Bird's Eye Gallery
Micah "Doc" Daugherty
Journey Into The World Of...
BIRDS
From their vibrant colors to the exotic landscapes where they dwell, the beauty of birds has no boundaries. I can only imagine what it would be like to see the world through the eyes of a bird. What a feeling it would be to soar the skies, looking over the earth below! This collection of bird photography is just a snapshot of that beauty as seen through my lens.
This great egret's bright green mating mask fades as breeding season winds down at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida.
The vibrant pink plumage of the flamingo is created by carotenoids in the algae and crustaceans that they eat. This beautiful photo was created at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida.
This little burrowing owl at Vista View Park in Davie, Florida didn't mind that I got "up close" and personal with him to make this photo.
This group of young roseate spoonbills were hanging out on a dead tree in the shallow waters at Myakka River State Park near Sarasota, Florida.
During our 24-day road trip across almost 30 states in 2020, we ran across a pair of bald eagles at a nature preserve in Nebraska.
This cormorant, aptly named "Old Blue Eyes", can often be found perched on the railings of the boardwalk at Green Cay Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida.
Did you know that the male peacock fans its tail plumage as a defense mechanism to make it appear larger than it really is, as well as to distract its aggressor with all the eyes in the feathers? And during mating season, this display is also its method of attracting a mate. This photo was created at Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Florida.
During breeding season, the tri-colored heron's plumage becomes more vibrant... AND the mask around its eyes becomes bright blue in color. This photo was made at Wakodahatchee Wetlands near Delray Beach, Florida.
During a trip back to my home state of West Virigina, we visited Tomlinson Run State Park in New Cumberland, West Virginia where I managed to capture a great sequence of photos of this mallard duck taking a bath.
WHOA! This male anhinga needs a hair brush! This display and his colorful mating mask are prominent during breeding season. This photo was made at Wakodahatcee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida.
As we passed through East Machias, Maine on the way to Lubec, I noticed a flock of seagulls diving in the creek for lunch. I stopped to make some shots and caught these two herring gulls going "crazy" on the rocks.
Wakodahatcee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida is one of the best places to witness many of Florida's birds in their full glory during breeding season. These two blue herons were in full mating ritual and displaying their love for each other.
This photo of a parent great egret feeding its young ones has been nationally recognized and featured in several local magazines in South Florida. This photo was made at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida during breeding season.
A group of wood stocks were gathering and bickering while roosting on a mangrove tree at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida.
How about some morning yoga to stretch those legs? The shallow waters at the back side of Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida are home to many of the smaller wading birds of Florida, such as this little black-necked stilt.
The osprey is one of my favorite birds of prey. They are superior fisherman and are often found soaring the skies above coastal areas, lakes, and rivers. This osprey was fending off a group of crows that were trying to steal its catch on Hutchinson Island, near Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Eagles are powerful, yet such majestic birds. As we were driving north up the coast of Lake Superior in Minnesota, I saw this golden eagle perched high upon a telephone pole, and stopped to make a few great shots of this beautiful bird.
This little cattle egret stood at attention and showed me its colorful crown as if to say "Hey! Look at me!" This photo was made at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida.
One of the best places in Florida to see a nice population of roseate spoonbills is Black Point Wildlife Drive in Canaveral National Seashore near Titusville, Florida. This bird's beautiful plumage makes it stand out in the crowd.
The black-crowned night heron is a cunning hunter, and even lures it prey to the water's surface by tossing small twigs or leaves in the water to get small fish to come to the surface. This close-up shot was made at Flamingo Gardens near Davie, Florida.
This little blue heron was wading the shallow shores at Werner-Bryce Salt Springs in Port Richey, Florida when it "took the plunge" for a snack.
These two playful peacock chicks were bouncing around the field at Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Florida.
Peacock chicks at Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Florida.
This leucitic peafowl gazes tenderly at her chick and if to say, "Stay close to Mama." This photo was made at Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Florida.
