Eye on Nature

February is here and so it seems that our
local birds are getting their breeding plumage.
The laughing gulls that have white heads all
winter are now getting their black hoods. The
pelicans are getting their colorful pouches and
blue eyes. The Rosette Spoonbills are by far the
most stunning as they get their hot pink wing
bands, hot pink legs, orange tails, chartreuse
skullcaps, black headbands and yellow wash
across their breast.
Now that hunting season is over and no
longer does the air ring with gunshots as flocks
of fleeing ducks fill the sky, all the birds will
calm down, spoonbills will return to South Bay
and the time for breeding pair bonding begins.
The photography opportunities at this time
of year are my favorites, and the quiet of South
Bay becomes a haven for birds feeding up on
fat reserves for the nesting season. The low
tides of the bay provide vast tidal flats for feeding.
A mix of shore birds in one photo can have
over twenty species. Imagine feeding herons
and egrets, intermixed with white pelicans dipping
up fish, with their wings flared, looking
much like swans, along with spoonbills and
white ibis. That is a photo I love.
The shore birds such as dunlin, western and
least sandpipers, dowitchers and willets,
curlews and godwits, all portray a blend of
browns and rust against the exposed turtle and
manatee grass. Then a peregrine swoops
through the scene and birds take flight filling
the air with flight shots and sounds of wings
rustling and birds calling. Little eared grebes
and bufflehead ducks dive nearby and we cannot
resist seeing those ruby red eyes of the
grebe as if a gem stone were placed on each side
of their face.
To me South Bay is like opening the door
and entering Willie Wonka's chocolate factory.
This is an exciting time of year to photograph
the stunning colors in the world of birds on
the bay.
And of course, our dolphins. They always
seem to be nearby while we are photographing
birds, as if to be saying, hey, we are much more
wonderful than those birds, and they do try to
steal the show. Photographing pelicans and
royal terns feeding with dolphins isn't too bad,
either.
It is our nature niche, and our nature center
takes birding photography tours on the bay
with just six or fewer people. For information,
call 956-299-1957 and get photos like this
one. Mama Mia!