Field Notes: Swallow-tailed Kites

One of the more mysterious birds to make their appearance here in Florida in mid-spring to late summer is the Swallow-tailed Kite. It is one of the most beautiful of all the raptors that either reside or migrate to Florida, for they are unmistakable when one sees them soaring high overhead in the skies.

For the past few weeks, we have observed a small group of Swallow-tailed Kites which started from a few to 8 birds now. They were flying very high in the air in circular patterns. They prefer very densely packed woodlands with a mix of younger, old and very tall trees. We have pine trees, oaks and cypress trees in this area. There is also plenty of bodies of water in this area too.

In Florida, there is large amounts of Spanish Moss hanging from the trees for them to line their nest and to keep their eggs and young warm and comfortable. Swallow-tailed Kites are known to be a less vocal raptor. However, this evening as they circled overhead together in a group of 8, they were very vocal and loud as they communicated to each other while in flight. They glided in the air without flapping their wings. Swallow-tailed Kites will rarely flap their wings while in flight but they will continuously rotate their tail around 90 degrees as they trace circles in the sky.

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View A Photo Of A Group Of Swallow-tailed Kites Soaring
View A Photo Of A Swallow-tailed Kite Soaring
View A Photo Of A Swallow-tailed Kite Drinking Water
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Swallow-tailed Kites are a medium sized hawk. This beautiful and graceful black and white raptor has a body length of 19-26 inches. Their wingspan is around 4 feet and they weigh around 13-17 ounces. They have a long and forked tail which resembles the forked tail of some Swallows. The average weight of a Swallow-tailed Kite is over 1 pound. They live in forested wetlands with swamps and marshes, and they are found in the southeastern United States including here in Florida. Like most raptors, the female can be a slightly larger and heavier than the male. Both the male and female have a solid white face and neck.

The main diet of Swallow-tailed Kites are insects, small birds, reptiles such as Anoles and small snakes and amphibians such as Tree Frogs. They will capture their prey from the highest tree tops as they fly gracefully in circular patterns to locate it. They will also capture insects such as dragonflies in midair and eat their prey while gliding high in the sky. They drink by skimming the surface of a pond or marsh and collecting the water in their beak.

Swallow-tailed Kites mate between March and May. The female and male help build the stick-like nest. The nests are built in trees high in the tree canopies and they are built near bodies of water. The female will lay 2 to 4 eggs and the incubation lasts around 28 days. It takes 36-42 days for the young Kites to fledge the nest. They may nests in small and scattered colonies and forage for food in small groups as well. If you happen to see one of these beautiful raptors in the skies overhead, stop to observe one of the most graceful of fliers in the Florida skies.

Sticky Fingers

Summer is now in full swing around Florida, and it's the time of the year the Cuban Treefrogs are on the move. During the evening hours and into the night, if one listens closely, you can hear them all around, especially if you live near water or swamplands.

The sounds you hear is their mating calls, and if you go out looking, you can easily find them all around. We took a walk last night around midnight, and found several, and I took the opportunity to get some studio shots of one jumpy and sticky-fingered subject.

One thing is for sure, these little guys can jump, and they can stick on just about anything, as we had a time chasing him all over the studio. After the session, we wrapped him up and returned him to his home where we found him, and he took off into the night.

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Ballers

A few weeks ago, we started our new season of co-ed softball, along with our good friends John & Tara in Largo. Needless to say, I am stoked to be able to get back to playing again, and we are having a blast every Friday night. Each week I'll update this post of my status, which so far, is not too shabby!

Games Played:	8
Batting Average:	.733
At Bats:	30
Base Hits:	22
Runs Batted In:	10
Runs Scored:	17

Time To Hit The Beach

Today is the first day of summer, which means it's time to hit the beaches. Tampa Bay is blessed with some of Florida's best beaches, for the sand here is like powdered sugar. The fine sand is so white and fine, it makes for walks at sunset on a warm summers night on the beach barefoot one of life's little pleasures.

The St. Pete Times ran a story about some of Tampa's best beaches in today's edition, and when I read it, we can honestly say we have been to each and everyone, sometimes numerous times. We even have found some of the lesser known and less traveled beaches, which make for great places to relax and soak up the warm Florida sunshine.

