Celebrate Birthdays in Style

This week our scavenger hunt theme was Birthday, I searched the eCrater seller items at Ecrater Store Network and found the following items that are sure to make your Birthday celebrations fun!



















Tupperware Mini Party Children's Toy Set from Carolinabluelady 

Wilton Clown Cake Pan from Eccentricthrifter

Clear Glass Serving Platter from Bargain Express

Be sure to check out these, as well as many other items, on the eCrater Store Network website. We welcome all shoppers and eCrater Store owners to join!
READ MORE - Celebrate Birthdays in Style

When Doves Cry

Though I missed the first hour of sunlight in my observations of a Bald Eagle nest this week, I would spend the remainder of the day making observations of the species' behavior.

The Common Ground Dove above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

At my approach to the nest area, I couldn't help but notice a pair of Black Vultures in the Australian Pines when an unnoticed vulture directly in front of me took flight leaving behind its meal of a well decomposed Armadillo.

Throughout the day I made the mistake of periodically reviewing an image taken to ensure proper exposure which resulted in the images discombobulated when uploaded to the computer.

The Osprey above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Both Nikon and Canon cameras do this if you don't ensure that the last image reviewed in the camera is the last one taken.

The immediate neighborhood of the Bald Eagle nest location at Big Carlos Pass near Fort Myers Beach offered 23 species of bird seen, mainly flying overhead throughout the day.

The Black Vulture above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The behavior of the Bald Eagles was very interesting to observe to get an insight into their daily routine.

Upon my arrival near the nest location, I would find two adult eagles supervising the nest.

The Armadillo carcass above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

I would lose sight of one of the birds that would fly off and disappear for different lengths of time.

That eagle would prove to be close by on a few occasions when the remaining bird would take flight briefly to have its mate return with it to the nest area.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

One of the Bald Eagles is banded on its right leg as evidenced through a very fortunate image taken of it with the designation "BAND 862" engraved in the metal and seen only through a very heavy crop.

The banded eagle is the one that would often remain closer to the nest.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

I suspect that these Bald Eagles are the same pair observed nesting near Fort Myers Beach two years ago.

These are certainly not the eagles that can be seen at Bunche Beach Preserve to the north.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

This makes me wonder the range that the birds have and where the juveniles go when they mature as a large territory miles in diameter will not have more than a pair of adult eagles seen.

This contrasts greatly with the Osprey which may nest within a few hundred feet of each other.

The Pileated Woodpecker above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

I suspect that the Bald Eagles observed this week control the entire habitat of Lovers Key State Park and at least the south end of Fort Myers Beach.

As I patiently waited in observation of the nest for the adult birds to occupy it together, they failed to do so.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The eagle without a band brought a fish to the nest in the morning while its mate brought a fish shortly before sunset.

It wasn't until near midday that I learned that there was an eagle juvenile in the nest.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

I had anticipated the possibility of copulation behavior, but that clearly takes place in November to early December judging from the size of the offspring observed.

The juvenile eagle was evidently well fed as it relieved itself twice in the hours ahead.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

It was difficult to determine if there was a sibling with it as the view of the nest was quite restricted.

At one point, I was surprised that both eagles were soaring high overhead at a height I would speculate to be 350 hundred feet.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

It was at this time that an Osprey entered the scene to seemingly take advantage of the absence of supervision of the eagle's nest.

The action unfolded in an instant where one of the Bald Eagles was on the tail of the Osprey.

The Osprey above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

In the next seconds I observed the other eagle dive at incredible speed to defend its territory as well.

The eagle's pursuit of the Osprey was done at such an astonishing speed that its flight could be heard even without the bird flapping its wings.

The Bald Eagle juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Typically in my observations, Bald Eagle or Osprey flight may only be audible when the birds have their wings flapping and are unusually close.

When the first eagle was in pursuit of the Osprey just below the tree tops and parallel to the ground, I speculate the speed at 60 miles per hour or more.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

It was intensely exhilarating to observe the action while noting the eagle appears to have a very similar wing position as the Osprey in its dive.

The top speed of a diving Bald Eagle (behavior that should not be expected to be seen) is documented in excess of 100 miles per hour.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

It was the late afternoon arrival at the nest by one of the adults with prey that offered the most stunning observation.

I was quite sure that the eagle had a fish in its talons, but then would question the possibility of something else.

The Mourning Dove above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The eagle diligently fed its offspring bits and pieces.

I was confident the adult Bald Eagle was dismembering a fish as the larger pieces including what appeared to be a tail fin were eaten by the adult.

The Raccoon carcass above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The juvenile was too large to consider that the other had not yet hatched.

The juvenile was then fed a meal that resulted in feathers seen drifting away in the breeze.

The Bald Eagle juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Shortly after the arrival of the adult Bald Eagle at the nest that would last nearly 29 minutes, it was extremely haunting when I heard a chorus of dove song from all directions as sunset approached.

