Category Archives: Birds

The Osprey at Honeymoon Island

Video April 5, 2018 Raymond Hess

This is just a quick clip of the Osprey that sits perched atop the post just outside the entrance to Honeymoon Island State Park. After having recently caught a mullet by diving from high altitudes, then crashing into the water to grab and scoop the unsuspecting fish, it starts its meal by taking a moment to collect itself, a moment to unruffle the feathers, and shake off the water. The osprey has just caught a medium sized mullet from the waterway just adjacent to the park entrance. Mullet are a common meal for the hungry osprey because mullet are so abundant, and because they are a species of fish that spend a lot of their life on the surface of the water. Mullet are a great, easy, and filling meal for these beautiful birds.

Birds

Cardinals on A Bird Feeder At The Brooker Creek Preserve

Gallery March 25, 2018 Raymond Hess

These two birds are a male and female cardinal eating from a bird feeder at the brooker creek preserve. They can be very vocal at times and quiet at other times. The male is the darker red bird, while the female has the brownish orange coloration. The male is far more confident than the female, far less skittish or fearful than the female. Typically they are found together, not always on the same branch or right next to each other, they move from area to area as a pair. Approximately 6 to 8 inches in length with a similar wing span, they’re very agile birds. The cardinal is very prevalent in and around the Brooker Creek Preserve, as well as many other environments of coastal Florida.

Birds

Roseate Spoonbill in Flight

Image March 17, 2018 Raymond Hess

This is a great photo I took of a roseate spoonbill in flight back in 2015. I took the picture with a slow shutter speed using my Canon DSLR camera. The slow shutter gives the photo an artistic feel, giving it the appearance that someone painted it. It really turned out spectacular!