FEATHERED FRIENDS OF SW FLORIDA

One of the most difficult photographic subjects to capture is wildlife in their natural surroundings — especially birds in flight.  I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of capturing birds in their natural environment — no zoo photography here.

In addition to Southwest Florida being home to many year round feathered friends, there is a yearly migration of many species from the northern regions of the country.

Here are some of my favorite images captured in Southwest Florida — from Sarasota to the Florida Keys.

A Great Blue Heron with her two nestlings

Muscovy Duck with her ducklings

A Great White Egret and Great Blue Heron face off during mating season

Roseatte Spoonbill Preening

Osprey Feeding on Marco Island

A Snowy Egret in Naples Florida.  People have nicknamed Snowy Egrets “Golden Slippers” because of their yellow feet

Wood Stork in Flight

Mature White Ibis at the shore

Fishing for their morning meal in the shallows

Great Blue Heron during mating season in Venice, Florida

Great White Egret in Flight on Sanibel Island

Laughing White Pelican

Osprey after fishing in the Gulf

Mating Plumage of the Great White Egret

Immature Wood Stork

The Great White Egret in Flight

A Brown Pelican is on top of the world in this 60 foot high vantage point

A protective Great Egret protects her two nestlings at Venice Rookery

Reddy Egret Posing. This Heron species is quite rare in Florida

A juvenile Limpkin

Tri-Colored Heron

Osprey Taking off at Ten Thousand Islands Refuge in Immokalee, Florida

Beautiful color and designs on a Green Heron

Black-crowned night heron