I had a mini-reunion of fraternity brothers scheduled for Key West, starting on February 25. Chris suggested driving down to give us more flexibility, rather than flying. After some thought, we decided that driving was the best option for transportation.
At the end of the second day of driving, we had covered over one thousand miles, and after checking into our motel, raced over to Green Cay Wetlands to catch the last light. Green Cay is a water reclamation project of about 100 acres owned and operated by the Palm Beach County Department of Parks and Recreation. It is a treasure. Dozens of people use the 1.5 miles of boardwalk for their daily exercise, but the real benefit is to photographers because the wildlife has become so habituated to people that they do not fly or run away immediately when a person appears.
We parked the car and I got out my camera and 400mm lens. Chris noticed eight or ten people, some with big lens’s standing on the edge of the parking lot looking into the woods. We wandered over and discovered that there was a mother Bobcat and two half grown youngsters about 30 yards in, well within range of my 600mm lens.
I raced for the car, picked up Big Bertha and my tripod and walked rapidly back to the spot. But in that period of less than five minutes, eight photographers had crossed the hedges and grasses and approached the cats. They got their quick shots before the cats were scared off, so there was nothing to shoot when I arrived. This was strictly illegal behavior on their part and I was really steamed.
Someone went for the ranger who, when he arrived, caught three people still in the prohibited area. All he did was tell them to get out. No ticket was issued, no names taken. The eight had their photos and got no penalty. It was inexplicable to me and others.
We spent a few minutes on the boardwalk, finding the “usual suspects” but made few images. The following morning we returned at first light. Unfortunately the bobcats made no appearance, but I was able to make some images of Limpkins, Herons and a few other birds.
We then made a quick trip over to Wakodahatchee Wetlands, a similar, albeit smaller project only a mile away. Here we found a Snowy Egret in full breeding plumage preening. I made dozens of images of this lovely bird, all significantly underexposed so as not to burn out the white colors. There were also nesting Great Blue Herons and some Great Egrets in breeding plumage that were displaying. None gave us a close look or one from a perch that was unobstructed, but still I made some “record shots.”
From this location, we proceded to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge a few miles away. Lox has a new visitors center, that we checked out, and a refurbished short boardwalk. There are now two screech owl boxes, but no owl was visible in either. We did not find a whole lot to photograph as the time was late morning.
We did find a pair of Limpkins preening and resting in a bush alongside a lake. Chris wanted to photograph these birds, while I thought they were too hidden by branches to make a good photo. So I went back to the car while she worked the birds. As I was sitting in the car, with the door open, I heard Red-shouldered Hawks called very close and realized that they were in the tree right above the car. Before I could get my 600 out, one flew to a nearby open tree and then the other. I quickly got the big lens on the tripod and quickly made several shots.
Probably less than a minute after I began shooting one of the birds took wing. I snapped the shutter as it was taking off and this resulted in one of the best images of the entire trip. You can see it on my Facebook page.
From Lox, we set Gertrude, the GPS, for Okeeheelee County Park, where the staff has feeders set up that attract Painted Buntings. We had visited this park in 2008 and found the buntings feeding at the middle of the day, so did not hesitate to visit again at 2PM.
We were not disappointed. While the buntings were there, so were a lot of casual visitors. There was one other photographer sitting on a lawn chair with his back to the porch wall of the visitors center. All the talk and movement by the folks on the porch regularly scared the birds, so making decent shots was a challenge.
Chris was bored by the process, so took a couple of hikes. On one she found a Gopher Tortoise munching on grass right out on the lawn. When she told me, I immediately departed the stake out and went out with my 400 to photo the turtle. When he saw me, he legged it for the shade, which was fine with me, because high sun shots are typically difficult. I was able to lie down in front of the tortoise and shoot him head on from ten feet.
Another surprise occurred a few minutes later when I was back trying for the buntings. Chris exclaimed that there was an armadillo rooting around only forty feet away! and indeed there was. I jumped up again, put on the 400 mm lens and walked to the spot. After only one shot, however, the other photographer came over and walked right up to the animal, scaring him away. I was furious. How incredibily dumb can one get? No animal or bird will let you walk rapidly right at him and not flee. This guy was a total doofus.
After spending the night with friends in Coral Gables, we arose early and headed for the Everglades. What a disappointment this park has become. As you have probably read, Burmese Pythons have devastated the animal population in the Glades. There are practically no animals remaining: rabbits, raccoons, possums, muskrats and even bobcats are largely gone. The pythons either escaped captivity or more likely were just released by thoughtless owners who no longer wanted to take care of a large snake.
