On the morning that I photographed sunrise at Orlando Wetlands, one of the first birds I saw was a Bald Eagle sitting in the treetops. I watched that bird all morning. He spent a good part of the golden hour sitting in a treetop, watching and waiting.
Bald Eagle
He flew off a couple of times, circling the wetlands. Every time he flew over the ducks, they’d all take in a chaos of whistles and wings. But the eagle always returned with empty talons.
Bald Eagle in Flight
Golden hour had long past when the eagle flew off on another search for his breakfast. I was following him when he suddenly entered a dive…
Bald Eagle Grabs Siren
A split second later, he was at the water’s edge, grabbing a siren with his strong talons.
Bald Eagle Grabs Siren
In a heartbeat, the eagle was airborne again, with water droplets flying around his prey.
Bald Eagle Grabs Siren
The eagle carried his breakfast a few years, then hovered in mid-air for a quick nibble. Then he swept through the wetlands, his trophy on display, before finding a suitable tree to eat.
Bald Eagle Grabs Siren
You see this kind of behavior all the time in the marshes, but it’s not always easy to have the camera focused in the right place at the right time. But today I did…what a fun way to end a great morning!
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.
Belted Kingfishers
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!
Limpkin in Flight
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.
Green Heron
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.
Red-shouldered Hawk
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!
Sandhill Crane Nest
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!
Roseate Spoonbill with Nesting Material
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!
American Coot Walking on Water
American Coot Walking on Water
“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.
Blue-winged Teal
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!
The new boardwalk opens up new sunrise vistas for the early bird photographer. There’s nothing like nesting birds bring in sticks against a bright orange sky!
I arrived 30 minutes before sunrise, so I had to wait a few minutes for them to open the park gates. It was a foggy morning. I walked across the street where there was a pretty landscape of trees, fog, and orange-illuminated sky.
Sunrise Fog
I took my bike so that I could get to the boardwalk quickly for the best dramatic light. The Roseate Spoonbills were already active. They’d fly back and forth with nesting material. I loved the backlight in this bird’s wings as he flew towards his nest.
Roseate Spoonbill Flight Silhouette
My camera shutter went crazy as the birds went by. A pileated woodpecker with his tall crest. A Black-crowned Night Heron with nesting material. Then this Wood Stork flew right in front of me.
Wood Stork Flight Silhouette
The vultures sleep in the treetops, so it’s pretty easy to find a good angle for a sunrise silhouette.
Black Vulture Sunrise Silhouette
The giant orange orb peeked up over the horizon just as a vulture flew past. You can see the “cormorant Christmas tree” on the left. Another photographer said “here we go!” just as a flock of Black-bellied Whisting ducks took flight with a chorus of whistles. What a great morning to be outside!
Orlando Wetlands Sunrise
Want to know what else I saw that morning? Come back for the next post!
