts, and when they arrived with carts full of visitors to point out the nest, the volunteer talked about how the nest had to be guarded against many different predators, including raccoons. 

Here's something.....I had to quit writing to go to the bank with some mailbox money, as well as to Publix for some onions. Of all things, I was out of one of the most basic pantry items! Bemused, I watched the multitude of mostly men, but some woman,  carrying bouquets to the check out. Neither of us purchased a Valentine's Day card because, I like to say that, around here every day is Valentine's Day. 

A few items to note for posterity....the Chiefs won the Super Bowl defeating the Eagles in a crazy close game. The half time show seemed a little dull to me, but what do I know? The death toll for the earthquake stands at staggering numbers and the war in Ukraine rages on. Right now there is a war of words between the IOC and Zelensky over having Russian athletes in the Paris Olympics next year. While my heart hurts for the athletes that have been training for their whole lives, I'm thinking maybe Zelensky is right? Convince me otherwise, if you will.

For some days now I have been wondering when the White Pelicans will arrive, so I looked at last year's posts around this time and much to my surprise, (with my memory no one reading this should be surprised), today is my 16th year of blogging. Gosh I was young when I began putting thoughts and photographs out there under the name of Camera Crazy. The funny thing is that I'm not really camera crazy in the literal sense because I never have had a super expensive camera (which is all relative btw), but I am crazy for taking photographs. Most recently I titled a post, "What the Peck?" and thought maybe after all this time I should change the name, however Tom convinced me to keep on, keeping on. And so I shall.

Lastly, and this narrative is by no means comprehensive, there are so very many Black Bellied Whistling ducks at OWP and boy howdy, do they know how to whistle. The sound of hundreds of them is really something, not to mention them flying in big groups all over the place. 

This time I was able to get a good close up of their namesake, the black belly. Plus the color of their feet is terrific.

The bill is an awfully pretty color too.  All around, a handsome and lively duck.

So, that was that trip. As mentioned earlier in this post, we drove straight to Colonial Photo and Hobby where I looked at all manner of cameras, eventually settling on a used Panasonic camera and a used Olympus lens, both of which look as if they have never been used. This way, all of my lenses and cameras are interchangeable. From there we droves straight to Lake Davis where I put the new lens on the old camera to check it out. I found a handsome willing subject right away.

However, the whole purpose is to be able to get the little birds, especially those that are far away. Turns out, I found another willing subject.

I I went up to the front garden here and, lo and behold, it was not long before I heard the familiar screeching of Blue Jays alerting me that a raptor was nearby. Sure enough, this handsome Red Shouldered Hawk flew right into the tree in front of me.

Enough already with the birds! I will leave you with a Zebra butterfly lighting on a Mexican Sunflower, also found in the front gardens.

I will tell you that every time I get some new piece of equipment, I tend to take a whole lot of photographs for practice, meaning I will be posting a lot, so do not say that you were not forewarned!

your friend,

Gail