After a gorgeous sunrise at Orlando Wetlands, I spent a fun morning on the new boardwalk. The boardwalk puts you right in the middle of springtime nesting flight shot action. :)

I heard this pair of Belted Kingfishers before I saw them. They hovered in the air together for several seconds, calling to each other and fluttering in mid-air. I wish they had been in better light! It’s hard to get one kingfisher in the air, and I think this is the first time I’ve ever gotten two.

A Limpkin flew by. He’s another bird that you usually hear before you see him. In fact, his call is so distinctive that it was used as the voice of hippogriff in the Harry Potter movies!

I had my bike with me that morning. After enjoying the boardwalk for a while, I rode off to the other trails. It was a cool morning and it felt so good to be outside! This little Green Heron also enjoyed the feeling of the sun on his face.

Wally’s favorite cooperative hawk was back. With his girlfriend! Both hawks flew over my head, calling at me and asking me why I had wheels instead of wings.

I knew Sandhill Cranes were nesting at the wetlands, and one of my goals for the morning was to find the nest. I did! One of the cranes meandered nearby while the second adult incubated the nest and slept. It’s been a few years since I’ve photographed colts – I can’t wait!

Back on the boardwalk, I settled in to photograph Roseate Spoonbills bringing in nesting material. There are two clumps of trees with active spoonbill nests, and the birds seem to like to go steal nesting material from the other colony. The sun angle was perfect and the flight photography was amazing!

When the skies were not full of the pink, the coots didn’t want me to get bored. There’s a flock of coots that seems especially adept at running on the water. Pople have always laughed at me for photographing coots, but I can’t help it. They are fun!

“Don’t forget about me!” said the Blue-winged Teal. He’ll be leaving soon for his summer breeding grounds. Here he stretches his wings as he flies in near the boardwalk.

All good things must come to an end. When I finally left the boardwalk, I didn’t get very far before finding this Purple Gallinule. He said to come back soon!