Shake off the water and keep on fishing

There’s an old saying that a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. I thought about that adage this morning as I watched an Osprey fish for its breakfast. And then I thought, how fortunate am I that I get to do this for a living. Sure there can be frustrations running your own business, but how many people get to spend at least part of their days out watching wildlife, exploring gorgeous landscapes and talking to people about Florida’s treasures? A good day at work brings me all of those pleasures and I bet I wasn’t as frustrated as the ospreys who came up empty time after time as they dove into the waters below.

I also get to witness a lot of good days of fishing. I have seen birds try to swallow fish that were clearly too big to gulp down. I’ve seen bird parents feed their chicks and I’ve watched boats come in with seafood headed to our best restaurants. But the key is to make sure our waters are healthy enough to fish, and the habitat supporting those waters is conserved , keeping pollution, including runoff and sewage, out of our waters.

As a Florida native, I’ve had a front row seat to some of Florida’s best conservation efforts, including one this week. The state set aside $19.5 million in Florida Forever money to purchase Orange Hammock Ranch, the largest undeveloped property in Sarasota County, according to a state summary of the conservation deal. After too many intense red tides, I have read about more research and effort going into figuring out how to save our waterways. I think we could use some more urgency from the state as a whole, but I am heartened that there is a real effort behind keeping our waterways clean and getting to the sources that feed the red tide.

At the same time, I’ve watched my own stomping ground change drastically with unfettered development. It seems the only way to contain development is to buy land and set it aside. And even then the land can be vulnerable to future development. I drove through downtown Sarasota the other day and wondered how, through this canyon of high-rises, the sun would be able to shine on the historic places below. I remember when Lakewood Ranch was actually a ranch. I’m now watching that same kind of intense development along Long Bar Point, which abuts an estuary along the Sarasota Bay. It’s a place where hundreds, if not thousands of birds used to live. I remember seeing the wood storks, an imperiled species, out there by the dozens. Those estuaries are life-giving habitats for all sorts of fish and other water species. As I watch all of this habitat loss, I wonder if we will still be able to still call this paradise.

We must take conservation and clean-up efforts seriously is we plan to hold on to that old adage about a bad day of fishing being better than a good day of work.

Visitors Allow Us to Explore Familiar Places

Recently we were fortunate to have a group of visitors from out of state. Some were from Pennsylvania, a couple from North Carolina and a couple from Virginia — one by way of Australia. They all wanted to do different Florida things which gave us a great opportunity to revisit some favorite spots.

We enjoyed a January sail, offering confirmation that we do indeed live in paradise. We saw dolphins, a turtle and lots of birds, only the Manatees eluded us because the water was cold after all. But we also knew to go to the power plant in Apollo Beach for those who wanted to see Manatees in the wild. Two of our visitors really wanted to see alligators, so that was an opportunity for a hike to the Deep Hole in Myakka River State Park. It was an opportunity for me to lead a group to the Deep Hole and an opportunity for them to get their fill of alligators. We saw hundreds and they were feeding on fish, not tourists.

Our Virginians really wanted to see the Everglades, but we only had a day. We also had one person in the group who was preparing for back surgery, so we wanted something where the walking would be fairly easy. That gave us an opportunity to take our visitors to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. It’s the easiest way to see all of the habitats of the Everglades, without driving too far and the boardwalk through the terrain made it easy on everyone. The trip to Corkscrew was a success. Just before we arrived, we saw a bald eagle flying above. Once we arrived, we saw painted buntings, cardinals, a red-shouldered hawk. We also saw a Swamp Lily, more gators, snakes, three kinds of woodpeckers and plenty of shore birds, including a juvenile little blue heron.

We showed off some local hot spots, including Robinson Preserve, Emerson Point Preserve and the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature and of course we hit the beach. It was fun to share Florida’s natural treasures and to see our group really appreciate the unique and beautiful parts of Florida that have been saved from development.

Shootout at Robinson Preserve Produces a Variety of Views

It’s always eye-opening to see how different people view a moment in time. That was the idea behind the Photography Shootout at Robinson Preserve. I thought it would be fun to see what people would come back with given a limited amount of time in the same location. About 35 photographers showed up and I did not see the same photo twice. Photographers were fortunate enough to get all the weather during the two-day event. We started with fog, then rain, then wind. The next day was sunny, even if it was a little cold. The other advantage of finding unique shots at Robinson Preserve is the size of the preserve and the variety of terrain.

The birds were out in full force in the fog on that Saturday morning. The photographers who braved the weather got some ethereal photos that really highlighted the beauty of Robinson Preserve. They also got plenty of wildlife action. Sure photographers saw a bevy of birds but there were also otters, raccoons and lizards. The 35 photographers turned in about 130 photos in four categories from the two days at the preserve. The Best in Show, a stunning photo by Ken Macejka, will be on exhibit at the Valentine House in Robinson Preserve beginning in March.

