St Augustine - Birds Galore

[Second Hand Pat]

I was invited to shoot with Stan (SMB2) during his visit to St. Augustine Alligator Farm this week. The farm is similar to Gatorland in Orlando where the gator breeding pond is used by many water birds as a rookery. This offers photographers unique opportunities to get close and somewhat personal with the birds. their breeding and nesting behaviors.

I meet Stan in the parking lot of the farm and we took photos all day Tuesday and Wednesday morning. He mentored me during the day and I learned a ton of stuff with settings, the relationship between settings and using the camera to assist me with knowing when a photo is too bright, too dark etc. The shooting was challenging switching from bright, sun kissed settings to dark, shadowy and adjusting settings as you go. I took a lot of pictures, filled one 32G SDCard and part of another. I do have some gems amongst all the pictures used to help determine the right settings.

Stan, thank you so much for the invite, the mentoring and the company. This was priceless leaning opportunity. Please share some of your photos and you are truly a master of your craft. I have so much ground to cover but so looking forward to the journey.

This is one of the better photos I took.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1595/26552912875_8f55a41bc7_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GsoBUF)DSC_2542-2 (https://flic.kr/p/GsoBUF)

[Second Hand Pat]

This same bird offers some other nice shots as it was coming in for a landing.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1464/26278350070_243e01f31d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/G38pXd)DSC_2543 (https://flic.kr/p/G38pXd) [/url]

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1643/26279308340_0e4b883fed_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_2547 (https://flic.kr/p/G3djP7) [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/]

[Akili]

Nice Shots Pat,............... Thanks for sharing

[Second Hand Pat]

Nice Shots Pat,............... Thanks for sharing

Thanks Akili :)

[Second Hand Pat]

Many of the birds were already paired and heavy into the nest building. One woodstorks would fly to a nearby tree and literally break a living branch from the tree and return it to the nest. The mate at the nest would place it into the nest just so.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1564/25952372614_b393564474_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FxjGdf)DSC_0466 (https://flic.kr/p/FxjGdf) [/url]

You can see the mate in the right lower corner.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1691/25954507093_741dd41cb9_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_0467 (https://flic.kr/p/FxvCHB) [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/]

[Altum Nut]

Gorgeous photos Pat.
I find it amazing how clear your photos are when I can't take a decent one because the subject turned during my snap.
We don't see any birds like that around here so it's a real treat for me. Resembles something out of the Jurassic Park movies.

...Ralph

[John_Nicholson]

Very nice.

-john

[Second Hand Pat]

Gorgeous photos Pat.
I find it amazing how clear your photos are when I can't take a decent one because the subject turned during my snap.
We don't see any birds like that around here so it's a real treat for me. Resembles something out of the Jurassic Park movies.

...Ralph

That bald head and neck looks straight out of Jurassic Park to me Ralph. :)
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Very nice.

-john

Thanks John :)

[Second Hand Pat]

Incoming...

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1624/26537667396_6abeb97c04_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Gr3tXA)DSC_0580 (https://flic.kr/p/Gr3tXA)

[Second Hand Pat]

Like my head gear

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1587/26497903811_1edb578946_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GnwFCx)DSC_0578 (https://flic.kr/p/GnwFCx) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)

[Second Hand Pat]

Hey, when do you think mom is returning, I'm hungry (older egret chicks)

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1562/26472060362_d8e12822dd_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GkfegQ)DSC_0672-2 (https://flic.kr/p/GkfegQ)

[Second Hand Pat]

Spoonbill Chicks. Taking these guys are pretty hard. Catching them looking your way thru a small opening in the tree. lol

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1692/26497900761_93ff5fcac9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GnwEHX)DSC_0939 (https://flic.kr/p/GnwEHX)

[Second Hand Pat]

Stan suggested I warm this photo up a bit. Hopefully this is better.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1475/26294166990_821063c360_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/G4wtLJ)DSC_2542-3 (https://flic.kr/p/G4wtLJ)

[Second Hand Pat]

Took another stab. Warmed the bird a bit more, soften it and removed the "blue cast"

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1559/26503241511_0bb414f626_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Go13kR)DSC_2542-4 (https://flic.kr/p/Go13kR)

[rickztahone]

Finally get to see these pics Pat! What a busy day I had.

Very beautiful shots as always. I like the last edited version the best

[Discus-n00b]

Spoonbills are so cool, almost flamingo like.

[LizStreithorst]

I like the second pic best.

[Second Hand Pat]

Finally get to see these pics Pat! What a busy day I had.

Very beautiful shots as always. I like the last edited version the best

I do too Ricardo :D


Spoonbills are so cool, almost flamingo like.

They are Matt, this is the first time I have gotten this close to them. :)
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

I like the second pic best.

