The wingspan of the American White Pelican can be as much as nine feet wide. A single pelican is shown in the image above and the next image is a trio flying over the water.
American White Pelican
These are some more of of my favorite captures of birds with long wingspans.
Of all the birds of prey I’ve seen in the wild, the Bald Eagle is by far my favorite. These magnificent birds mate for life and return to the same nest year after year. Alaska is a Bald Eagle lovers paradise.
Bale Eagle at Ninilchik BeachBald Eagle at Chilcoot Lake State Park, Haines, AKMama and baby eagles across from the Homer Post OfficeEagle soaring overhead in Homer
There are Bald Eagles on some of the Georgia barrier islands near our home but it isn’t every day that one decides to perch on top of our neighbor’s dock house. I was able to get a photo of this Bald Eagle on a foggy December afternoon.
Bald Eagle
Sometimes I can hear the owls in the trees in our neighborhood but they are hard to see. One morning this juvenile horned owl perched on our dock for a while.
Juvenile Horned Owl
Hawks are birds of prey I’ve often seen in Georgia and Florida.
Red Shouldered Hawk, Everglades National Park, Florida
An occasional hawk will fly over our back yard in search of a tasty morsel. One day one stopped for a break on a fence post.
Hawk in coastal Georgia
I often see ospreys soaring overhead as they search for food. I have managed to capture some on their nests.
Osprey on nest, Everglades National Park, FloridaPair of Ospreys on the nature trail, Gulf Islands National Seashore at Ft. Pickens, Florida
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” –Jacques Cousteau
A beach with perfect sugar white sand only a five minute walk from our campsite. I think I am in heaven!
Gulf Islands National Seashore at Ft. Pickens
The beach at sunset
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Our home for a week is Ft. Pickens Campground in Gulf Islands National Seashore on Santa Rosa Island. I’ve been doing a lot of walking on the beach and beach chair sitting.
Site A1 Ft. Pickens
Ready for Beach Chair Sitting on the Gulf of Mexico
We’ve taken a couple of hikes on the half-mile Blackbird Marsh Nature Trail near the campground.
Along the Blackbird Marsh Nature Trail
It is nest building time for Ospreys and several nests can be seen in the area. Ospreys are frequently seen soaring over the campground and a few of the nests can be viewed close up from the nature trail.
Pair of Ospreys on the nature trail
Pair of Ospreys on the nature trail
Osprey
And the sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico are breathtaking!
Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico
More of the Fort Pickens area coming up in my next post.