steady now

You have to dig deep to handle changing tides.

pause

A slow early morning walk along the beach, a slow shutter speed, and a slow mental attitude about pretty much everything. My first morning discovering island time.

Take me to church

I leave you with one last image before we leave. This is a crested caracara and he has been saved from an injury to live out his life in a cage. My feelings run all over the place with this. If he weren't rescued we would never see this beautiful bird the way you see it now. The littles, holding hands with their grandparents, wouldn't ask questions about this beautiful bird. I wouldn't get to stare at my computer screen with my heart so filled with awe and respect for this bird. But yet he is not free to live and die in his own natural way. I am so conflicted.

sandy feet

We are flying off for a few days to Turks and Caicos. I plan on spending lots of time on the beach in the early morning photographing where the sun meets the ocean and the ocean meets the beach. And when that is done I plan on getting very friendly with the surf, either in it or above it on a paddle board.. 

plenty of pelicans

You knew I wouldn't be able to help myself from featuring more pelican images. I mean look at this guy, he is so busy preening and keeping fresh and feather fluffed. 

This brown pelican was as interested in me as I was in him.

new friends

I spent a wonderful afternoon sitting on the pier with the pelicans. They preened and flapped and made me laugh. I have over 150 images of very busy pelicans. What a way to spend the day...

awakening

Take a moment and go lie down in the grass, stay there awhile, maybe take a nap, and when you wake you will see what has always been right in front of you.

purple gallinule

The colors of the sky and the ocean are found in her wings, but her feet are other worldly.

feel the warmth

Ive decided to take matters into my own hands and create my own warmth from this sun shining tulip. Love the folded purple stamens pushing forth from the golden center.

enough is enough

There is a natural tug between the dark and the light in the early morning. This cloud bank has been overstaying it's welcome, in my humble opinion. Release us and let the sun shine. We are really cold down here in Florida! However I don't think this little sandpiper gives a tweet.

a gaggle of gulls

One is not like the other.

 Well if you really think about it none are like the other. 

Don't mind me, I'm just passing by. You can call me Black Skimmer. I'm very cool because my lower bill is longer than my upper bill, I like to skim the water in the evening. But now I'm just passing by. 

Big Red

This is the reddish egret. Check out his blue legs, pink and black beak, reddish neck feathers and grayish blue body, oh wait did I mention his beautiful eyes?

Front view of this beauty.

Pondering what to have for dinner

Wait a minute, I am looking good if I do say so myself. Just call me Big Red...

in the pink

We saw 50 varieties of birds at Merritt Island. I've never seen so many roseate spoonbills! They ranged in color  from soft pale pink to vibrant blow your brains out saturated pink. Leave it to nature to manage such intensity. It was a thrill for me to witness them feeding in the marsh. They are absolutely beautiful.

mindfull

I don't usually see the ocean turn pink but the early morning fog rolled in just as the sun was visible over the horizon. All the soft colors became more saturated with the moisture and created a baby's blanket across my morning, new and pure and full of promise.