The observation of the sole juvenile Bald Eagle in the nest has me speculate that its sibling might have been consumed at this time.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

With feathers flying from the nest, the adult eagle consumed what was clearly the leg of a fairly large bird.

Man-made sounds whether they be from boats, planes, power equipment, or the horn of the bridge tender in action are a constant drone at the nest in an otherwise incredibly silent place.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The call of a variety of different species of bird was heard throughout the day more often than they were seen.

A follow-up trip to the nest the next day was made to observe the Bald Eagle behavior in predawn light and for several hours thereafter.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The adult eagles were again seen perched in the vicinity of the nest.

The juvenile would prove itself to be a solitary individual in the nest while the parents would continue to attentively supervise it.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The eagle's nest observed this season showed no evidence of seaweed in its construction, a characteristic of Bald Eagles and Ospreys, as noted by David Sibley in his guide to bird life and behavior.

An Osprey's collection of seaweed for nest construction was observed first hand at the J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in mid January.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

A Bald Eagle's nest in the same vicinity at Big Carlos Pass observed near the end of the 2008 breeding season had inexplicably fallen.

A website sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation notes that a Bald Eagle nest has been recorded to have a weight of two tons with record dimensions of 20 feet tall by 10 feet wide as it's built upon each season.

The Blue-headed Vireo above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Avian authority David Sibley notes that an eagle nest may collapse under its own weight and perhaps due to the growing juveniles.

The Bald Eagle nest which I observed in 2008 exists now only in photographs.

The Osprey with Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

There was no hurricane activity in Florida in 2008 that would cause the much smaller nest to collapse.

Future high wind events could potentially bring down not only the nests, but the prolific Australian Pine trees themselves that Ospreys and Bald Eagles prefer to build nests upon in this area.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The Australian Pine is considered an invasive species and is attempted to be eradicated through management of local parks and surrounding areas.

A contentious behavior between the Bald Eagle and Osprey continued in my further observation of the species.

The Bald Eagle with Osprey above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Inexplicably, one of the Bald Eagles would leave its nest area to strafe the Osprey nests and engage an Osprey in an impressive aerial display.

It was quite remarkable to observe this behavior where either species can appear to have the upper hand at a given moment in time.

The Raccoon carcass above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The story heard this week of an in flight theft of a fish from the talons of the Osprey by a Bald Eagle clearly places the birds in their pecking order.

The Osprey occasionally appears not to know its place and will attempt to turn the tables.

The Mourning Dove above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

My observation of the Blue-headed Vireo was a first sighting of the species in excess of three years of diligent Florida wildlife study and photography.
READ MORE - When Doves Cry

M.I.A

Missing in action these few days...Have a lot of things need to be update in this blog but it seem that I didn't have enough time to write...Well, not actually that I'm so busy with study or stuffs..I can't online at my house at Kota Samarahan since I need to cut on budget..So, didn't buy the reload card for my Kuching Wi-Fi...I'm short of money...Always can't manage money properly....Ever since in Labuan 2 years ago...Love shopping and spending money a lot...That's me...

Last week was another day of wasting money on unnecessary things..My boyfriend bank me an amount of money because I kept complaint to him that I didn't have enough to cover my fees, house rent, bill and so on....So, he as always being so understanding bank the money in to shut my mouth down....haha~ or else I keep begging and complaining and nagging non-stop...

Sale everywhere!!! I've gone crazy with the sale!!!

Supposedly the money should been use to pay my rent, and some for myself to buy things that need to be refill in my house...But, first things that I bought last week was clothes and cosmetic stuffs....Only when the money left less than RM100, that I realized I was so damn in trouble...Amount of money being wasted by me was approximately RM400... So, as a solution ask from my parents money for rent and extra for angpow...


Next week is holidays for Chinese New Year and I don't think I'll be back to Bintulu or Sibu this holidays...Thinking of getting a part time job or just stay at home in Kota Samarahan...I haven't decide yet....For those who didn't know yet, I'm celebrating Chinese New Year since my father is chinese...So, Happy Chinese New Year for those who celebrating it including myself...


Happy Chinese New Year 2011


READ MORE - M.I.A

Splish Splash

SPLISH, SPLASH. . .
                    
           I was taking a ...

Vinyl Wall Decal

    This week for our scavenger hunt at Ecrater Store Network we were to come up with something to do with water so that made me think of one of my favorite things to do . . . take a long, luxurious bubble bath! 
     I searched the eCrater seller items at Ecrater Store Network and found the following items that are sure to make your long soak even more relaxing and luxurious. You will feel so pampered with any, or all, of the following items!


