The best part was seeing a community of photographers get together in one place. They were really interested in seeing one anothers work and applauded the photos shown at the awards ceremony — all of them, not just the winners. I was particularly proud to see the next generation of photographers there. Two 11-year-olds signed up and competed against the adults. And they turned in exceptional photos. It was nice to see that they were already developing an appreciation, and an eye, for nature and wildlife. It also confirmed for me that the environment is in good hands with this up and coming generation.

The photography contest was such a success that I’m convinced we should probably do it again next year. I’m looking forward to meeting more photographers and seeing what they bring back. Now I just need to decide on where to do the next contest. Some places that come to mind in Manatee County are Emerson Point Preserve, Tom Bennett Park, Rye Preserve, Duette Preserve or Ft. Hamer. Of course we could always go back to Robinson Preserve. I’m sure I’m missing one that you would like to see on the list, so let me know.

Top winner in the 2020 Shootout at Robinson Preserve. Photograph by Ken Macejka

What's in the bag?

What I carry in my camera bag often depends on where I am going. That means when I go for a long walk or a genuine hike, I have to prepare. It usually also means that what I carry is a little heavier on a hike.

If i am taking a short walk, I don’t carry not much: a spare battery for sure but that is about it, unless the mosquitoes are really bad, But when I am facing a planned hike in the woods or a trip kayaking into the unknown, I make sure to carry a small arsenal. I totally believe in the boy scout motto to Be Prepared, even though I never got past cub scouts. My dad, a mechanic, taught me how to be prepared for anything.

I usually have a waist pack or sometimes a small back pack depending on how far I am walking and what size lens I am hauling. The waist pack is a Porta-Brace, usually packed with two Fuji X-Pro2s, one with a 16mm F1.4 and the other a 90mm F2, But aside from the camera, I make sure I have:

Batteries
Extra memory cards ( always more than I need, strapped to the bag)
Lens cleaner with paper
Polarizer (if not on the lens)
Handy wipes (a couple of individual packs)
Band aids
A plastic bag to cover my gear in case of rain
A multi-tool (Don’t forget to take it out if you are going through security at an airport)
A jeweler’s screw driver (for them tiny screw on cameras and lens)
A small wrench/socket (my monopod locks are worn out and slip like crazy)
A remote shutter release
Bird identification information
Paper and a pen
Foam ear plugs ( a habit from the newspaper days)
Business cards
A bottle of water and can of bug spray, in my pocket.
Finally, a cell phone with a map app.

This list will vary.

Getting to remote locations to shoot images like these takes time and if you need just a small screw driver to repair something, it could mean not getting the photograph, or a long walk back to the car. Sometimes I forget something. But this is a good start to be prepared just in case it is a long walk back to the car. What do you carry? Am I forgetting anything? Let me know in the comments section below.

Expressions add life to photos

Last month I had fun with a photo of an eagle on facebook. The eagle had his talons in the air and a certain expression on his face, so I asked people to caption the photo. The captions people submitted were all clever and funny. I love a good sense of humor. I am especially grateful when people get inspiration from wildlife and nature.

Good photos are meant to be thought-provoking. Sometimes birds and wildlife are so expressive they make it easy to get a reaction. Take the eagle, or the owl posted here. I love these guys for the way they show me they are full of life and on a mission here on this earth. Wildlife, whether it’s birds, fish or mammals, are busy building homes, raising families and teaching their young. And while some may say we humans anthropomorphize them by giving them our thoughts, I like to think we are trying to understand them and through that, we build empathy for the creatures around us. In some ways, it’s them teaching us.

These creatures need all the empathy we can muster. Their habitats are disappearing and their populations are dwindling. The more humans can connect with them and their expressions, the more likely we are to think twice about tearing out trees or filling in wetlands that are vital to these creatures. In that vein, I’d love to see your thoughts about this young burrowing owl in Cape Coral. They are on the imperiled species list, but a population of them has learned to live around the library. ball fields and even on some lands cleared for development. Post your captions in the comments below or on Facebook.

Follow through is vital to catching great photos

I’m often asked how I get so many photos of wildlife doing something special, such as two birds dancing or a kingfisher diving for a fish and coming up with a delicious morsel. Like in baseball, it’s all about anticipation and follow through. In baseball you’re not done when the ball touches the bat, and in photography, that first strong photo doesn’t mean you’re done shooting a subject.

I do spend a lot of time waiting for something to happen. I wait for the sun to move the shadows, for birds to get into the perfect spot for the shot I envision and I wait for the birds to complete whatever action they may have started. If you don’t have patience, you may watch a perfect moment get away from you.

