Lakeland, FLA - 20 Mar 2008

Robin and I flew to Orlando International Airport today for a long Easter weekend, and to bring her Mom home after a 3-month stint at the Lakeland RV Park. Probably the easiest trip through the airport, we landed, grabbed a coffee on the way to pick up our luggage, walked up to the moving conveyor and picked up our suitcase without breaking stride, walked outside to the awaiting Hertz bus, got onboard, and drove to our car, which was waiting w/ keys inside (love the Gold Club).

The official first bird seen in Florida was a Black Vulture that flew below us as we approached the airport for landing, followed by a Snowy Egret fishing one of the runway ponds. Turkey Vultures were numerous along westbound I-4 toward Lakeland, and the highlight of that drive was a Swallow-tailed Kite that flew across the road in front of us.

After unpacking and taking Mom for dinner, I grabbed the camera stuff and ran down to the lagoon in the center of the RV park. A Limpkin was feeding along the near shore but in the shade, so I didn't bother trying to photograph it. The late afternoon sun was shining on a pair of Common Moorhen, so I took the opportunity to take pics of a roosting bird with both the Nikon D300/400mm f/5.6 and a corresponding digiscoped image w/ the Coolpix P5000/Zeiss 85.

Having just received a new flash unit, I took the opportunity to play with it and a Better-Beamer Flash Xtender - I need to practice... Most photos were either under or over-exposed. Its getting late so I head back in.

Tomorrow is the Tigers v Blue-Jays game at Joker Marchant Stadium. I'll be taking the cameras to the game since we have seats just behind the Tigers dugout. Should be fun!

Lakeland RV Park, FL, Polk, Florida, US
Mar 20, 2008 4:00 PM
Protocol: Incidental
Checklist Comments:     Traveling to Lakeland
5 species

Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)  1
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  1
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)  6
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  12
Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S42077127

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)