Bird Images of Cedar Key, Florida

Great Egret feeding in Cedar Key Florida

While walking down a side road, I have often wondered why there always seems to be a Great Egret walking around near vegetation on dry ground. Well today I found out…

Great Egret catching food

At first glance all I could tell was that it had something on the end of it’s beak.

Great Egret with something in it’s beak..

Ah-hah… Looks like a Brown Anole…

Great Egret with a lizard

It was still wiggling around when the bird swallowed it! I could just about hear the lizard saying, help-me, help-me…

Ready to swallow the little critter…

Looking for more lizards..

So now I know… It was comical watching it look for more. It would stretch it’s neck out as far as it could and wiggle its head and neck back and forth… I’m not sure if it was trying to hypnotize the lizard 🙂 or if that was a way of attracting them…

Another fun time with the birds in Cedar Key…

By S. Deam|2017-01-26T16:22:09-05:00March 4th, 2013|Bird Images|

Cedar Key Osprey with lunch

While talking to a friend from Canada, I noticed an Osprey coming our way. All I had time for was one quick “grab” shot before it disappeared behind a tree… As much as I have used the camera and lens it still amazes me how fast the Canon 7D camera and 400mm lens can acquire accurate focus! In this case it took all of about 2 seconds to acquire the fish in the viewfinder, focus and take the shot. I clipped part of the wing but the auto-focus locked on instantly even though there were blowing palm leaves (the white and green streaks) between me and the bird…

An Osprey with a carry-out lunch

I think it’s interesting how Ospreys almost always carry their catch perfectly in-line with their body. I imagine they do that because it’s more aerodynamic that way… At any rate, the fish is getting quote a ride!

The object by the birds head is the tip of its right wing…

By S. Deam|2017-01-26T16:22:09-05:00March 4th, 2013|Bird Images|

Another Osprey

While walking to a location that I hoped to find some birds, I noticed this guy atop a pole…

An Osprey launching from a pole in Cedar Key

I was able to snap a couple just as it took off.

An Osprey in flight

And then a little further along my walk I saw this Osprey with a Ballyhoo…

An Osprey with breakfast in Cedar Key

An interesting fact about Osprey is that they are the only hawk able to grasp with two toes in front and two in back as can be seen in the above image…

By now I’m sure the fish realizes it’s an appetizer for this bird…

By S. Deam|2017-01-26T16:22:09-05:00March 3rd, 2013|Bird Images|

Majestic Osprey

While sitting on our deck a couple days ago I heard the chirping of an Osprey. Looking around I noticed that it was sitting in a tree about 40 yards away. On this day I pulled out my big gun, a Canon 600mm F4 lens and grabbed a few shots.

A majestic looking Oprey sits in a tree in Cedar Key

Anyone who has visted Cedar Key knows that it is full of Ospreys. When flying overhead people often think they are seeing a Bald Eagle. While not as plentiful, it’s not uncommong to see Bald Eagles flying around too.

By S. Deam|2017-01-26T16:22:09-05:00March 3rd, 2013|Bird Images|

Pelican Landing

A few mornings ago while bird watching in the back bayou of Cedar Key I watched as a Brown Pelican flew directly toward me. As the bird banked around just a few yards from me I took a burst of shots as the bird landed.

A Brown Pelican lands on an old railroad pylon.

The slideshow below shows the bird’s various wing positions as it picks out a post and lands on it. (You can click to the right of the images to step through faster)

Invalid Displayed Gallery

By S. Deam|2017-01-26T16:22:09-05:00March 3rd, 2013|Bird Images|

Juvenile White Ibis

Spotted this Juvenile White Ibis this morning..

By S. Deam|2017-01-26T16:22:10-05:00March 1st, 2013|Bird Images|

Great Egrets in Cedar Key

I took these shots in the back-bayou area of Cedar Key a few days ago…. The sun was on the opposite side of the birds resulting in very strong back-lighting.

A Great Egret landing

Three Great Egrets feeding

A Great Egret feeding

If you visit Cedar Key, look for these birds just about anywhere on the island..

By S. Deam|2017-01-26T16:22:10-05:00February 28th, 2013|Bird Images|

A Snowy Egret and a Double-crested Cormorant

A Snowy Egret feeding in the shallow Bayou

While capturing shots of the Egret, this guy came swimming out from under the pier I was standing on…

A Double-crested Cormorant

It’s easy to see why these birds are so good at grabbing fish underwater. Every once in a while you’ll see them pop up with a fish that is way too large for them. When that happens they just toss it away and take another dive…

By S. Deam|2017-01-26T16:22:10-05:00February 27th, 2013|Bird Images|

White Pelicans and a Great Egret in Cedar Key

While sitting on one of my favorite piers in Cedar Key, a small group of White Pelicans and one Great Egret stopped by for a visit.

A mature and a juvenile White Pelican

A Great Egret in flight in Cedar Key

A tidbit about White Pelicans:

Breeding on lakes throughout the northern Great Plains and mountain West, the American White Pelican is one of the largest birds in North America. It winters along the coasts, but breeds only inland.

By S. Deam|2017-01-26T16:22:10-05:00February 27th, 2013|Bird Images|

Fun with Cedar Key birds

So, I grabbed my Canon 7D camera and Canon 400mm F5.6 lens and went out for a little bird walk this afternoon. Normally mid-day sun is really bad for birds shots but today it is slightly overcast giving me some nice, diffused lighting to work with. During a short 45 minute walk I ran into several birds that I was able to have fun with.

The first one I encountered was a beautiful Brown Pelican doing some preening while sitting on the back of a pier bench. As in most places the Brown Pelicans are so tame you can get very close to them…

Are you looking at me??

The above image is a crop of the image below. Note, I was so close that the above image is not enlarged any, it is just cropped very tight.

A Brown Pelican in Cedar Key

And below is another pose of this bird… Notice the bands on it’s legs.

A Brown Pelican poses for me

A Tri-Colored Heron Preening

A Great Blue Heron comes in for a landing

After landing very near me, this heron ducked into the mangroves so that I couldn’t see it. I patiently waited to see if it would come out. At first it would just stick it’s head out to see if I was still there…