Little Estero Lagoon is a world renown birding location on Fort Myers Beach in Florida. Lately, Like Ding Darling, it has been panned by birders as diminished from its glory days with tons of birds. As my first trip, I too was disappointed with this beautiful place...until I discovered its secret cache.
The lagoon most people refer to is behind and just to the south of the Windham Gardens Hotel on Estero Blvd. As always, parking is a problem but solutions do exist with a strip shopping center not too long a walk from the beach. At dawn the usual cadre of Florida wading birds can be expected...the always delightful dancer the Reddish Egret, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Great White Egrets and on this occasion, a molting juvenile Little Blue Heron starting to come into its adult plumage.
Nesting on the beach.... a Black Skimmer Colony
The mother lode....a black skimmer colony
Black Skimmer
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 479mm 1/4000@ f10 iso 1000
Black Skimmer
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 548mm 1/1600@ f10 iso 800
Black Skimmer
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 479mm 1/1250@ f10 iso 800
Look Out Below
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 479mm 1/1250@ f10 iso 800
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 324mm 1/1600@ f10 iso 1250
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 479mm 1/4000@ f10 iso 1000
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 324mm 1/1600@ f10 iso 1250
An early morning rendezvous
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 600mm 1/800@ f6.3 iso 800
The catch
The tease
Negotiations
The exchange
The reward
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 512mm 1/640@ f6.3 iso 800
Out looking for more gifts
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 420mm 1/2500@ f7.1 iso 640
Let Me Try It With A Stick
Wow It worked!!!
Reverse Skim
Bath Time Shake
Mirror Image
High Speed Scoop
Least terns
America's smallest tern
Least terns also nest on the beach in huge colonies. Most colonies are roped off to protect the fragile habitat. As we'll see, the terns can't read and nest all over the beach in any small depression, footprint or scrape. Please respect there temporary homes when on the beach in early summer as the nests are impossible to see and the chicks are really small and camouflaged. From a respectful distance and down low it is possible to enjoy there rituals and the loving care the chicks receive from their parents.
Canon 7D Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC @ 840mm 1/1600@ f9.0 iso 400
Canon 7D Mkii, Canon 70-200 L IS II @ 182mm 1/4000@ f5.6 iso 800
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 210mm 1/1250@ f10 iso 800
Least Tern Chick
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC@ 840mm 1/1600@ f10 iso800
Least Tern Chick hunkered down in a scrape (nest) on the beach
Ever wonder why sections of the beaches in south Florida are roped off? They are nesting areas for critically endangered shorebirds that nest in small indentations on the sand. They are very susceptible to predators...from Fish Crows to dogs, raccoon or coyotes and just plain people stepping on these little guys. Least tern populations have dropped an estimated 88% form 1966 to 2013 basically because of our encroaching development and use of their beach habitat. Please respect the ropes and help them survive!
Feeding time Mother and chick
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC@ 840mm 1/2500@ f10 iso 1000
I'm hungry Mom
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC@ 840mm 1/2500@ f10 iso 1000
Where are you?
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC@ 840mm 1/2500@ f10 iso 1000
On the way with food for baby
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 210mm 1/1000@ f10 iso 800
Snowy Plover
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 353mm 1/4000@ f10 iso 800
Wilson's Plover chick
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC @ 840mm 1/800@ f9 iso 3200
American Oystercatcher
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC @ 840mm 1/1000@ f9 iso 3200
Female Black Scoter
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC @ 840mm 1/4000@ f10 iso 800
Roseate Spoonbill
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 703mm 1/1250@ f9 iso 640
Roseate Spoonbill
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC @ 840mm 1/1600@ f9 iso 640
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC @ 703mm 1/1250@ f9 iso 640
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport plus 1.4x TC @ 840mm 1/1250@ f9 iso 640
Juvenile Laughing Gull
Canon 1Dx Mkii, Sigma 150-600 Sport @ 600mm 1/2500@ f7.1 iso 640
