Since moving to the Florida Gulf Coast in June 2018, I’ve found real pleasure in admiring and photographing the local birds. At times, it seems that my camera is drawn mostly to waterbirds – but then I spent over an hour just standing near a bald eagle’s nest in hopes of seeing a white head.
Great Blue Heron, Florida Bird
Great Blue Heron

The array of big showy birds that can be found here on the Pinellas Peninsula (from Clearwater Beach to St. Pete) has been so wonderfully consuming, that I haven’t made much time for photographing the smaller inland birds or the more common waterbirds, like gulls and ducks.

Actually, I still have a ton of photos I need to still sort through that include quite a few birds types not part of this selection. Another day…

Of course, there are also still so many rare birds I haven’t had a chance to photograph at all. And other birds, I’m hoping to catch again under better lighting conditions – mainly the roseate spoonbill, black skimmer and black-crowned night-heron. 

The photos below are a small selection of favorites. 

If you want to see more, check out my bird photo galleries: Colorful Birds, Florida Early Birds and Egrets, I’ve Had A Few

All photos are available for purchase. For any photos you don’t see in the store, just contact me.

three pink roseate spoonbills with bills in the air, standing in water with night heron
Roseate Spoonbills drawing away attention from Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron
Pelican watching sunset on channel marker sign, silhouette
Pelican watching sunset near the dog beach on Honeymoon Island
Osprey, fish, Florida Bird
Osprey Eating Fish
Great White American Egret, taking flight, Florida bird, water, wings, wingspan, take-off
Great White American Egret Taking Flight
Yellow-Crowned Night Heron , Florida Bird
Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
Great Horned Owl, Florida Bird on Honeymoon Island
Great Horned Owl staring down Osprey Trail on Honeymoon Island
Nanday parakeet, parrot, green body, black face, head, Florida bird
Nanday Parakeet on Norfolk Pine Tree (at least I think that’s what my neighbor’s tree is)
black with red head Turkey vulture, all black vulture, dead raccoon, Florida
Turkey Vulture and Black Vulture (and a dead raccoon)
Ibis, white bird, long curved red orange beak, bill, lake, Florida Bird
White Ibis in Largo, Florida
Snowy Egret in flight at sunset , Florida Bird
Egret Fly-By
Pelican in Flight, Florida Bird
Pelican in flight against the twilight sky
Great Blue Heron Silhouette at Sunset, Belleair Bluffs, Florida Bird
Great Blue Heron Silhouette at Sunset
Andhinga, Florida Bird
Anhinga drying its wings in Taylor Park, Largo.
Great White Egret, Florida Bird
Great Egret on Sandkey Isle
Bald Eagle on burnt tree in Honeymoon Island State Park, Florida.
Bald Eagle in Honeymoon Island State Park
Brown Pelican, harbor, Florida Bird
Brown Pelican at Belleair Boat Ramp
Great Blue Heron and Clearwater South Beach, Sand Key, fishing pier, Florida Bird
Great Blue Heron waiting for catch at Sand Key Fishing Pier
Adult Bald Eagle in Nest , Florida Bird
Nesting Bald Eagle on Honeymoon Island in 2019

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