Which post Liz?

[Second Hand Pat]

Air Dancing

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1477/25949279003_32e240a6a7_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Fx3QA8)DSC_2521 (https://flic.kr/p/Fx3QA8)

[LizStreithorst]

Which post Liz?
Post 2 first post as the bird was coming in for a landing. You might consider intensifying the color on that one, but I don't know because I'm not a photographer.

[Ryan]

Great pics! I love Alligator Farm. Sometimes we just drive up there when we're bored to spend an afternoon walking around.

[Second Hand Pat]

Great pics! I love Alligator Farm. Sometimes we just drive up there when we're bored to spend an afternoon walking around.

Thanks Ryan and I can see why. It changes a bit every time you go. :)
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Tri-colored heron

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1534/26539699551_d3d9a4c6ab_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GrdU3K)DSC_0635 (https://flic.kr/p/GrdU3K) [/url]

Cattle Egret - Hard to get a good picture of these guys.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1577/25999948914_6bd5c465fc_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_0947 (https://flic.kr/p/FBwwZh)

Stan, what is this guy again.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1585/26539678671_b9359300b8_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_1072 (https://flic.kr/p/GrdMQK)

Egret Chick Trio

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1479/26002174193_b516065d9f_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_1091 (https://flic.kr/p/FBHWua) [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/]

[SMB2]

Boy those look familiar! Tack sharp, and the whites are white! I just wish they would let photographers in at sunrise. That Fla. sun gets so harsh so fast.

[Second Hand Pat]

Boy those look familiar! Tack sharp, and the whites are white! I just wish they would let photographers in at sunrise. That Fla. sun gets so harsh so fast.

Stan, what is the bird with the cupped wings? Your lessons are paying off lol. Gatorland lets you in at 7:30am so a bit earlier. The BIF opportunities are not as nice as St. Augustine.

[Second Hand Pat]

And one more for tonight.

Parent Mobbing

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1481/26002440653_d00efa2e24_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FBKiGi)DSC_1203 (https://flic.kr/p/FBKiGi)

[SMB2]

The sunbather is a juvenile Yellow Crowned Night Heron. (Reminds me of the sixties when people would use aluminum foil reflectors to get even MORE sunburned.)

I really like this last shot. Great feeding behavior. Eye contact with all three chicks, really cool.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Stan for the id. :) I have so many of the egret chicks but nice to find these gems. :D
Pat

[rickztahone]

Love these last pics as well Pat. Very good job out there.

[Second Hand Pat]

Love these last pics as well Pat. Very good job out there.

Thanks Ricardo, appreciate it. :)

So not a bird but a wee tiny baby albino gator.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1480/26471339122_c3f78322b7_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GkbwSE)DSC_0911 (https://flic.kr/p/GkbwSE)

[rickztahone]

Thanks Ricardo, appreciate it. :)

So not a bird but a wee tiny baby albino gator.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1480/26471339122_c3f78322b7_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GkbwSE)DSC_0911 (https://flic.kr/p/GkbwSE)

This is very cool. I must say, this may be the first time I have ever seen one of these gators photographed in this fashion. Looks really great.

[Second Hand Pat]

This is very cool. I must say, this may be the first time I have ever seen one of these gators photographed in this fashion. Looks really great.

These guys are almost kept in near darkness as they can not take any sun. I lighten the exposure so you could see the body under the water. The detail was there to support doing it and gives a cool effect. :D

[Second Hand Pat]

Stan is right. Under the right lighting these birds have fantastic feather definition.

Stick Handover

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1584/26531405662_ce46828407_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GquoyE)DSC_2339 (https://flic.kr/p/GquoyE)

[SMB2]

I wish there was some way to get into the Alligator Farm at sunrise. The bright sun is really a challange and there was nothing but a bald sky until the last day. Killer for white birds. Even when you try to expose for for the bright whites it is tough.

Arriving...

97178

[Second Hand Pat]

Stan, your photo has a vitality mine lacks so went back and tried again. Hopefully a bit better.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1592/26660333585_ab1ed227ce_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GBTbkT)DSC_2339-5 (https://flic.kr/p/GBTbkT)

[SMB2]

I like that a lot. You can take a brush and lighten the face of the bird on the right, just a smidge.
Would be fun to go back in another 7-10 days as the Wood Stork chicks would all be big and some Tricolors as well.

[Second Hand Pat]

I would love to go back to St. Augustine. The photo opportunities are better then Gatorland. Once I get a handle on this D500 I will go by Gatorland and see what is going on chick wise (it is a bit closer lol).

Lighten the face a bit on the right-hand side bird.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1545/26649497176_f03a090733_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GAVD4f)DSC_2339-6 (https://flic.kr/p/GAVD4f) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)