A visit to Shark Valley: For those of you who are not familiar with Shark Valley I am referring to the northeastern part of the Everglades National Park. It is easily accessible via...

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

For those of you who are not familiar with Shark Valley I am referring to the northeastern part of the Everglades National Park. It is easily accessible via Tamiami Trail or Highway 41 West and I would say it is about a 45 minutes ride from downtown Miami.
I cannot understand it nor did I have a good explanation from the rangers but for the fourth consecutive year the birds are absent from Shark Valley. The water levels were high but that has happened in the past and the birds were there.

This month is the peak month to photograph birds in the park but if you are planning a visit save your trip and your time, the birds are not in this part of the Everglades. I have not been toward the south and near Florida City where the main entrance is, perhaps it is better there. I made a visit to the Metro Zoo of Miami last week and I saw more birds there than I have seen in Shark Valley in those past four years. The birds I saw were migratory birds, not the birds they have in exhibition to the public.

This is what I saw this time and a dove is included. Can you imagine going to the Everglades National Park to photograph a dove? I know, sh.. happens. I overexposed the sky to get details in the dove then I converted to monochrome during editing. Shark Valley used to be very busy this time of year and we could always find plenty of photographers but yesterday I saw only tourists; there was one photographer with a Canon and what I believe was a 400 or 500mm lens. He had to be disappointed also, he struggled more than I did to find the birds.

I have nothing spectacular here but this was all I had to work with. I need to go south, perhaps I will be luckier there. Notice the eye of the anhinga, it is blue instead of black. That only happens during breeding season.
The camera I used, which I am still learning, was the Olympus EM-5D Mk III and the 75-300 Olympus Zuiko lens.

1- Anhinga, used to be plentiful here in the past.
2- A very common and popular member of the Everglades.
3- I believe this is a young bird but not sure if it is Louisiana heron or a Tricolor heron.
4- Another popular bird there, the gallinule. I saw two of them only.
5- Finally the dove.

dreff Loc: Bow, WA

wonderful!

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Thanks for taking us along, William!

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Great set, William.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Thank you but I keep on saying I did not shoot anything spectacular. No birds.

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Fine images William.

Don

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Great set.

CCPhotoist Loc: Cape Cod

Really nice set.

Bubalola Loc: Big Apple, NY

camerapapi wrote:

For those of you who are not familiar with Shark Valley I am referring to the northeastern part of the Everglades National Park. It is easily accessible via Tamiami Trail or Highway 41 West and I would say it is about a 45 minutes ride from downtown Miami.
I cannot understand it nor did I have a good explanation from the rangers but for the fourth consecutive year the birds are absent from Shark Valley. The water levels were high but that has happened in the past and the birds were there.

This month is the peak month to photograph birds in the park but if you are planning a visit save your trip and your time, the birds are not in this part of the Everglades. I have not been toward the south and near Florida City where the main entrance is, perhaps it is better there. I made a visit to the Metro Zoo of Miami last week and I saw more birds there than I have seen in Shark Valley in those past four years. The birds I saw were migratory birds, not the birds they have in exhibition to the public.

This is what I saw this time and a dove is included. Can you imagine going to the Everglades National Park to photograph a dove? I know, sh.. happens. I overexposed the sky to get details in the dove then I converted to monochrome during editing. Shark Valley used to be very busy this time of year and we could always find plenty of photographers but yesterday I saw only tourists; there was one photographer with a Canon and what I believe was a 400 or 500mm lens. He had to be disappointed also, he struggled more than I did to find the birds.

I have nothing spectacular here but this was all I had to work with. I need to go south, perhaps I will be luckier there. Notice the eye of the anhinga, it is blue instead of black. That only happens during breeding season.
The camera I used, which I am still learning, was the Olympus EM-5D Mk III and the 75-300 Olympus Zuiko lens.

1- Anhinga, used to be plentiful here in the past.
2- A very common and popular member of the Everglades.
3- I believe this is a young bird but not sure if it is Louisiana heron or a Tricolor heron.
4- Another popular bird there, the gallinule. I saw two of them only.
5- Finally the dove.

For those of you who are not familiar with Shark V... (show quote)

black mamba

Nice work. Too bad that your range of targets was so slim. I spent a lot of my youth in that part of the Everglades. My father started his company while we lived in the small town of Clewiston. He provided two air boats for my two brothers and I to use and care for.

randave2001 Loc: Richmond

Very nice set.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Beautiful images William! Well done.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

👍🤩👍

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

camerapapi wrote:

For those of you who are not familiar with Shark Valley I am referring to the northeastern part of the Everglades National Park. It is easily accessible via Tamiami Trail or Highway 41 West and I would say it is about a 45 minutes ride from downtown Miami.
I cannot understand it nor did I have a good explanation from the rangers but for the fourth consecutive year the birds are absent from Shark Valley. The water levels were high but that has happened in the past and the birds were there.

This month is the peak month to photograph birds in the park but if you are planning a visit save your trip and your time, the birds are not in this part of the Everglades. I have not been toward the south and near Florida City where the main entrance is, perhaps it is better there. I made a visit to the Metro Zoo of Miami last week and I saw more birds there than I have seen in Shark Valley in those past four years. The birds I saw were migratory birds, not the birds they have in exhibition to the public.

This is what I saw this time and a dove is included. Can you imagine going to the Everglades National Park to photograph a dove? I know, sh.. happens. I overexposed the sky to get details in the dove then I converted to monochrome during editing. Shark Valley used to be very busy this time of year and we could always find plenty of photographers but yesterday I saw only tourists; there was one photographer with a Canon and what I believe was a 400 or 500mm lens. He had to be disappointed also, he struggled more than I did to find the birds.

I have nothing spectacular here but this was all I had to work with. I need to go south, perhaps I will be luckier there. Notice the eye of the anhinga, it is blue instead of black. That only happens during breeding season.
The camera I used, which I am still learning, was the Olympus EM-5D Mk III and the 75-300 Olympus Zuiko lens.

1- Anhinga, used to be plentiful here in the past.
2- A very common and popular member of the Everglades.
3- I believe this is a young bird but not sure if it is Louisiana heron or a Tricolor heron.
4- Another popular bird there, the gallinule. I saw two of them only.
5- Finally the dove.

For those of you who are not familiar with Shark V... (show quote)

Number three is a Little Blue Heron. Very familiar with Shark Valley!
If you really want birds, check out Lake Apopka. North of Orlando!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

black mamba wrote:

Nice work. Too bad that your range of targets was so slim. I spent a lot of my youth in that part of the Everglades. My father started his company while we lived in the small town of Clewiston. He provided two air boats for my two brothers and I to use and care for.

Very interesting. I have a brother living in Lake Placid and I visit him once in a while. I always stop in Clewiston and I like to go and see Lake Okeechobee, I have to go and do some fishing for crappies now that they are active.
My son had an airboat that he built himself but sold it pretty fast because as a Lieutenant of the Miami Fire Department he has limited time to enjoy.