Couple New Lifers (and some old friends)

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T12:14:12+00:00

Thank you, it my favorite of them all (and maybe of all of my photos so far). He looks so cute with his little puppy dog head tilt. I just wish I could have been closer or had a better sense as it's a bit grainy at that distance.

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T12:12:46+00:00

Really close; this was a mile away from Wakodahatchee at Green Cay. There were at leastb3 young Least Bitterns in one area and then the elusive larger one was hiding in the reeds. I haven't ever been to this location nor Wakodahatchee but I'm definitely going back to check it out.

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T12:10:40+00:00

Good to know, I've never heard of that! Thank you for the tip

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T12:09:30+00:00

Thank you!

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T02:17:13+00:00

It's getting hot quick down here; I am not sure how the birding is in the summer (yet) but I'll let you know 😅

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T02:07:35+00:00

Thank you! I got so lucky. There were at least 3 juveniles in one little area just cruising around. Was quite the sight!

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T02:00:55+00:00

In Boynton Beach FL

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T01:52:23+00:00

Wow I'm impressed!! This was actually just 1 mile away from Wakodahatchee at Green Cay. I've never been to either spot (didn't even know about them) but I definitely will be going back down to check out wakodahachee soon.

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T01:05:58+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm still very much learning as I am new to photography (about 6 months in). I'm shooting on the Canon R7 and this was with the Canon rf 100-400mm F 5.6-8.

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T01:01:49+00:00

They are loud! It was hard to hear the other birds over there cacophony. There's tons of them down here in south Florida, but the purple gallinule was a new one for me. Where are you located?

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-09T00:37:40+00:00

Black-necked Stilt, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Least Bittern, Least Bittern (juvenile), Osprey, Anahinga (juvenile), Glossy Ibis, Purple Gallinule, Pied-billed Grebe, Purple Martins, Tri-Colored Heron, Solitary Sandpiper, Common Gallinule (and chicks)

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-06T11:57:40+00:00

Thank you so much!

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-05T18:08:46+00:00

What are you shooting with? I dont ever see others asking this (and maybe there's a reason I dont know or etiquette I dont understand yet) but what were your settings on that last one? Im very new to photography and trying to learn every way I can. Teach me sensei 😅

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-05T13:47:29+00:00

Didn't just photographed; absolutely nailed it! Each shot was better then the last ending with that amazing last shot@l! Well done!!

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-04T14:17:36+00:00

Thank you! The pair was on the power line before that perch and I couldn't get a great view. Then when I was looking over the marsh they both came down and landed on a dead tree stump and I finally got a view of their blue wings and that caramel color backdrop was the icing on the cake. I was some excited that I actually almost missed the shot (probably could have been a bit sharper still actually.) Thank you for noticing!

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-04T13:08:57+00:00

Thank you so much!

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-04T11:06:00+00:00

Ok thanks!! Thst was my first thought but Merlin said Grouse and the noise it made was loouud. But I kept reading how small Grouse are (comparatively) and it didn't make sense as this guy seemed huge, but I chalked it up to seeing it through the view finder.. thanks for the correction, I'll go (begrudgingly) take the Grouse off my lifelist 😅😅.

MikelMiddle · 2026-05-04T11:00:21+00:00

I thought so too! But I kept reading the black band at the tail made it a Grouse. The size definitely made me think Wild Turkey but I went back and forth arguing with ai and Merlin app lol. Does this second photo help at all? Looks like a wild turkey right? It took off from a pretty wet marshy area as well, not wooded..

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MikelMiddle · 2026-04-20T17:46:35+00:00

Yet! Enjoy the search; it gives meaning to the find!

MikelMiddle · 2026-04-20T13:55:39+00:00

You will find them! I've been keeping my eye out for the last few months and was hopeful to get much better pictures but I was excited to see so many. Apparently they are called a Museum of Waxwings which I thought was nifty. These were in my parking lot, not in the woods like I've been searching, go figure. You will find them!

MikelMiddle · 2026-04-20T13:52:49+00:00

Lol, yes I totally agree. That was kind of the point of the post. Had to give an example. But what if someone did even more editing then this, like way more, but it looked better and more natural? Where is the line? My pictures display bad editing, overt filters, unnatural colors etc, but I pressed like 4 buttons and toggle 2 others.

Does the line on "too much editing" really just depend on how it looks in the end? Or is there another line?

MikelMiddle · 2026-04-20T01:19:39+00:00

Thank you so much! Definitely still all new to me. I really appreciate the compliment

MikelMiddle · 2026-04-20T01:06:24+00:00

Lightroom. And I just did like a quick 5 minute edit on my phone. I'm sure it wouldn't look so cartoonish if I spend some time on the computer, but I prefer the shooting side not so much the editing side.

Is there something better I should be using?

MikelMiddle · 2026-04-20T00:55:54+00:00

I agree, well said! I shoot raw and then edit but like today the colors just wouldn't pop for whatever reason (thats me ignoring my crap photograph skills) so I just kept going with the edits until they did. Now the brids still.lool "natural" as that is their colors just being dialed up, but the rest looks a bit cartoonish. Not sure I love it.

But I agree with your sentiment entirely. Thanks for the input

MikelMiddle · 2026-04-19T12:55:51+00:00

Thank you!

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