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View A Map Of Tampa Bay Beaches
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On the map of Tampa Bay beaches, here are our Top 5 area beaches in the order of our favorites:

#5 - Clearwater Beach: Here is where you can stroll probably Tampa's most famous beach, and take in some of the shops, dining and weekend events on Pier 60. It is the most popular beach in the area, and is the area's biggest attraction with spring breakers and vacationers, for it is very family and people friendly. It is currently receiving a multi-million dollar facelift, and is poised to be a world-class vacation destination.

#4 - Sand Key Beach: Just across the bridge south of Clearwater Beach, is a little lesser known less crowded beach on Sand Key. Being a part of Pinellas County's park system, it is clean, well maintained and the views are outstanding of the Gulf of Mexico and of Clearwater Beach itself. If in the area, this is a better bet to relax and enjoy a day at the beach, especially on weekends and during the height of the tourist season.

#3 - Fort DeSoto Beach: Attention all bird nature lovers! This is THE best place in Tampa Bay to watch and photograph birds in the area, and it is ranked in the top 10 places in the entire state for bird photographers. It is also a great place for swimming, snorkeling and collecting sea shells along it's pristine beaches, and is a beach we have been to the beach numerous of times to not only photograph wildlife, but to snorkel in it's crystal blue waters.

#2 - Fred Howard Beach: Going to the beach is awesome, and swimming in the warm gulf waters is even better. But the best secret of this beach is that this is THE best beach to snorkel in it's shallow waters offshore. Here, the entire little island is surrounded by large beds of Turtle Grass, and you can snorkel in shallow waters and see Stingrays, Drums, Sheepheads, Barracuda, Blue Crabs, Scallops and even swim with wild Dolphins.

#1 - Honeymoon Island Beach: This was the first beach we ever visited when we moved to the Tampa Bay area, and is by far the best beach we have ever visited, bar none. The waters are warm, the breezes are refreshing, the sunsets are amazing, and the sand is so fine, you swear it was powdered sugar. We have been to Honeymoon Island at least several hundred times over the past two years, and each time we visit, it feels like being on a tropical vacation, miles away from civilization, which is exactly what we enjoy and look for here on this gorgeous beach.

Fenway Hotel

In 1925, the first radio broadcast in Pinellas County was launched from the Fenway Hotel. In the following years, diplomats, artists, and such notables as Clarence Darrow, Carl Sandburg and Babe Ruth mingled with guests on cool autumn nights as they watched the sunset over Caladesi Island across the bay.

I never knew the history of this building that is located on Alt. 19 in Dunedin, just south of Main Street. I have passed by this building hundreds of times, and up until recently, never gave it a second look, since it was not all that attractive to look at, and looked as if it was about to be demolished. The past few months however, I noticed a huge change at this building, with only a name "Fenway" that is located across the top of this old building.

The grounds suddenly were being cleaned up, and the exterior was being painted a bright yellow, trimmed in red. This certainly caught my attention, for this old building must be something of historic significant, since all this new work was really bringing this old place back to life.

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View A Panorama Of The Fenway Hotel
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I did some research, and wow, what a piece of history right here in our backyard. Turns out the building dates back to 1925, and was once a world-class hotel and resort that was a hub for visitors and vacationers that visited the area, and was a major centerpiece for the little town of Dunedin, Florida. Currently, the Fenway is being restored to its former glory, and will once again buzz with excitement and give memories to future guests as they too watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico on a warm summers night.

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Learn More About The Fenway Hotel

Bayshore Boulevard

Here's an interesting fact I uncovered while doing research for interesting places to photograph around Tampa Bay. Bayshore Boulevard is a favorite of locals, especially joggers, runners, skaters, and bikers, for its scenic views of the Tampa Bay skyline and it's 4.5 miles in length make it the world's longest continuous sidewalk, which starts on the north at Columbus Statue Park and ends at Gandy Boulevard. Bayshore Boulevard also is the site of Tampa's annual Gasparilla parade.

While there was no way I was going to walk the entire length of the world's longest sidewalk, it's pretty cool that I can actually state that I have walked (a very small portion mind you) on it.

A Day In The Big City

Last weekend, I had a full day ahead of me. It's not often I spend anytime in downtown Tampa, for I spend most of my time at the beach. Gary from Winter Haven, Florida contacted me about doing an on-location photography workshop in downtown, and I was thrilled to get the chance to teach a workshop in a beautiful city.

I arrived early in Tampa to take advantage of the morning light, and photograph some of the more interesting and important structures around Tampa. I like getting out in the morning, for this time of the year, it gets hot, so mornings are great for it is much cooler to work and get around.

