Florida

Birds Florida

Burrowing Owls in Cape Coral, Florida

Two things appear to abound in Cape Coral, a gulf coast town not far south of Fort Myers: retirees in golf cars and burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia floridana) . The former inhabit the bungalows that line the streets and canals. The latter inhabit burrows in yards, along street medians, in…

Phil CollaJune 14, 2024

Birds Florida

A Morning Photographing Birds at Fort De Soto Park, Florida

I decided to squeeze in a morning photographing shore birds at Fort De Soto Park, south of St. Petersburg. I got there as the gates opened just after sunrise and made my way to North Beach. There were a lot of shore birds, none of which I had much luck…

Phil CollaMay 14, 2024

Birds Florida

Wood Storks and Egrets at the Harley Davidson Rookery

While I was in the Tampa area to photograph Roseate Spoonbills at the Alafia Banks, I made a couple side trips to see the bird activity at the Harley Davidson rookery. This is a cool spot, behind the Harley Davidson store with a couple large trees situated in the middle…

Phil CollaMay 13, 2024

Birds Florida

Roseate Spoonbills at Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary in Florida

In March I spent some time in Florida to practice my bird photography. It was a fun and productive trip. In my experience, Florida has such a wealth of avian life that the photography is like shooting fish in a barrel. That is not to say my photographs are world…

Phil CollaMay 12, 2024

Florida Manatee Wildlife

Propeller Wound on Florida Manatee

Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus) are often struck and injured by boats, in spite of laws intended to slow the passage of boats in areas inhabited by the slow-moving mammals. Manatees tend to rest below the surface, holding their breath, and surface without warning when they need to breathe. A boater…

Phil CollaMarch 9, 2009

Fish Florida Underwater Life

Photo of Mangrove Snapper in Three Sisters Spring

Mangrove snapper. Image ID: 02685 Species: Mangrove snapper, Lutjanus griseus Location: Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River, Florida, USA I spent a week one winter hanging out at the Three Sisters spring in Crystal River, Florida, photographing manatees. Early in the week the weather was cold so plenty of manatees were…

Phil CollaFebruary 2, 2005

Florida Manatee Marine Life Underwater Life

Photo of West Indian Manatee, Crystal River, Florida

A West Indian manatee, also known as a Florida manatee, at the Three Sisters Springs on the Crystal River, Florida. A Florida manatee, or West Indian Manatee, swims slowly through the clear waters of Crystal River. Image ID: 02696 Species: West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus Location: Three Sisters Springs, Crystal…

Phil CollaFebruary 1, 2005