Way down upon the Suwannee River

The Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge is just north of Cedar Key so that was our destination today. Everything we'd read promised birds and reptiles and it did not disappoint!

Almost as soon as we got off the beaten track we spotted this Florida Softshell on the track.

Florida Softshell, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/8, 1/500

It allowed us to get fairly close without appearing to be too perturbed.

Florida Softshell, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 77.5mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/100

Florida Softshell, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 180mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/160

Next stop was a short boardwalk into a pond where there were herons and egrets galore.

Little Blue Heron + Snowy Egret, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/16, 1/320

There were 4 species of heron/egret,

Little Blue Heron, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1250

American Great Egret, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1250

American Great Egret, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/8, 1/3200

Snowy Egret, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1250

Snowy Egret, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1000

Snowy Egret, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/320

Tricolored Heron, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/10, 1/1000

Tricolored Heron, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1250

Tricolored Heron, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/10, 1/1000

a solo Roseate Spoonbill hanging around with the egrets, 

Roseate Spoonbill + Snowy Egret, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/10, 1/4000

Roseate Spoonbill, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/1250

 and a few Turkey Vultures overhead.

Turkey Vulture, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/6400

Turkey Vulture, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/4000

There was also a 'bunch' of juvenile alligators hanging out on the mudflats. The alligators in the water were eating dragon flies!

Alligator, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/11, 1/400

Next stop was a small fire dam where we found Suwannee Scooters. These, mostly aquatic, turtles have brightly coloured yellow and black faces and necks.

Suwannee Scooter, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1600

Suwannee Scooter, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/11, 1/4000

but turn black as they get older - it took us a while to work out that this one was the same species.

Suwannee Scooter, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/11, 1/640

They do get out onto land though - as we found out a little further down the road.

Suwannee Scooter, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/320

We also found another roadside reptile - this time a Gopher Tortoise.

Gopher Tortoise, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 800, f/8, 1/250

We made a couple of stops at lookouts over estuarine inlets hoping for more birds but the only things we found were fiddler crabs inhabiting the mud and the roads.

Fiddler Crab, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (2x adaptor), ISO 800, f/22, 1/500

Fiddler Crab, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (2x adaptor), ISO 800, f/22, 1/800

As we drove along a narrow track with rough thick vegetation, we spotted a Turkey Vulture on the road. We tried to approach it slowly but it flew into the trees. Fortunately, there was a gap in the roadside vegetation allowing us this view form the car window.

Turkey Vulture, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (2x adaptor), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1600

Cedar Key, Florida

Following a week in Orlando (unfortunately no birding) we headed back to the Gulf Coast for the weekend. By the time we reached Cedar Key it was lunch time and we found Annie's Cafe on the main road into town. The cafe is right next to Back Bayou, where we spotted a Roseate Spoonbill and Tricolored Heron feeding among the oysters. Jo had a more leisurely lunch while I bolted my grouper sandwich down then ran back to the car for the camera and tripod. There was a heavy cloud cover making it a challenge to grab this initial habitat shot because I wanted enough depth of field to show the whole area but also a fast enough shutter speed to freeze both birds which were moving around feeding. Bumping the ISO to 1600 worked (I love digital photography - this shot would have been impossible 20 years ago on film).

Roseate Spoonbill + Tricolored Heron, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 1600, f/11,1250

Both birds cooperated nicely by continuing to feed (and stop for the occasional pose) while I tried a few vantage points to get closer (aided by a 2x adaptor).

Roseate Spoonbill, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/16, 1/400

Roseate Spoonbill, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/16, 1/200

Roseate Spoonbill, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/11, 1/500

Roseate Spoonbill, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/16, 1/1250

Tricolored Heron, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/11, 1/800

Tricolored Heron, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/11, 1/1000

Tricolored Heron, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/11, 1/1250

Tricolored Heron, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/11, 1/2000

Tricolored Heron, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/16, 1/2000

Tricolored Heron, Back Bayou, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/14, 1/800

On the way into town we had spotted an Osprey nest and went back to check it out

Osprey, No. 3 Bridge, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/14, 1/2000

and another Roseate Spoonbill was feeding close by.

Roseate Spoonbill, No. 3 Bridge, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 1600, f/11, 1/2000

We stayed at Cedar Cove, right on the beach (any closer and you'd get wet!) with a room facing the water adjacent to the small inlet between the buildings.

Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 34mm (cropped to panorama), ISO 400, f/11, 1/800

I spent the last two hours of the afternoon photographing the birds on the rocks and sand bar as the tide receded (by now the clouds had lifted and the sky was bright Florida blue) while Jo lazed about the pool.

Boat-tailed Grackles were foraging for crabs among the oysters.

Boat-tailed Grackle, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/11, 1/800

Boat-tailed Grackle, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/11, 1/640

Boat-tailed Grackle, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/11, 1/1250

An American Great Egret foraged for fish in the shallows.

American Great Egret, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/11, 1/800

American Great Egret, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/16, 1/800

Laughing Gulls just hung around on the sand bar.

Laughing Gull, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/22, 1/400

Laughing Gull, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/16, 1/800

The sandbar also provided a playground for children and dogs and, when they got too close, the birds disappeared so I retreated back to the room for a beer. However, the birds returned as the sun was setting (and children and dogs left the beach) and I managed to grab these shots from the room balcony.

American Great Egret, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/16, 1/1600

White Ibis, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/16, 1/250

White Ibis, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/16, 1/250

White Ibis, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/16, 1/400

White Ibis, Cedar Cove, Cedar Key Florida
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 800, f/16, 1/400

The only thing I had to worry about was how to hold the beer.

Tomorrow, the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge.