Cold and Fog at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
January 6, 2018 - A cold, overcast day still turned up some good birds at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
Beyond the Backyard
While the blog started as a record of my backyard garden and birds, it quickly grew as I discovered bird photography. This page contains images taken “beyond the backyard” during my travels around Central Florida (and beyond!)
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive Reopens in Time for Christmas!
December 28, 2017 - The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive reopened just before Christmas. Even a foggy day there is a good day, complete with Merlin, Gadwall, American Wigeon, and a Vermilion Flycatcher!
Dreaming of a White Christmas
December 25, 2017 - Some beautiful white Whooping Cranes make for a white Christmas in Florida
Christmas Bird Count 2017 at the Lake Hancock Outfall Wetlands
December 17, 2017 - Photographic highlights of the Lakeland Christmas Bird Count, Outfall Wetlands property. Best bird was Northern Waterthrush.
Foggy Morning and Lifer Clay-colored Sparrow
December 7, 2017 - A foggy morning made for a beautiful sunrise, the Grasshopper Sparrow cooperated, and the Clay-colored Sparrow surprised me :)
Viera Wetlands is Open Again!
November 24, 2017 - My first visit to Viera Wetlands after Hurricane Irma yielded nesting Great Blue Herons, a fishing Belted Kingfisher, and first-of-fall coots!
Quiet Time with the Little Birds
November 5, 2017 - A pair of Eastern Bluebirds serenaded me while I watched mixed flocks of passerines wake up and search for their breakfasts.
Fall Walk at Orlando Wetlands Park
October 29, 2017 - A fall walk at Orlando Wetlands Park gave me a chance to photograph our returning winter birds
Chasing Warblers at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
September 5, 2017 - A Labor Day photo outing at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive yielded fall migrants: Yellow Warblers, Prairie Warblers, and the entertaining Belted Kingfisher
Another Morning at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 29, 2017 - A slow morning of photography at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive made perfect by one juvenile Barn Swallow :)
Feeding Frenzy at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 25, 2017 - Alligators, wading birds, and Ospreys all vied for fish in a feeding frenzy at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive pump house pond
Another Magnolia Park Summer Sunset
August 23, 2017 - Another summer sunset at Magnolia Park. Always a fun place to photograph, even when the colors are just average!
A Third Pied-Billed Grebe Nest at Lake Apopka
August 19, 2017 - I photographed a third Pied-Billed Grebe nest far off in the marsh at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive in early July. Four little babies hatched! :)
Beware the Red-winged Blackbirds! at LAWD
August 15, 2017 - Red-winged Blackbirds were attacking Swallow-tailed Kites who hunted insects over the fields, right over the blackbirds' nest.
The First Sign of Fall at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 13, 2017 - My dad and I spotted our first-of-fall Belted Kingfisher at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive on July 16. Fall migration is underway!
Osprey with Fish! at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 11, 2017 - A morning of exciting action and flight photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive...and so many Osprey with Fish!
Lazy Summer Morning at Lake Apopka
August 9, 2017 - More summer photography from the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. Lots of juveniles-Pied-billed Grebe, Green Heron, Least Bittern, Purple Martins
Rich’s Turtle Hat Trick
August 7, 2017 - An early morning on the beach yielded three Green Sea turtles - a turtle hat trick for Rich!
Another Summer Morning on LAWD
August 5, 2017 - Another fun morning of photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive (LAWD) - Green Herons, Common Gallinule, Least Bittern, White-winged Dove
Feeding Time for the Barn Swallows at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 3, 2017 - I photographed not one, not two, but fourteen bugs that Mom brought in to feed her baby Barn Swallows at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
Mississippi Kites
August 1, 2017 - It's been fun photographing a few Mississippi Kites mixed in with the Swallow-tailed Kites at Lake Apopka Wildlife Refuge this summer
Let’s Go Fly a Kite! at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 30, 2017 - Hundreds of Swallow-tailed Kites kettling overhead makes for a happy bird photographer...especially when the birds start feeding on the wing
Nature’s Fireworks at Magnolia Park
July 28, 2017 - Over the 4th of July weekend I photographed some of nature's fireworks. The sunset was spectacular that evening at Magnolia Park!
July 4th at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 26, 2017 - July 4th bird photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive: Osprey with Fish, yawning Least Bittern, swallows, and Swallow-tailed Kites!
