Variety of Florida Birds In Single Scenes
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Here’s more of the big scenes during my recent morning visit to the Marsh Trail at 10,000 Islands NWR. I had returned after the previous morning’s spectacular find with hundreds of birds at the start of a foggy morning (that post here).
On this second morning, what fog there had already lifted high into the sky. The sun was burning it off, getting some light onto the scene here and there. The sight was amazing, there were even more birds!
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At least 12 bird species in the above photos: American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Reddish Egret, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Wood Stork, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, and Double-crested Cormorant.
Three mornings and one evening in a row of lots of birds at this location. Having not seen a scene like this before, I was indeed on Cloud 9. I took a total of just under 2,000 photos. I’m weeding through them to rid as many as I can and also find the very best of my close-ups to share with you. 🙂
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Photos by Donna 
Amazing!
Thank you, it was!
How incredible, especially the spoonbills!
Thank you, Cindy! I just love the little pops of pink of the spoonies with all those white birds. 🙂
What fantastic scenes. No wonder you took so many photographs.
Thank you, Tom! So many awesome ops for close-ups and fly-bys, it was almost overwhelming. I just kept pointing and shooting! 🙂
Wow Donna! These are Great! I have never seen that many in one image! Would be Great to shoot a multi-image panorama to get even more in one long image!
Thank you, Reed! You’d have been in heaven shooting mult-image for a panoroma. I should have tried, but the close-up ops had my full attention, so much action going on. 😉
What an amazing scene! Your photos are outstanding, as is your bird ID skill. Thank you for sharing and listing the large variety of birds. I’m curious – I didn’t see any black markings on the wings of the white pelicans. Is that because their wings were not open?
Thank you, Susan! Coming upon these kind of scenes really makes you giddy with excitement. You’re correct, the black on the pelicans wings pretty much disappears when they fold their wings up tight to the body. 🙂
Great reunion of species! Great photos, Donna. You found the birds just as I like them! Great job!! 👍 🙂
Thank you, HJ! It was glorious, I;m so happy to share with you! 🙂
🤗, it doesn’t get any better than that does it 😃😃😃
I don’t think it can!! I’m still in utter amazement as I go through my photos. 🙂
When I shoot large flocks like that I have to remember to focus in on individual birds. I can easily take group photos all day. 🤣🤣
I worked on some big shots, then focused on individuals, trying to get action or character or a few mixed species. I had to file them in specific species folders to try to whittle down from there, to find the best of the best. Now I’m overwhelmed where to start from there! 🤣
Absolutely astounding Donna, what a treasure and blessing you had to capture this amazing gathering of so many pure white and very elegant birds ! 🙂
It was absolutely glorious, Ashley! I’m still amazed at the sight (and noise!) that morning. 🙂
It’s a waterbird convention!!
Most definitely!!
WOWZA!! What an amazing sight.
It was glorious, Deborah!!
That’s incredible!
I was on Cloud 9!
Wow! So many birds in one place. Incredible!
It was truly glorious, there were many times I just stood there and watched the action. I just couldn’t believe it!
What a spectacular sight, Donna! A pleasure to see 😊
I just couldn’t believe the sight when I came upon it down the trail, it was truly glorious! I stood many times just watching all the action, there was so much going on. 🙂
Wow, Spring Break, bird-style! 😉
Amazing scene– and 2000 photos to process, oy!
Perfect description, Eliza! 🙂 Yes, oy…..I’m still wading through them, looking for the best of my closeups to share.
Fantastic photos Donna, what an incredible sight! An event that will stay with you for a long time. 🙂
Thank you, Sue! You are correct, I will never forget this morning! 🙂
What a fantastic place to observe these birds. Great shots !
Thank you, Rudi! Not only are there great spots on the trail to take photos, there’s a two-story observation deck to get the overall view. There are mornings you can go and there only be a handful of birds, you just never know. I love this location! The refuge’s beauty alone is gorgeous.
Amazing!!! How beautiful, Donna.
Thank you, Isabel!!
Seems like 10,000 Islands NWR has at least 10,000 birds! (Are you sure you only took 2,000 photos?) All kidding aside, these pictures are amazing! What a wonderful glimpse of bird paradise. I can see why you were on Cloud 9.
I was surprised I ‘only’ took 2000 photos. 😅 It was truly a bird paradise, I’ll never forget this morning and am so glad I got up early and went!
I would have been on cloud 999!
I think I reached that Cloud!! 😉
Amazing….delightful, Donna!
Thank you, Indira!!
What a very fine collection of photos Donna.
There are not enough superlatives for them!
Thank you, Eddie, it was a birder’s dream to see! 🙂
Spectacular! The spoonbill provide a touch of bright colour!
Don’t they?!! I just love that pink pop in the scenes. 😍
Just awesome, Donna! So many birds you don’t know where to look first — what could be better ?!?
Thank you, Ellen! At first it was overwhelming, thinking they’re just all going to up & fly (as usual) and there’d be no ops, but I finally calmed down and tried to focus on individual birds and action. 🙂
I’m looking forward to seeing those!
Those ARE amazing photos!!!
Thank you, Carol, it was glorious in person, and the sound was amazing too!!