Yesterday morning I went to the Viera Wetlands to photograph Roseate Spoonbills.  The water levels at the Click Ponds are very low, which attracts hundreds of wading birds.  Besides the spoonies, there were American White Pelicans, Wood Storks, Snowy Egrets, Sandhill Cranes, and a variety of shorebirds.  They all hang out at one corner of one of the ponds in a large flock.  It was birdy paradise, but a challenge for photography, as it was hard to isolate birds to make pleasing compositions.  I arrived home wondering if I would keep many of the images.  Then I went through them, grinned wide, and returned there today for a second try!  So I will have some spoonies to share with you in a few days, after I finish going through them, which will take me a while!

In the meantime, I’m not the only one who learned the value of the old adage, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!”  A Bald Eagle circled over the ponds this morning, looking for a fish for breakfast.   A group of American White Pelicans had been fighting over a dead fish that was floating near the surface of the pond.  The pelicans gave up on it, and the eagle swooped in to grab it.  But he missed!

It’s such fun to see the eagles swoop down with their talons outstretched.  I’m surprised he came up empty, especially since it appeared that the fish was just floating on the surface of the water.  Maybe he decided he didn’t want a dead fish!  So then he flew off to try, try again.  Of course his second attempt was at the wrong light angle, but he came up victorious from the dive.  Bon appetite, my friend!