OneWoman's View
Natalie Ammarell Photography
One of the things I like best about Apopka is the ability to see Osprey "up close" and feeding. This impressive raptor (also known as a "fish hawk") will dive, grab a large fish and then head for a tree (or, at Apopka, a tall pole) to consume at leisure.
Below: Juvenile Osprey
This moment when the Osprey is feeding is a great time to observe the caution, the "stare" and - if threat arises - the fly-away with half-eaten fish in talons.
Surprisingly, the Cardinal is not as frequently viewed as many other species.
The Anhinga, for example, can easily be seen in its common wind-drying pose. Unlike most water birds, these do not have the necessary oils to shed water from their wings after a dive. Thus, they must hang them out to dry, so to speak. At Apopka, one sees Anhinga nests, males in full feather display , brown females and juveniles in various stages of feather development.
Left: One of the stunning features of the Anhinga during mating season is the very prominent blue eye.
Herons, of course, very common at Apopka. The Great Blue Heron offers many photo opps - sometimes he seems to pose!
Left: As they fish, Tri-colored Herons prance through the water
Right: In March 2019 a large number of Little Blue Herons had arrived - adding extra beauty to my days at Apopka.
One of the things I love about Apopka is that it is so easy to witness the co-existence and symbiosis of species. Territories are often made very clear
