Who Died??

Osprey Whisperer

Took a trip to Myakka State Park (Sarasota FL) today in search of raptors. It was pretty much a bust today. Hardly any birds or 'gaitors due to the flooding and recent hurricane. Despite locating the "baldies" nest.....didn't ever see any eagles. Spent most of the afternoon there and only saw a couple damn turkey vultures looking for food. Not too happy with the results of these.....but will share them anywho. High noon...some nasty backlighting (they flew with sun in my eyes...bastahds). Feel like I could have done much better with exposure. Oh well...without further delay...the "turkey of the day" (besides the camera man who while looking skyward...walked through a mud puddle)





This one was cropped heavily. Who's sending that 400mm f/2.8?



F/11
1/2000
ISO 200
200mm focals

almost forgot. These all were taken from a huge tower/tree fort thingy at the park. You have to walk dozens of stairs to the top. I was a few rungs from the top when I saw this BOP soaring past....so I had to quickly shoot through the openings of the wood structure. IIRC..this "thing " is about 70' tall?

Here is the park's website for those interested:

http://myakkariver.org/

Correction...tower is 74' tallllllllllll Here is some info:

http://myakkariver.org/Ystructr.html

jwear

sorry Mike but you got out and must be doing good to climb stairs what is bop [bossy obnoxious predator ]you did not come home with an empty camera:D

Rohirrim

You'll get em next time Mike.

Osprey Whisperer

Hey Guys.......thanks for looking. I swear those animals at Myakka know when I've got the camera with me. On the rare chance I go without a camera....hundreds of birds and 'gaitors. The minute I enter the park with my camera bag....boom. They all run and hide. Rotten little devils. Next time....I hide the camera in a box of popcorn or something.

bfjr

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

Hey Guys.......thanks for looking. I swear those animals at Myakka know when I've got the camera with me. On the rare chance I go without a camera....hundreds of birds and 'gaitors. The minute I enter the park with my camera bag....boom. They all run and hide. Rotten little devils. Next time....I hide the camera in a box of popcorn or something.

Yep thats true :lol4 feel the same way myself and got plenty of examples to prove the theory :cry

Osprey Whisperer

I was diggin' through some old photo CDs and came across some pics of the tower at Myakka park. Shot with a P&S and from a couple years back.

The hanging, swinging tree top walkway and tower.

Osprey Whisperer

Tower with moss covered trees.

Osprey Whisperer

View from top of tower.

Osprey Whisperer

Part of the lake at Myakka State Park. Some nice wetland type areas at this park. Great for wading birds.

wanderingeye

Nice posts BMP, I haven't been to Myakka for several years but I remember it as a pretty sweet place.

Osprey Whisperer

Thanks ' eye. Myakka is a pretty cool place to shoot. Especially when the "snow birds" are gone. THey're BACK!!!

ridetwistyroads

I grew up in Sarasota, and have been to Myakka many many times. Cool park, it is.


But, I like the mountians much better.

Osprey Whisperer

ridetwistyroads wrote:

I grew up in Sarasota, and have been to Myakka many many times. Cool park, it is.


But, I like the mountians much better. <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/deal.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >

I have one word for you...o.k. .. two.



SNOW SUCKS!!

<Illinois transplant>

ridetwistyroads

Ya well, this isn't exactly illinois snow here!

we're talking about three to four days at most of it atually sticking to the ground before it melts. Just long enough to look nice.

Bob&amp;Glennie

Alright!!!
For such an ugly bird they sure are beautiful in flight aren't they? We had a very funny encounter with a turkey buzzard on a conoe trip once. We had just beached the canoe in order to look for a place to make camp for the night and I noticed a big old buzzard in the top of a dead pine. He saw us too and he was so intent on watching us that he lost his balance and began to fall out of the tree. But he was so big that he couldn't get his wings under him before he hit the next branch on his way down. So he just crashed from branch to branch completely out of control until he hit the ground By this time Glennie and I were laughing so hard that we were rolling around in the sand and the buzzard gets up on his feet, shook the sand off him, shot an indignant glare at us, said "raaaawwwwkkk" and took off running down the beach in an attenpt to gather some air speed

Bob

Osprey Whisperer