Charming Winter Garden

 Winter Garden  a city in western Orange County, Florida, is located 14 miles west of Downtown Orlando. It is part of the Orlando metropolitan area but it looks nothing like Orlando.

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Dinner Time

 I am definitely not doing a good job with my bird photography. As much as I like watching them and capturing them, I am not getting a clear picture of them.

Not sure what my problem is.

Could be old age.

Could be bad eyesight.

Could be unsteady hands.

Could be the excitement.

Could be ALL sorts of could be's.

Bottom line they aint sharp, but heck I will click!

On my walk home the other day saw this guy sitting under the bridge, through the chain link fence.

I saw him (naturally)...I stopped and positioned my camera throught the chainlink fence because I noticed he had caught something.

Obviously, I didn't focus on the "thing" he had caught and clicked.

Then I tried to be more diligent and focus on the "thing".

But if you know anything about birds....they don't wait for you to get situated....they do their thing and you have a 50/50 chance of capturing.

Of course I clicked...because something is better than nothing.

Within seconds that "thing" was down the hatch.

 And Mr. Anhinga sat around digesting that "thing" for a few minutes before taking off toward the next "thing".

And so goes my adventures in bird watching (clicking) in Florida.

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The Drop and The Fail

I am walking down Flagler Avenue and minding my own business, when suddenly out of the corner of my eye I spot this thing flying down, scooping something, and then flying up. 

I follow the up motion and aim my camera.

This thing lands and I shoot.

Of course, as you probably guessed from the above photo, I am not carrying my big boy. Hence, at 120 mm the only way I could zoom closer was to switch the camera from a full frame to a cropped.

And even so, this is as close as I could get.

I am squinting, aiming, and as to be expected, walking a little faster in order to get closer to the phone pole, when suddenly.......

Needless to say, in my excitment and haste in trying to quickly focus....I  miss a great shot. 

Whatever that thing had caught, was now on the ground while he was still perched on the pole looking down.

Two more clicks, because clicks are cheap and fun....

And then just like that the thing was gone, with me nowhere closer to him than before.

By the way, in case you were wondering National Geographic called my husband and said not to bother sending these photos in. 🙃😉

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