More Summer Fun at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 24, 2017 - The photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is awesome this summer! Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Blue Grosbeak, Loggerhead Shrike, Indigo Bunting
Another Pied-Billed Grebe Family at Lake Apopka!
July 22, 2017 - Photos of a Pied-billed Grebe family with two small chicks. They rode on Mom's back and struggled to eat fish for breakfast.
July 4 Weekend at Lake Apopka
July 20, 2017 - I kicked off my July 4 weekend with a Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive visit and photographed all sorts of fun birds
Red-winged Blackbirds at Nest
July 18, 2017 - I found a Red-winged Blackbird nest at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, complete with two fledglings and a dad who fed them
Common Gallinule Nest at Lake Morton
July 16, 2017 - Photos of a Common Gallinule family tending their nest and three young chicks. Mom and Dad brought in food while a juvenile sibling baby-sat
Nesting Green Sea Turtle
July 14, 2017 - Rich and I photographed a nesting Green Sea turtle at the Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge in early July. The poor turtle was missing a flipper.
June Morning at Lake Morton
July 12, 2017 - A June morning of photography at Lake Morton yielded juvenile cygnets, Wood Ducks, Wood Storks, and a Common Gallinule nest
Purple Gallinules at Lake Parker Park
July 10, 2017 - Photography of Purple Gallinules at Lake Parker Park - and a few other fun birds!
Eyes to the Skies at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 8, 2017 - Another fun morning of bird photography at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, where my eyes were in the skies with flight shots galore!
Baby Purple Gallinules at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 6, 2017 - Baby Purple Gallinules and their parents posed for my camera at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
Orchard Oriole and Lifer Cave Swallow at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 2, 2017 - My addiction to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive continues! On this particular visit, I scored a first-summer Orchard Oriole and my lifer Cave Swallow
Forky the Pig
June 28, 2017 - Fork-tailed Flycatcher in action - catching the bug, losing the bug, regaining the bug, and eating the bug!
Two Cuckoos on a Quest at Lake Apopka
June 26, 2017 - The photographer-cuckoos met the bird-cuckoo at Lake Apopka. We also saw Pied-billed Grebe babies, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, and our lifer Mississippi Kite! :)
Baby Pied-billed Grebes! at Lake Apopka
June 24, 2017 - I got to photograph baby Pied-billed Grebes at their nest at Lake Apopka. They are so cute with their stripes and orange spots!
A Morning of Possibilities at Lake Apopka
June 22, 2017 - A beautiful sunrise was just the start of a great morning of photography at Lake Apopka. Bitterns and grebes, oh my!
Addicted to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 20, 2017 - Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive continues to yield great birds, including American White Pelicans and Red-breasted Merganser - in June!
Happy Father’s Day!
June 18, 2017 - Happy Father's Day to my Dyeyo D! I'm so lucky to get to share lots of feather-brained adventures with you. Here's to many more!
The Fun Continues at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 16, 2017 - The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive has been such fun this month! Highlights of this visit include baby Killdeer, a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, a Roseate Spoonbill, and the ever-present baby aliens (Common Gallinules).
Rare Fork-tailed Flycatcher at Lake Apopka
June 14, 2017 - A rare (to the US) Fork-tailed Flycatcher has been hanging out at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. What a fun bird! Such a tail!
Last But Not Least (Bittern) – Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 12, 2017 - Least Bitterns are usually secretive, but apparently they like to come out on rainy days! Photos taken at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
First Afternoon Visit to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 10, 2017 - My first afternoon visit to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, in search of the rare White-faced Ibis and Fork-tailed Flycatcher. Lots of great birds!
Baby Barn Swallows at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 8, 2017 - Baby Barn Swallows are adorably cute as they beg for Mom to feed them. Photographs from the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive.
Not a Good Day to be a Bug at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 6, 2017 - Action-packed morning at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, where bugs were being handed out to all the baby birds!
Musical Trees with the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
June 4, 2017 - Black-bellied Whistling Duck nesting territory disputes are very animated when more than 2 birds lay claim to a dead palm tree!
Sunrise Walk at Orlando Wetlands Park
June 2, 2017 - A summer sunrise at Orlando Wetlands with the birds...Pileated Woodpecker, baby Purple Gallinules, some Least Bitterns, and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks!
Happy World Turtle Day 2017!
May 23, 2017 - Happy World Turtle Day! Here are some ways to celebrate Rich's favorite flippered friends.