This Thanksgiving break I scouted out Newton Park on the south shore of Lake Apopka. It is a great little residential park filled with feathered friends, mostly fussy grackles. A number of Purple Gallinules greeted me from the reeds on the edge of the lake. A female Snail Kite flew overhead on her search for her breakfast. I walked out on the dock and found the largest number of Canvasbacks I’ve seen together in Florida – I think I counted 11 of them, mostly females with one drake. A pair of Redhead ducks were out there also, along with some Lesser and one Greater Scaup. On my walk back, one of the grackles hassled an Osprey in mid-air. Then a Double-crested Cormorant did battle with a giant fish and managed to swallow it whole. It was just a quick walk, but it felt great to say hello to my feathered friends!
Purple GallinuleBoat-tailed GrackleSnail KiteRedhead Duck Pair with Canvasback and CootsGrackle Chasing OspreyDouble-crested Cormorant with Fish
The Lake Jesup sunflowers are blooming this year! On the shores of Lake Jesup, visible from highway 417, the grassy fields come alive with bright yellow blooms around October 1. I first photographed the beautiful fields of flowers back in 2013. In recent years, heavy summer rains have flooded the fields and kept the flowers from blooming. So I was super excited to see 2019 reports of flowers on Central Florida Photo Ops and Firefall Photography.
The last time I hiked out there, I remember thinking “I should have brought a ladder!” Well, this year I did better: I brought a tall monopod and a remote shutter release to let me get over the tall bushes of flowers. It was worth the effort. :)
Fields of Yellow Sunflowers
I think the fields are a little past peak bloom, and/or not as prolific as my previous visit. It was still fun to slosh around in the marshy fields and find creative ways to photograph the scenes. My favorite photo turned out to be an iPhone snapshot:
Sunflower-Blooms
As I walked through the flowers, I heard the distant calls of Sandhill Cranes. I quickly switched into video mode and watched in awe as a large flock flew over my head. It’s not often that I see that many cranes together. Rich said he counted around 35. They flew over my head and settled among the flowers.
The sun started to set, and Rich and I headed back to the car. His favorite Indian food was waiting for us. The return walk to the car took us on a trail through a gorgeous oak canopy. I couldn’t resist stopping to take a few more photos. It was a peaceful end to a fun afternoon.
Red Trail at Lake Jesup Conservation Area
If you want to visit the sunflowers yourself, don’t delay! Jeff put some great maps and tips on his blog. Check it out!
