I stuck my wide-angle lens in my camera bag for my last bike trip to Lake Apopka, and I was really glad I did! I’m loving using my bike to get out with my camera. The sun was just coming up as I started out, and I saw some great birds too.

This was my first glimpse of the sun looking back over the canal. I bracketed the exposure and combined them using HDR in PhotoMatix Pro.

An Osprey greeted me as he flew over the marsh.

I headed to the Crazy U, hoping I’d see some migrants. Seems like I’m usually seeing Yellow Warblers by this point in the year, but not this year. I spotted a few Palms, that was about it. Then this Red-bellied Woodpecker flew in and asked if I’d take his photo.

The morning was cool with a slight breeze. The clouds glistened pink and purple as the sun’s soft light fell over the marsh.

I moved on, biking along to visit the Great Blue Herons at their nest. I heard the baby before I saw the nest. “Na-na-na-na-nah!” Bird parents must be very patient. Mom leaned down and regurgitated some breakfast for the baby.

I spotted some small birds darting back and forth in the bushes. Then I heard the call of a Prairie Warbler, and I may have seen a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, but the birds didn’t feel like posing for the camera. When I phished a little, only this Common Yellowthroat answered me.

Looking back over the canals, I saw the last traces of the sunrise over the palm trees. I wished I had a different vantage point to put the sun directly over the canal. The clouds were gorgeous.

My last bird of the morning was a Northern Flicker. I’ve seen them nest in this vicinity, and when I spotted two birds, I started to get excited about baby pictures. Maybe on my next trip!