Florida wildlife - lots of pics.

[silverpenguin7]

Right, I've processed some of my shots from my latest trip to Florida. Being that hurricane season was over there was a lot more about this time, plus I had better equipment with me to make the most of it. I've just put up a random selection here as I couldn't decide what ones to show. All taken with either D3 or D300 and all with the 200-400 VR (most of which had the 1.4 on as well).

Random locations

Cormorant profile - a great example of how sharp the 200-400 is even with a 1.4 on!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/RP1_4111.jpg

Ibis at sunset

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/RP1_4555_ibis.jpg

Me taking that shot (I think, but it was around that time)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/me_sunset.jpg


Sanderlin (or Dunlin?!)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_0028_sand.jpg

Ruddy Turnstone

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_0075_ruddy.jpg

Green Cay Wetlands

Osprey and Belted Kingfisher. They were sitting in an old dead tree at sunset, and I thought it funny that they were on a branch each, both looking for fish and facing away from each other :D

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_0905_king_osp.jpg

The same Osprey. The sun had just gone below the treeline but he was flying up where the light had this amazing red glow!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/RP1_4278_osprey.jpg

Tri Coloured Heron fishing

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/RP1_4250_tri.jpg

[silverpenguin7]

Viera Wetlands:

Little Green heron hunting

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_0304_little-greeen.jpg

American Bittern - watched this usually hard to spot bird for about 20 mins. Eventually he found a snake and they had a 10 minute fight to the (snakes) death. Got so many shots of the Bittern both alone and with the snake, so here is one of them...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_0242_D300.jpg

Least Bittern - another tricky to photograph bird, I got him out in the opn 'just', the move FAST through the reeds!!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_0099_least.jpg

Although I quite like this one too:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_0102_least2.jpg

Snow Egret fishing in late afternoon

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_1123_snow_e.jpg

Great Egret at sunset

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_1162_segretsun.jpg

Cormorants at sunset

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_1167_corm_sun.jpg

Phew, loads more but that's a nice selection. Saw a HUGE alligator as well, might stick him up at some point.

Fiddler Crab - tiny little thing this was!!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_0395.jpg

American Alligator (Viera) - had this shot in mind for ages but this was the closest I got to it. He was backlit and facing away from me which wasn't ideal. Maybe next time!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/RP1_4428_alli.jpg

[downhillbiker]

So, National Geographic been on the phone at all?

Those are seriously fantastic photographs - if I had to pick favourites, I'd say those with the phenomenal sunset backgrounds are blinders. But that's like picking one of Girls Aloud to shag... they're all good.

[RobDickinson]

Incredible set of pics!

[ArthurDent]

Love the colours and clarity. Absolutely stunning!

[Sam]

Move over Andy Rouse - Silevrpenguin07 is in town! A fantastic set of shots. I love Great Egret at sunset but as Downhillbiker says (rather differently to the way I'd have worded it, admittedly ;)) its almost impossible to pick as they are all outstanding.

[roar349]

The Tri Coloured Heron/Egret flight shots do it for me, and if I had to choose it would be Kimberley. Looks like the American Bittern has a Corn Snake.

[DeadYankee]

Astounding photographs

[Vex]

Really stunning shots, particularly like the sunset ones with the cormorants, and Great Egret.. oh, and the Fiddler Crab.. :)

[wolfkiller]

The sanderling and the crab are probably my favourites, but in all honesty, most of your shots are absolutely stunning.
The light available is just superb compared to what we normally get in the UK.

[driver8]

wow !

simply

awesome

[Boink!]

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/me_sunset.jpg How many teleconverters did you have on so you could see all around the world and shoot the back of you taking the shot?

They are superb, but I think my favourite is the Cormorant profile.

Dear Santa,

I want a Nikon D700 at least with the Nikkor 200-400mm, please. I hav been a gud boy all year and ate al my greenes (but not bogies).

Boink! :)

[silverpenguin7]

Thanks all for the comments, much appreciated :)

How many teleconverters did you have on so you could see all around the world and shoot the back of you taking the shot?

PMSL!!!! :lol::lol::lol:

[Highlander]

Stunning set of photos. The tricolour heron fishing is my fave

[Radiohead]

Sheer quality - how lovely is that light?

[el_nello]

Fantastic!
This is the kind of stuff that makes me realise I'm still crap at taking photos.
Could you not have posted one poorer one to give some of us hope?! :p

[gta15]

Fantastic set! Well done

[Big A]

Stunning set of photos of a part of the world very close to my heart. In fact i've just stumbled upon some of your photos randomly on Flickr whilst at Miami Dolphins pictures.

In fact, i was looking at the Dolphins Stadium pano in particular

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardpeters/3000120694/

could i be really cheeky and ask for the original? i'd obviously pay for the privilage its just my camera decided to die as i entered Dolphins Stadium last season :( and your photo brings back some good memories of the only day from my holiday where i have no photographic records.

[PaulieC79]

These are stunning pictures.

[silverpenguin7]

Thanks guys :)

Stunning set of photos of a part of the world very close to my heart. In fact i've just stumbled upon some of your photos randomly on Flickr whilst at Miami Dolphins pictures.

In fact, i was looking at the Dolphins Stadium pano in particular

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardpeters/3000120694/

could i be really cheeky and ask for the original? i'd obviously pay for the privilage its just my camera decided to die as i entered Dolphins Stadium last season :( and your photo brings back some good memories of the only day from my holiday where i have no photographic records.
Drop me a mail through Flickr as PM's don't work here :)

[eklipze]

Great photos, can't believe I missed these over the last couple of weeks.

You must have spent quite a bit of time to get all those. Was this a holiday or specific photo trip.

Love the Jeremy Beadle Crab too.:thumbs:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/richardmpeters/Florida2/DSC_0395.jpg

[silverpenguin7]

Great photos, can't believe I missed these over the last couple of weeks.

You must have spent quite a bit of time to get all those. Was this a holiday or specific photo trip.

Love the Jeremy Beadle Crab too.:thumbs:
:lol:

No not a specific photo trip. Just went semi prepared and spent a few hours here and there at various locations wondering around :)

[Sarao]

awesome man! reallly nice pics!

[JulesH]

:notworthy:notworthy Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fozzybear]

I missed these too, don't normally look at wildlife stuff from outside the UK but glad I did as these are stunning! Brilliant work Richard - you're certainly making good use of that 200-400! Love the sunset shots and the fiddler crab, and the bitterns, and the herons, and...

:thumbs: