Davis Islands and Cypress Point Park, Tampa Florida

After yesterday's teaser at Lettuce Lake Park and with only a couple of hours this morning before we had to head for Orlando, we decided to continue the water-bird theme and have quick looks at Davis Islands and Cypress Park in Tampa.

Davis Islands
An up-market housing development built on reclaimed land at the mouth of the Hillsborough River on Tampa Bay. The small bay formed by a breakwater at the southern end of the islands provides a sheltered marina for the Davis Island Yacht Club and a sandy beach upon which there is often a variety of birds.

Boat-tailed Grackles were heard among the bushes beside the beach but only this female provided a good enough look for a photograph.

Boat-tailed Grackle (female), Davis Islands, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/125

Two American Oystercatchers foraged along the shoreline and I was happy to capture this one in the reflection of the mast of one of the many yachts moored in the bay.

American Oystercatcher, Davis Islands, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1000

and several Least Terns were roosting on the beach and allowed reasonably close approach

Least Tern, Davis Islands, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/800

although one was quite obvious in acknowledging my presence

Least Tern, Davis Islands, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1000

so I didn't push any closer.

We spotted this Osprey with a fish on the mast stay of a yacht anchored in the bay.

Osprey, Davis Islands, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1250

Cypress Point Park
A small beachside park on Old Tampa Bay just south of the Tampa International Airport (see map). When we arrived there was a lot of human activity on the beach but there was still some birdlife to be found.

This Tricolored Heron was foraging in the shallow water just off the beach walking among the bathers, seemingly unperturbed by them.

Tricolored Heron, Cypress Point Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/9, 1/1600

even stopping for a quick bath and fluff of its feathers.

Tricolored Heron, Cypress Point Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/9, 1/1600

An Osprey flew overhead but I didn't manage to spot it until it was half way across the inlet. It circled over the fishermen in the boat for a minute or so then headed out into the bay.

Tricolored Heron, Cypress Point Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/9, 1/400

Laughing Gulls hung around on the beach, only moving if people or the occasional dog got too close.

Laughing Gull (Adult and immature), Cypress Point Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/2000

The morning's highlight was this White Ibis that walked up the beach towards us

White Ibis, Cypress Point Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/3200

and proceeded to feed only a few metres away, forcing me to remove the 2x adaptor so I could fit the bird in the frame.

White Ibis, Cypress Point Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/9, 1/2000

White Ibis, Cypress Point Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/2000

Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa Florida

In Florida for a conference next week, we decided to take the chance to visit friends in Tampa before heading to Orlando and they indulged our bird watching (with which they are also enamoured) by taking us to Lettuce Lake Park. This is a wonderful place on the flood plain of the Hillsborough River

Hillsborough River, Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 18mm, ISO 400,  f/5.6, 1/4000

offering great views of birdlife on the water and vegetation. This Little Blue Heron held my attention for over half an hour as it foraged for fish among the plants in the shallow water. Little Blue Herons start life all white, while the adults are a uniform slaty-blue colour. As they moult into adult plumage, you can find all sorts of gradations on mottled white/blue.

Little Blue Heron (immature), Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400,  f/11, 1/1000

Little Blue Heron (immature), Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400,  f/11, 1/800

The park includes a kilometre of boardwalks through cypress swamp

Bald Cypress, Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 31mm, ISO 400 f/5.6, 1/160

Bald Cypress, Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 22mm, ISO 400 f/5.6, 1/100

where, if you look carefully, you can find Alligators

Alligator, Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400,  f/5.6, 1/80

as well as a variety of bird life. This Wood Stork was unperturbed by my close presence but was difficult to photograph as it fed among the trees in the dappled light of the swamp.

Wood Stork, Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400,  f/5.6, 1/100

Wood Stork, Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400,  f/5.6, 1/100

By late in the morning the heat and humidity were stifling so we opted for lunch in the cooler breeze of the gloriously-named I.C. Sharks - one of the many coastal seafood shacks in St. Petersburg - and a plan to get out to some more birding locations tomorrow.