WELCOME, AND THANK YOU FOR VISITING

To all the new visitors coming in from Stumbleon, thanks for visiting. Stay for a while, and put in a word or two.
I'm always glad to talk about St.Augustine, and St.John's County wildlife watching, and can tell you of the best places to have a camera handy.

WOW, BIG DIFFERENCE

I use a circular polarizer on the cameras for shots near water, and when shooting white birds in particular. It helps prevent blown highlights on the white feathers, and cuts a lot of the water glare.
I thought the filter I had was O.K, but I picked up a Hoya on Ebay and used it yesterday. I got some of the best shore bird shots I ever have, no more muddy colors and blown highlights. I think the cheap CPL filters are just tinted glass, except they aren't that cheap! The price difference isn't that much and the results are worth the cost.
The White Ibis keep showing up around here, I've never seen so many in the 60+ years I've lived here. That's great, I love White Ibis, they're a fun bird to watch.

MASTER GARDENER

A friend of mine, Shirley Barber, is a volunteer master gardener at the St. John's County Arboretum, West of St. Augustine, Florida. Shirley puts in countless hours creating a beautiful place for folks to relax and smell the flowers. It is truly a labor of love for Shirley, she puts all her best efforts in to it.
This video is for Shirley and all the volunteers, and the staff of the St. John's County Agriculture Center.
If you ever visit St. Augustine the arboretum is a great place to spend some time.
If you see an old guy with a camera, it may be me.

Birds and Wildflowers

Nice weather, at least for now. Wildflowers are springing up all over, the birds are nesting, spring is just around the corner.
The Ibis flock is getting used to me, I think I could walk right in and sit with them. They are good natured birds, peaceful and quiet.

Good Morning!

I've been making videos from some of my photos, please let me know what you think about them.

Too many things eating up my time!

I really know I just can't run around with my camera sll the time, but I don't have to like it!
I went to the little freshwater pond near the saltmarsh yesterday. Not a creature in sight, but I sat there and waited. A few Ring Billed gulls and Laughing gulls sailed in and started to bathe. Then came a flock, about 15 birds, of White Ibis, and some Boat tailed Grackles and 4 Fish Crows. They were all busy splashing, and then along came a Little Blue Heron, in full breeding plumage, and it landed right in the middle. I took 235 shots without moving a foot. I can't show them all here, but the ones I've processed are in my Pbase and Photobucket galleries.
I'm ready to go to the Alligator Farm to check out the rookery. The Great Egrets and wood Storks are nesting, the other birds will come along later. It is an experience you have to see to believe, a bird lovers fantasy.
On the way home from the pond, I looked up, the little male Red shouldered hawk that lives around here was posing on an old power pole. Usually he sits on a wire, he must know I don't like wires in my pictures, LOL