Circle B - Booming with All Types of Activity Right Now

Just got back from Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland, and it's really happening right now.

The white pelicans are back in mass at Lake Hancock and fly around the clock like a Monday morning at Laguardia.

Arrive around sunrise and work the marsh hare pond area then take the trail to the pelicans with the sun at your back.

Besides the white pelican show; plenty of spoonies in the ponds and in flight; lots of sandhill cranes; limpkins; migratory ducks (shovelers; and blue and green wing teals); whistling ducks all over as well.

Some bald eagle flybys possible (though I only saw one in the nest; the flybys were recorded the day before I arrived). Painted Buntings reported; as well as a plethora of warblers, phoebes, cardinals; gnat catchers; anhinga; wood storks all over; and of course plenty of red shoulder hawks around.

I saw, but did not get shot of 3 river otters along the banks of the main trail which was sweet.

Thanks for the update Mike. Will be there tomorrow.

-Sid

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Originally Posted by Michael Pancier

Just got back from Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland, and it's really happening right now.

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That's for sure. I was there Saturday at dawn and things were really great for the entire morning.

I have a note on this with some images on my blog, www.naturesportal.blogspot.com . I will definitely return!

I am not familiar with the area but wonder if someone who is can download this image, mark up the best morning spots, and then reupload. Thanks in advance.

Attachment 86276

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Originally Posted by allanrube

I am not familiar with the area but wonder if someone who is can download this image, mark up the best morning spots, and then reupload. Thanks in advance.

Attachment 86276

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I'm not sure of copyrights, etc on that image so, I will describe where you want to go. While in your car, you will enter at the blue dot at the top. Shortly after entering, you will see a closed road with a chain across it. This is Windmill Whisper. Just after that you will see a sort of picnic pavilion and a few parking spaces. Park there and walk down Windmill Whisper to the actual windmill which is at the junction with Wading Bird Way. Turn left on Wading Bird Way. That stretch is the best for morning shooting. As you walk along you will hit the marshy area on the right which will have plenty of wading birds and ducks. Beyond them you will see the White Pelicans. They beginning taking off at dawn and will be flying into the rising sun. That will keep you busy for the morning.

http://www.polk-county.net/assets/0/...3a373a7fb6.jpg

Depending on how early you arrive; if at dawn, then you may want to walk the otter, heron, marsh rabbit trails; good chances for otters; bob cats and wading birds and ducks. The sun will be at your back so you'll have flight ops from different perspective. if you work your way to wading bird way at the lake, along that narrow stretch, again, you'll have photo ops of perched birds of all sizes in the immediate area as well as along the marsh on your left and the prairie on your right until you reach the large lake.

It's always a crap shoot what you'll find there.

Was there the morning of Saturday 1/14 and still lots of action: White Pelicans, Green-winged Teal, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Limpkins, Sandhill Cranes, plus the usual Florida wading birds. I was surprised to see the whistling ducks in Florida. There are hundreds of them at Circle Bar B. This one posed nicely.

EDIT: Found this regarding BBWD expansion into Florida.

Date/Time Original : 2011:01:15 08:06:10
Camera Model Name : NIKON D300
Lens ID : AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4D IF-ED + TC1.4
Shutter Speed : 1/60
Aperture : 5.6
ISO : 200
White Balance : Preset0
Focal Length : 420.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 630.0 mm)
Focus Distance : 14.96 m
Depth Of Field : 0.28 m (14.83 - 15.10)
Auto Focus : On
Focus Mode : AF-C
Shooting Mode : Continuous, Auto ISO
AF Area Mode : Dynamic Area (21 points)
Exposure Program : Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Compensation : 0
Exposure Mode : Auto
Flash Source : SB700
Flash Mode : Fired, External
Flash Exposure Compensation : 0
Quality : RAW
Color Space : Adobe RGB

I was there Friday morning and saw (in addition to what David mentions above) several bald eagles (including one immature one), a Cooper's hawk, a few bittern, a sora and roseatte spoonbills.