Photo Safari

My in-laws took me on a golf cart photo safari yesterday afternoon to see some of the wildlife that lives on the various golf courses. It was definitely an eye-opener but I am also learning my, and my camera's, limitations when it comes to long-distance shooting.

We saw brown anoles, a gopher tortoise, a great blue heron, white ibis, snowy egrets, wood storks, adolescent double crested cormorants, one crazy dog, Spanish moss, and more. I shot multiple images of each and found out this morning that only a couple of shots came out well enough to publish.

I could have used a tripod to steady my shots and a telephoto lens would be handy to zoom in a bit more on some of the wildlife so I don't spook it. The wood storks were especially skittish and finally flushed when I got close enough to snap a few pictures.

My father in law, Bob, would drive on ahead in his cart and I'd hear him say, "Yep, that's definitely bloggable" about a particular photo opportunity and, for the most part, I think he had it figured out.

Believe it or not, the golf course is an amazing habitat and could be a fun place to run around after hours when there's less chance of getting in the way of the golfers. You can study tracks in the sand traps for DAYS and the wildlife available is somewhat used to humans because of the constant flow of traffic. This course also has water hazards that connect directly to the Intercoastal Waterway so you can get fresh water otters, crabs, crayfish, and more that just swing by for a visit.

I think we're headed out to the West Course today for some more pictures. I've heard the wildlife out there can include big cats, snakes, and more. The alligator that used to call the 17th hole home on the North Course has been removed so the chances I'll have another 'gator encounter while down here are much reduced. Bummer...or not.

Thanks for reading,


B