My photo of two birds dancing that was featured in the exhibit at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature and that is included in my 2020 calendar, was actually part of a series of photos. It starts with a close-up of the male with the feathers up on his head, seemingly styled to attract a mate. The next photo is him bringing a fish to the female that caught his eye, then the dance begins, head to head and a foot in the air. While that’s the shot that is most popular, just like the male bird, I continued with the follow through and have a shot of him sealing the deal with the female bird, who he nests with for the rest of the season.

That series of shots tells a story. And that’s what makes photography interesting and allows your best work to stand out. This morning I watched an anhinga fishing for his breakfast. I know, I know, fishing shows don’t always have a lot of action. You have to be patient, but patient tends to pay off. I saw the anhinga come up with his breakfast and then toss it in the air, before he swallowed it. That was the shot I was hoping for, but I knew I wasn’t done. I stuck with him as he tried to catch the fish. This time it was a throw and a miss! The one that got away. He was one unhappy anhinga, but I walked away with a satisfying story.

Get out of a rut by trying something different

I’ve written here before about my dog and his penchant for walks at Robinson Preserve. It’s practically a daily ritual now. We all get up, my wife and I have some coffee and breakfast and the dog starts talking to us. I mean that too. There are whines and yowls and some other vocalizations that I can’t quite describe. He’s not allowed to bark at us, although that happens too, but he has found other ways to let his demands be known.

So I grab my camera while my wife grab’s the dog’s leash and we head to the preserve. The ritual has brought me plenty of photo opportunities and I have great shots from Robinson Preserve, but the routine started to fill a little stifling. I felt like I was getting the same photos over and over and I was getting creatively frustrated. It’s what led me to grab an old 500mm reflex lens as I headed out to Robinson Preserve one morning last week. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea, but it was “different.”

With the old lens over my shoulder we hit the trail. Our first encounter was a Bald Eagle…and about 7 other photographers with cammo covered monster lenses. As I struggled to see into the dark abyss of the f8 mirror lens to focus on an eagle i can barely see, a photographer beside me commented, “Oh I see you are using a 500 reflex…you need to look at this….it’s a new Nikon 500mm PF ED f5.6, it’s real nice.”

A little embarrassed, I quickly assured him I had other lenses, but I am not sure he really believed me. With frustration as my companion, I moved on to a less crowded part of the preserve and continued to search for something different. After a morning experimenting with the lens, I came home with my eagle picture and all the little doughnuts that a reflex lens creates. It was nice to have something different, but my wife saw me getting stuck and arranged for me to go out to Myakka State Park with a friend that weekend to get something different. It helped. And then the next time I visited Robinson Preserve a pair of hawks helped me get further out of my rut.

I learned too, that I am not the only photographer who feels that way. The Preserve is close by and it is rich with opportunities to photograph many beautiful bird species. I know how fortunate I am, but every photographer should know it’s ok to want a change of scenery or if that’s not possible to remember it’s a great time to think about experimenting with the equipment they have. Pull out an old lens every now and then and see if you can make some magic happen.

The snowbirds are back and it's beautiful

In case you hadn’t noticed the snowbirds are back. I know you have probably experienced an uptick in traffic. And if you shop for groceries on a Saturday, certainly you have pushed through the clogged aisles and maybe even had to hunt for a grocery cart. But I’m not here to remind you of life’s little irritations. I’m here to tell you the snowbirds are back and it’s beautiful.

I witnessed a traffic jam of epic proportions this morning as dozens of White Pelicans all tried to land at the grocery store known as the pond at Robinson Preserve. Seeing those elegant birds glide above the Preserve, drop down and lower their big feet like landing gear, and then ski across the water is something to behold. I could stand for hours watching — and taking photos of this wonderful phenomena. It was an amazing sight and it reminded me to be grateful for all of those who visit Florida for a week or for a season. This is the time of year that brings variety — whether in the people or the wildlife and sometimes there’s the combination of both. And yes, sometimes it tests our patience, but more often it brings wonderful opportunities.

I love the variety of birds that come in this time of year. I enjoy trying to identify the different ducks by their plumage. I relish the mix of colors, roseate spoonbills and yellow-crowned herons mixed in with the White Pelicans, with their black-tipped wings. I am thrilled with the different scenes across Florida. And the human snowbirds mean it’s the season for all sorts of activities. The restaurants are livelier, there are festivals and celebrations of all types, there is a variety of music as bands are playing throughout the region and there are parties everywhere. You certainly can’t claim boredom this time of year.

I have developed lasting friendships with a few photographers and birders who visit Florida during the season. I learn something from all of these seasonal residents and I enjoy their company here and even online when they are at their summer homes. I’ll even say something like, “I wish JoAnne (the most knowledgeable birder I know) was here to tell me about this bird I’m looking at.” So yes, I miss the snowbirds when they head north. And that means today, I greeted the snowbirds with a wide smile and my best lens.