We did make some images of Anhingas, Alligators, Green Herons, cobwebs and one Purple Gallinule, all at Anhinga Trail, there was nothing really unusual to work. It was a beautiful spring morning, however, and we took in the many sounds that make nature so attractive to all our senses.
We then drove on down 135 miles to Key West over Route 1 through all the islands. We spent four nights and part of five days at Key West, watching all the nutty scenes and crazy people. We did take the catamaran out to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas. While this is interesting from a historical perspective, the wildlife there was limited. We did enjoy the Frigitbirds sailing on the wind and occasionally going after each other.
On Leap Year Day, we arose early and headed north to Big Pine Island in hopes of encountering the endangered Key Deer, a sub-species of the common White-tailed Deer. We found a few, but nothing like our visit in 2009, when we found a herd of fifteen or twenty. One, however, gave us quite an experience. We came across a small buck, that had dropped one of its spikes. As soon as we stopped the car, the buck approached. We got out and he came right up to us, obviously having been fed by people. I stuck my finger out and he nibbled on it! He licked Chris’s finger. This was a first for both of us.
For numbers, our luck changed after a stop by a local officer for not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign. I was and am embarrassed that this was true, but the officer took pity on us and did not issue a citation. Then he advised, after my question, where we were likely to find the deer: on No Name Key across a bridge from Big Pine. Even though it was getting to be late morning, we must have found a dozen deer right alongside the road on this island.
After exiting the Keys, we headed north to Palm Beach County again and again visited Okeeheelee County Park. When we arrived, there was no one watching the feeders, so I had an hour or more by myself. The buntings cooperated and we also saw Mourning and Eurasian Collared Doves, Cardinals and Brown Thrashers at the feeder. Chris found the Gopher Tortoises again, but no Armadillos.
After this park, we returned to Green Cay and experienced a near repeat of our Bobcat fiasco of six days previous. We drove up at about 5 PM and there was a group of photographers on the edge of the parking lot. Sure enough, they had found a Bobcat again. Again, I went out with my 600mm, but the cat had moved by the time I got there. It then appeared very near the visitor center just sitting facing away from us for some minutes. Turns out this was one of this year’s kittens, although at least half grown. It had an injured right front paw, so its survival prospects are not good.
Once again there was jostling for a position to shoot the cat and once again someone moved into the prohibited area and approached the cat. Three of us spoke sternly to this older man who, for a few moments ignored us, but one photographer pressed, and the miscreant finally backed off. Once again, the ranger was contacted and the bad guy identified to him. No name was taken, no ticket issued. No penalty for an infraction.
I did make a couple of fair photos of the cat, but the shooting was really challenging, and the animal finally bedded down very close to the sidewalk, but out of view. After fifteen minutes of waiting we all gave up.
Thursday, March 1, we were back at Green Cay at first light, but no cat appeared. It was, however, another really lovely morning which we really enjoyed. I found three Marsh Rabbits on one green dike that were particularly attractive in the early light. These rabbits look superficially like Cottontails, but really are quite different. Large heads, short ears and legs characterize this species. They are a prime food for Bobcats.
While I was working the Marsh Rabbits, Chris was walking the boardwalk and found a Raccoon climbing down a tree. She was able to make a few photos before it ambled off.
I discovered an American Bittern hunkered down in the marsh grass, but it soon stretched out as they do looking almost like a thick reed. Across the boardwalk in the same area was a Least Bittern, which stayed more hidden, but did permit a few decent photos. the least is probably only 20% of the size of the American.
On the way out I suddenly saw a Great Blue Heron that had just captured the Florida sub-species of Ribbon Snake. It was wrapped completely around his bill. I made a few photos, but then the heron flew to a spot on the dike even closer than before! I must have taken over five minutes for the bird to subdue the snake and finally eat it. I was able to document the entire process in great light. The first time I have ever seen a Great Blue with a snake.
After this exciting encounter, we hit Route 95 and headed north, staying overnight in Georgia. The following morning we visited two new National Wildlife Refuges: Harris Neck in Georgia and Savanna in South Carolina. Although both were attractive and interesting, there was nothing particularly unusual to shoot in either other than some heavy Spanish Moss on Live Oaks.
We completed our journing on Saturday the 3rd, having driven 2761 miles. We were fortunate in encountering rain for only about two hours in the entire trip.