Lace Trimmed Peignoir Robe from Covet And Love It Vintage

Leopard Print Bath Towel Set from Cleos Collectables

Lavender Floral Gift Set from Carolinabluelady

    Be sure to check out these, as well as many other items, on the eCrater Store Network website. We welcome all shoppers and eCrater Store owners to join!

 

READ MORE - Splish Splash

Kid at Heart

    This week for our scavenger hunt at Ecrater Store Network we were to come up with something relating to children and I attempted to target the “child at heart”; you know the type, the man that has a working toy train set in the basement or the lady with a doll collection. I searched the eCrater seller items at Ecrater Store Network and found the following very unique, collectible items for the kid in all of us.
    Be sure to check out these, as well as many other items, on the eCrater Store Network website. We welcome all shoppers and eCrater Store owners to join! 

from BargainExpress

Indiana Glass Nursery Rhymes Child Dish Set is a Tiara Exclusive from Carolinabluelady



READ MORE - Kid at Heart

Winter Wonderland 2011: Estero Lagoon

Well into winter now, it was a treat to have some warmer Florida weather conditions for a change.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

It had warmed up nicely to about 70 degrees at the time of my late afternoon visit to Estero Lagoon.

I have attempted to convince occasional visitor Frank Constantin of the preferred lighting conditions at the lagoon approaching sunset while Frank prefers its morning light.

The Reddish Egret juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

My experience has been that the birding action is more active later in the day as very early risers adjacent to the lagoon possibly scare the wildlife away in the low light conditions before I arrive.

I passed a photographer this week along the lagoon's western edge walking away from the possible action with what appeared to be a 70-300 zoom telling him that he was headed in the wrong direction.

The Willet above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

He replied that it was "martini time" as he was making a bee line for the Tiki Hut.

It is always tempting on afternoon visits to Estero Lagoon to walk south along the beach to the cut the tidal forces from the Gulf of Mexico has made in the beach for the vital regeneration of the south lagoon where the wading birds will congregate for easy pickings.

The Ring-billed Gull above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

I chose to stay at the north lagoon where something interesting always seems to happen as well.

An accommodating Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was a surprise at the spot I settled down at as on previous visits to the lagoon I typically see the species closer to the Holiday Inn and never before on the far side of the lagoon unlike this week.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

If you've never had the experience, Florida wading birds in particular may allow you surprisingly close to them while I recommend you simply allow them to come to you.

There were regrettably no successful flight shot opportunities this week although it was with great interest of mine to devote the time to observe the behavior of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron again.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The species will stalk its prey, always for small crabs in my observations, with almost motionless behavior until the time of the strike.

Once the bird has its attention focused, it will seemingly not be deterred until it gets its meal.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The species often appears oblivious to its surroundings although was distracted with a cracked branch under my feet on one occasion when I wasn't so careful.

This week's visit to the lagoon was with the intent to experiment with a high ISO equivalent setting of the camera while also using flash on occasion.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

I found in review of the shots taken a personal preference for several significantly overexposed images, and will attempt to use the technique more in the future.

I'm intrigued by a computer program you might have an interest in, recommended by Kim Komando this week, that is free.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The program allows the viewing of EXIF data (camera settings, time, date, etc.) of a JPEG image which I thought a neat idea.

It is not necessary when viewing my images at pbase as I let you see all that information if it interests you.

The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

I think a side benefit of the program which can be downloaded by clicking here allows you to keep EXIF data hidden which should be the right of the photographer.

The only information I think might best be discrete is that of the location of a shot to protect the subject.

The Snowy Egret juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

If a fellow photographer at pbase doesn't divulge their EXIF information, I typically won't review their work as I see half the enjoyment of an image in having a basic understanding of the creation of the shot before any post processing work.

The location of the shot should at least be generally noted for added interest of a wildlife image.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

GPS information in metadata is certainly not something to be overlooked if incorporated while a reviewer of the "snoop" program describes it as "great tool to inspect JPEG image[s]."

Back at the lagoon, it was fun to hear the call of a Great Blue Heron (not the most appealing of bird song) that is fairly uncommon to hear as are the calls of other larger birds in the area.

The Great Blue Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The use of flash had no obvious impact on the behavior of the heron whatever nor has it on any bird I've photographed I'm quite sure.

I note this because of commentary I've heard that flash is frowned upon in bird photography.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The story told to me which I mentioned not too many posts ago seems anomalous.

It was fun as well to observe a juvenile Reddish Egret show nesting behavior with vegetation picked out of the water and toyed with for about 30 seconds.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

As the sun disappeared below the horizon, I was greeted with the moon rising toward the east with Roseate Spoonbill observed as a pair in flight in near darkness.

I had little trouble with reflection from the buildings which I recall Frank noting as a concern of his during afternoon photography at Estero Lagoon.

The moonrise above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

A visit to Estero Lagoon has always been rewarding at any time in my experience.
READ MORE - Winter Wonderland 2011: Estero Lagoon