After lunch, I met up with Gary at Tampa General Hospital on Davis Island, and after going over some questions and answers, we headed out to see what we could uncover. We started with some interesting subjects in the downtown area, then made our way down to Ybor City though Channelside that provided a wealth of photo opportunities. We even had a young lady that was willing to model for us for some nice portraits in Ybor, as well as a tattoo artist. That really added a creative dimension in the urban setting.

Gary and I ended the day back at Davis Island to capture the simply gorgeous skyline of the city of Tampa, and Gary was amazed with just how long one can shoot in the evening light that yielded some of his best night shots he has ever attempted. It was a real long day to say the least, but it was cool to see the big city from many different perspectives and light.

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Going Home

Just when I thought that I have been or have seen everything that Tampa has to offer, the most wonderful and amazing opportunity comes along. Ever since arriving in Tampa, I have been continually amazed at my new home, and I have seen and experienced some incredible things. Today was without a doubt one of the most exciting, and something I never would of expected, much less be a part of.

I stopped in at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to get some photo releases for the some of the photos I recently shot there for my upcoming book. When I arrived, the aquarium was abuzz with excitement, and I had no idea what was going on. I talked to one of the volunteers at the front desk, when she said today that there was going to be a turtle release. It was about to get real interesting.

I went upstairs, camera at my side, and saw a small group of staff members around the turtle isolation and recovery tanks, as they were lifting one of the turtles that has been receiving treatment out of the tank. I snapped a few photos, not realizing that they were prepping the turtle to be released back into the Gulf of Mexico in Clearwater Beach. It was Mackenzie the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, a female that was found seven months ago by one of the numerous volunteers at the Clearwater Aquarium that routinely patrols the beaches in search of injured or stranded turtles.

Mackenzie was found at Caladesi Island State Park on November 22, 2006. She was extremely lethargic, suffering from what is known as lethargic loggerhead syndrome, possibly brought on by red tide complications. The symptoms of this are great lethargy including a lack of desire to eat.

Mackenzie was transported to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for rehabilitation, including multiple doses of various antibiotics over the seven month period. She was recently cleared for release by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium veterinarian staff, and today, she was going home.

I was invited to photograph the entire event, which was one exciting experience, as I have never witnessed a turtle release before, and my first time, I was able to get access to get some incredible shots of the action. The staff made some last minute preparations, and took some tests be make sure MacKenzie was ready to be released.

After the all clear, Mackenzie was placed in the back of the transport truck, and then we whisked off to our final destination, Clearwater Beach. When we arrived at the beach, a large crowd had gathered, including beachgoers, other volunteers, local news media, state officials, all of which made for a huge sense of excitement. Many turtles are brought in for care, and few are released, so this was a major event.

After one last check on the truck, Mackenzie was lowered onto the beach, as the crowd cheered her on to return to the sea. It was loud, and Mackenzie seemed a little startled at first, as she looked around at all her new fans, and then instinct took over. The gentle waves of the warm salt water surrounded her, and she got excited, and knew exactly what to do. Just like a little child seeing the beach for the first time, she looked straight ahead, and with all her might, started to run toward her familiar home. The crowd starting chanting "GO! GO! GO!". What an exciting moment.

In a flash, Mackenzie was in the water, and just as quickly as it began, she dipped below the waters surface, and then she was gone. The crowd roared with a big cheer, and clapped at a rare and successful release. It was a bittersweet ending, as many of the staff at the aquarium were elated, it was sad to see a new friend go.

It was an amazing time, and to be apart of it was a moment in my life I won't soon forget. Be safe in your travels Mackenzie.

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View A Photo Gallery Of The Release Of Mackenzie
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Read A Story From The St. Pete Times About
The Release Of Mackenzie

Eye Pod

Going to the beach is awesome. It's relaxing, fun and you can work on your tan. But one of the best things we have seen while at the beach is not the beauty of the beach, the sea shells, or the swimming, but having the opportunity to swim with wild dolphins. It is an experience like no other, and one that you won't certainly forget.

In the Tampa Bay area, dolphins are common, and anytime one is around the many areas of saltwater, you may be lucky enough to spot one. Of all the places we have visited, the top two places to see dolphins are readily accessible to anyone willing to seek out these magical creatures.

