Everglades posing--avian and human


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Posted by Joel N Rosenthal on 17:54:16 04/07/15

I was an hour early for my meeting with Alan Winslow the AIRIE artist in residence at Everglades National Park this month, so I headed over to Royal Palm to see if there were any avian subjects to photograph.As I walked down the path there I observed a red shouldered hawk perched on a palm frond. We eyed each other for a few minutes minutes while I took photographs before I proceeded on my way. Returning along the same path 15 minutes later,was within a hundred feet of him when he flew down quite conspicuously and perched on the wooden fence railing adjoining the water. I am convinced he was posing for me as he let me approach and take some photographs. When I responded to a passing couple who sought his ID, that he was our "trash" bird, a red shouldered hawk, he flew off in an evident fit of pique. He alighted in another tree along the path and eyed me as I approached and took some more photographs. I headed to the corner of the parking lot where I was observing a number of cardinals and some catbirds in a fruiting tree, when I was practically buzzed by the hawk as he landed in a tree limb a few feet over my head with his morning prey, a lizard. He displayed his lizard for me quite conspicuously while I took pictures and once I finished gave me another look and flew away. I am absolutely convinced he was showing off for me. I may be anthropomorphizing but he didn't have to buzz me and he didn't have to land so close and he didn't do anything with the lizard the whole time I was photographing him.

My attention was almost immediately diverted thereafter by a low swooping and seemingly huge swallow tailed kite which dive bombed into the parking lot. He blasted into a tree and emerged with a long strand of Spanish moss no doubt intended for nesting. I was able to get a few passable photographs of this bird as he circled with his treasure. I was however taken aback by the size of him. I have seen many swallow tailed kites including at one point more than 150 together in some trees in Panama I never realized quite how large their wingspread i is. I think it was also the first time I have seen a swallow tailed kite lower to the ground than my eye level-it was an arresting few moments as he barreled through the parking lot..

Following that I went to the visitor center where I met Alan Winslow and spent a delightful morning participating in his photography project--as subject, rather than photographer. I strongly urge all of you to contact Alan and participate. He is intelligent engaging and committed young man who is doing a project that benefits the Everglades. You can contact him through email at his email address that appears when you click on his name for his April 2 post on the birdboard.
http://www.tropicalaudubon.org/tasboard/messages/103365.html
It requires nothing more of you than a visit to the Everglades -and perhaps some of you vastly more savvy and experienced birders than I can put him on some good birds to photograph as well.




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