Nov. 25, 2018 - Sanibel - Highlighted Birds

Diana’s math conference was in Orlando, Florida, this year. We went down a week early and spent some time on Sanibel Island. From among the photos I took, I selected this set which I’m calling “highlighted birds.” In each case, the bird is lighted and stands out from the very dark background. All of these photos were taken at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This Great Blue Heron was wading in the water along the Wildlife Drive.

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Here’s a Great Egret with Mangroves in the background.

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This Great Egret was hunting in the grass right beside the road, so I was able to get a close head portrait.

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The white stripe on this Tri-colored Heron’s neck makes a dramatic outline against the dark-colored water.

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The ripples in the water make an interesting reflection of this White Ibis’s plumage. The water is deep enough that you can’t see its long red legs.

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Roseate Spoonbills are on everyone’s “must see” list. This bird has feathers on top of its head, indicating that it is a juvenile.

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Here’s an adult Roseate Spoonbill. The bare skin on top of the head indicates it is an adult.

SpoonbillRoseatehighlightedDingDarlingNWRSanibelIsland20181113

Back lighting dramatically illuminates this Roseate Spoonbill as it comes in for a landing. The head is not missing, it is just pointed down toward the water. In fact, you can see part of the bill near the top of the left leg.

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