I enjoy watching birds, and looking for birds, but, although I own several bird guides, I don't consider myself a hardcore birder. In fact, sometimes I take the easy way out, and visit Pinellasbirds.com to see what the real birders are finding. It's a great local website, with daily postings of who saw what where, complete with photographs. More than once I've chosen a park based on what's been posted.
Although I've been to Kapok Park in Clearwater on several occassions, this particular trip was specifically to find, in person, a Glossy Ibis I'd seen on Pinellasbirds.com. Kapok is a beautiful little city park. In the past, I've seen an owl and owlet, Eastern Cottontail rabbit, different butterflies, ducks, Coots, Moorhens, White Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Limpkins - basically, a who's who of Florida wildlife. But would I luck out and see the Glossy Ibis?
Of course, I wanted it to appear immediately, and, of course, it didn't. However, I'm not one to give up easily, and decided to focus on a Wood Stork, who was feeding near the boardwalk. I've never really observed one at work, and it was fun seeing it scooch around in the water, stirring up whatever it is Wood Storks eat. After awhile, the Wood Stork finished, and flew across the water to a small island. I followed it through my camera lens, and a few feet from where the Wood Stork landed, I noticed shiny emerald green in the grass. I couldn't tell what it was at first, so watched it a few seconds. Finally, it moved - it was the Glossy Ibis! I sent a mental thanks to the Wood Stork, and waited for the Glossy Ibis to emerge.
And waited. And waited. And, at long last, a beautiful, bejeweled-looking bird stepped into the water, and I was fully able to appreciate it. Pictures don't do this bird justice. Even seeing one in the flesh doesn't do it justice, until the sun shines directly on its feathers, making them shimmer. I was mesmerized, and took shot after shot as it moved through the water. It waded into a green algae patch in front of where I stood on the boardwalk, allowing me even closer views. I felt like the luckiest person on earth.
As if seeing the Glossy weren't special enough, I was amazed - enough to say "WOW!" out loud, even though I was alone - when first one, then another Roseatte Spoonbill flew into my frame. Their bright pink feathers are unmistakable, and reflected in the water. I was even able to zoom in close enough to see their red eyes. The Spoonbills splashed around, chased each other, preened, and eventually flew away. Between the Spoonbills and my first Glossy Ibis sighting, it was almost more than I could handle.
Feeling the day had reached its peak, I decided it was time to go. My camera dead camera battery agreed. I wasn't in the least bit disappointed, though, because I'd come hoping to see a Glossy, and had seen it. The two Spoonbills were icing on the cake. Magical moments far exceeded my expectations, and I left Kapok with a smile on my face, knowing nothing compares to the colors of nature's palette.
