Loxahatchee - Okeeheelee - Long Key - April 04 2008

My friend Gene Sinnema and I Started the day at Loxahatchee NWR in Boynton Beach, FL and we were rewarded with cloudy skies and few birds. Lox used to be my favorite haunt in the late 90's . Bummer.

We then proceeded to head up to Okeeheelee Nature Center in West Palm Beach, FL which is about 8 miles north of Boynton Beach. We were in search of Painted Buntings and we found what we were looking for ! We saw seven female Buntings at one time along with two male Painted Buntings. We both scored a few good images but we were severely hampered by two things. First were the squirrels. They were as many as eleven squirrels at one time eating the seed and chasing any bird that landed near them. The second came in the form of another photographer who meant well but ultimately ruined my best ever image of a female Painted Bunting!

This lady photographer had spread peanut butter all over the main landing perches for the buntings as well as a log they use as well. When I finally got an image I had hoped for it was smeared with Peter Pan Peanut Butter !~! ARRGGH !!! Look at that PB...where's the J ?

I ended the day at Long Key Nature Center in Davie and shot along side of fellow Everglades Photographic Society (EPS ) member Hugh McLaughlin. Hugh is good people. The light was good and several good images were made.

Here are two from Long Key. Both images are of a Cattle Egret. The top image shows the Cattle Egret in breeding plumage and the image below shows non breeding plumage.


Michael Wolf

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