Snail Kites That Got Away.
Mar 27, 2012 18:38:18 #
Long Story short, got a fellow to run me out to an Island on Lake Istokpoga several weekends ago just before sunset. Headed out about 7pm to catch the sunset. We pull up to this Island that's loaded with birds and I motion the guy to Cut the engine. I then start to paddle towards the island hoping to see something out of the ordinary.. Well guess what, Three Snail Kites had just landed and were fixing to roost for the night. No sun so I fired off a few shoots in a shaking boat with no light. Then I say to myself Out Loud, I need to Fire this ISO Up so I can get Better shots. The Guy Hears "Fire Up" and starts the boat motor, My face went blank as All the Snail Kites and about 300 other birds flew off into the sunset.. Here are the shots, Not the best but I should have been Prepared and Not spoke out loud.
Mar 27, 2012 18:40:00 #
fstop22 wrote:
Long Story short, got a fellow to run my out to an... (show quote)
Still managed some pretty good captures.
Mar 27, 2012 18:49:58 #
Ya did good again, Molly needs to see this! :thumbup: :thumbup: Thanks for sharing, think a lot of us talk to ourselves-often.
Mar 27, 2012 18:51:09 #
My First ever anywhere near these guys and I wasn't prepared.. I've only seen two off in the distance since I started birding. Here was Mama, Son and Daddy sitting it the tree and I Screwed up I was set on taking a Sunset photo which I like dark to start with and lucky enough I had my 70-300 mm with me and made a quick change from the 18-200 but didn't adjust for the light. My ISO was at 400 and I was firing at 1/60
belwj wrote:
quote=fstop22 Long Story short, got a fellow to r... (show quote)
Mar 27, 2012 19:02:14 #
These are the second Snail Kite shots I've seen on UHH today. Pretty good shots.
Mar 27, 2012 19:17:25 #
Wow!! Are you the lucky one!! I got a photo of 1 this morning and now I found out that it is a female because her mate just came joined her in the area-didn't get a shot of him. I see that your birds are banded also. Actually, we are both lucky. How many people get to see an endangered bird, much less take photos of it!!!
Mar 27, 2012 19:31:27 #
Hey Molly, I just Love these guys. Hope I can go back and find them again. Heck the day after this shot I found an eagles nest with the parents and a young one. I've been spending as much Off time as I can on Lake Istokopa. The kids Love to camp there so it's a win, win for everyone. I'm just starting to learn the Lake and it's given me some nice material in the last month or so. I've even gotten the spoonbills here. I just don't have as much time to share all the stuff I've been photographing lately, I guess because I'm out Photographing alot when I have extra time.
mollymolly wrote:
Wow!! Are you the lucky one!! I got a photo of 1 this morning and now I found out that it is a female because her mate just came joined her in the area-didn't get a shot of him. I see that your birds are banded also. Actually, we are both lucky. How many people get to see an endangered bird, much less take photos of it!!!
Mar 27, 2012 19:45:41 #
fstop22 wrote:
Hey Molly, I just Love these guys. Hope I can go b... (show quote)
Well, when you have time to catch up, I would like to see some of them. Again, congrats on the Snail Kites. I got in touch with the experts to be sure that I saw what I thought I saw before I posted mine. I didn't want to post an "endangered bird" only to find out that it was something more common.
Mar 27, 2012 21:51:07 #
Thanks for the info. Didn't know they were endangered. Two of the three I photographed had the leg bands. I guess they only nest during mating season, as they were trying to roost in the trees when I found them, no nest. The tree right next to the one they were in had a nesting pair of Osprey and they didn't seem to mind their presence, but I didn't see a baby Osprey in the nest either. Maybe I should read up on bird habits.
mollymolly wrote:
quote=fstop22 Hey Molly, I just Love these guys. ... (show quote)
Mar 27, 2012 21:54:36 #
Oh man that just stinks about the boat!!! But you did manage to get some good photos of a wonderful bird.
Mar 27, 2012 22:14:52 #
Most people that I know , even ones that grew up in the area have never seen the Snail Kite. There were only about 20 left around here up until 15 years ago. They are still highly endangered because they only feed on the Apple Snail and it too is being threatened because of man messing with the Eco System. That is what the Everglades Restoration Project is all about. All of the levee and canal systems were altering the natural flow of the water. They are now working to restore it to its original state. I just hope that they didn't start too late.
Mar 27, 2012 22:27:21 #
fstop22 wrote:
My First ever anywhere near these guys and I wasn'... (show quote)
You can catch some more of them in CR. I don't think they are endangered over there.
Mar 28, 2012 09:47:43 #
fstop22 wrote:
Long Story short, got a fellow to run me out to an... (show quote)
All things considered you still captured some nice images. Good job!
Mar 28, 2012 09:51:35 #
fstop22 wrote:
Long Story short, got a fellow to run me out to an... (show quote)
:-) :-) Skipper :evil:
Mar 28, 2012 18:10:24 #
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