The first place is right in downtown Clearwater, right under the Clearwater Memorial Bridge that connects Clearwater to Clearwater Beach. Here, I have seen one or two at a time, and this is where the dolphin cruises will circle, but that costs money. The secret? Go down to Coachman Park, walk under the bridge, and be on the lookout. I have seen them about 80% of the time I have been there. Skip the weekends however, for there is too much boat traffic, and the dolphins will shy away from this area, so go on a weekday.

The best place to not only see dolphins, but you may have the rare opportunity to swim with them is at our favorite beach, Honeymoon Island. We have been in the water with sometimes up to a whole pod of dolphins numbering around seven. There is also a baby dolphin that swims with the pod, and if they are not hunting, they will swim right around you, almost to see what you are up to. Again, skip the weekends as there is a lot of people and boats in the waters around Honeymoon Island, and on the weekdays we have seen them about 90% of the time. The best place to see them is the channel between Caledesi and Honeymoon on the south end of the island.

Once you have been in the water with a wild dolphin, you are mesmerized by them, and is an experience that lasts a lifetime.

Simply Magnificent

During the late spring to early summer, when on the beaches in Florida, look up into the sky, and you might see something magnificent. This is the time of the year when the Magnificent Frigatebirds arrive in Florida to patrol the beaches, on the lookout for an easy meal.

Magnificent Frigatebirds have the largest wingspread in proportion to weight of any bird. In addition to stealing fish from other seabirds, their most famous method of obtaining food, they can soar for hours and often dip down to the surface to pick fish and other marine animals from the water, or skim past a breeding colony of other seabirds to snatch the young from their nests.

We came upon a feeding frenzy of gulls and terns on Reddington Beach, and at first, my focus was on the numerous terns that was gathered. Then, almost of nowhere, several Magnificent Frigatebirds soared overhead, as they look like large kites in the warm gulf breezes.

It wasn't long as the gulls and Frigatebirds became engaged in an amazing arial war, right over our heads. Some of the Frigatebirds flew right down to the beach, which gave me my first opportunity to really see these beautiful birds up close, some so close I couldn't even keep focus on them. It was simply an amazing sight to witness.

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Heritage Village

One of the locations on my list to shoot for my book project was Heritage Village in Largo, Florida, and since the forecast on Saturday was calling for light showers and overcast skies, it was the perfect combination to shoot historic buildings on the property.

Heritage Village is a 21-acre living history museum located in the heart of Pinellas County. The natural pine and palmetto landscape is home to some of Pinellas County's most historic buildings. More than 28 historic structures and features, some dating back to the 19th century, include a school, church, sponge warehouse, railroad depot and store as well as a variety of historic homes.

It was a great way to spend the afternoon walking back in time and learn about our history and really appreciate the modern invention of air conditioning. This is highly recommend location for not only photographing, but to spend a relaxing afternoon.

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Overcast Workshop

Tropical Storm Barry made his presence felt this past weekend in the bay area, as we finally got some much needed rain after one of the worst droughts we have seen since the early 90's. I had a workshop scheduled with Max & Marie from Tampa on Saturday, and although it was overcast, we still were able to get our workshop in, even though it was overcast.

Max & Marie just recently got a Nikon D80 digital SLR camera, and was excited to learn how to not only use their new camera, but how to capture some photos creatively that they have always wanted to shoot, but wasn't sure on just how.

We covered the basics for the majority of our workshop, from the technical side of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, to the more detailed side of learning how to use their camera and all of its settings. We even had an opportunity to learn on the proper use of filters, and how to use them to create some cool and artistic results. All in all is was a great half-day workshop, and Max & Marie really learned a lot in our time spent together.

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24 Hours On The Strip

After our Oregon Coast Photography Workshop, my friend John & I were faced with a dilemma. Take a layover in Salt Lake City, or how about Las Vegas? Well, that decision wasn't too hard, so it was off to fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada and hit The Strip for 24 hours. Since neither one of us had ever been to Las Vegas, it was going to be a real eye-opening experience.

Everything is Las Vegas is big, from the airport, to the skyscrapers of hotels, just about everything. Plus, throw in the neon, the action and the throngs of people, it felt like being in a huge amusement park more then in a city. We spent the evening out taking as many photos as we could of The Strip, and when darkness fell, it was time to hit the casinos.

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View A Panorama Of The Las Vegas Strip (JPG - 56KB)
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All in all, I lost a whopping $50 (I almost was down $100 until I hit BlackJack and won half my money back), but John was able to win a few hundred, and won $135 on the nickel slots at the airport just before we took off back to Tampa. It was a thrilling end to a great week.

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