The northern crested caracara can be found soaring the skies over the wet prairies of south-central Florida. They are scavengers by nature, and can often be found picking over dead carcasses. This photo was made near Kissimmee Prairie Preserve in Florida.
This flamingo was tucked in nicely for a nap when I made this photo. The sound from the shutter disturbed it, and it opened its eyes to see what I was up to. This photo was made at the Miami Zoo in Miami, Florida.
This flamingo was wading the waters of the pond at Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Florida.
Nice shot of this common eider spreading its wings on a rock off the coast at Arcadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine.
The bald eagle has 20/5 vision and can sight a rabbit from almost 2 miles away! This photo was made in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Two great blue herons fight over a large fish at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida. Needless to say, one of these large birds won the battle and that fish went down the hatch!
I followed these two great egret chicks almost from the day they were hatched. Watching them grow at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida was such a joy... and they would eventually be the subjects of one my most popular and published photos, "Lunch Time."
This green heron chick looked directly at me while I maneuvered myself to take this shot through the thick mangroves at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida.
This cattle egret found a perfect spot to perch its head to take a nap. This photo was made at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida.
A young roseate spoonbill spreads its wings at Myakka River State Park near Sarasota, Florida.
"Hey you guys!" This young roseate spoonbill calls for its friends at Black Point Wildlife Drive, Canaveral National Seashore near Titusville, Florida.
Beautiful, vibrant pink and red hues in the plumage of this adult roseate spoonbill are displayed as it spreads its wings. This photo was made at Black Point Wildlife Drive, Canaveral National Seashore in Titusville, Florida.
Catching a fish, this little egret at an ecological park near Shanghai, China perches on a branch above the water.
I couldn't quite put my finger on it when I first saw this black-bellied whistling duck perched on the boardwalk railing at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida. Upon a closer look through my lens, I saw that it had only one leg! This "lucky" duck obviously escaped an attack when it was younger and grew up and survived the wild with one leg.
This nanday parrot photo was made in Clearwater, Florida.
This roseate spoonbill photo was made at Black Point Wildlife Drive, Canaveral National Seashore in Titusville, Florida.
This roseate spoonbill photo was made at Black Point Wildlife Drive, Canaveral National Seashore in Titusville, Florida.
This roseate spoonbill photo was made at Black Point Wildlife Drive, Canaveral National Seashore in Titusville, Florida.
This group of roseate spoonbills take off from the waters of Black Point Wildlife Drive, Canaveral National Seashore in Titusville, Florida.
The tri-colored heron is a small wading bird found in coastal areas and marshes throughout Florida. This photo was made at Fakahatchee Strand, Big Cypress Preserve, in Copeland, Florida.
Sing me a song! The red-winged blackbird has a distinctive and beautiful song. This male was perched on a tree at Green Cay Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida.
Black-Necked Stilt Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida
Sunlight from the golden hour of sunset hits this burrowing owl perfectly, giving this bird's feathers an extra glow. The photo was made at Vista View State Park in Davie, Florida.
The anhinga can often be seen paddling its way through inland waters of Florida. When it dives for fish, it can swim up to 300 feet before resurfacing for air. This female anhinga was photographed at Green Cay Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida.
The circle of life is always evident in the wild lands of The Everglades. These two black vultures fight over a scrap of dead carcass, while others near them pick away at the remains.
The barred owl is a common owl found in Florida. I see them often during my adventures into Big Cypress and Fakahatchee Strand near Copeland, Florida.
Barred Owl Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Fakahatchee Strand, Big Cypress Preserve, Copeland, Florida
Least Tern Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Navarre Beach, Florida
Little blue heron at the water's edge on Black Point Wildlife Drive, Canaveral National Seashore in Titusville, Florida.
Red-Shouldered Hawk Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida
Little Blue Heron Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Werner-Bryce Salt Springs, Port Richey, Florida
Wood Stork Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida
Wood Stork Eggs Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida
Northern Crested Caracara Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Kissimmee Prairie Preserve, Florida
Cormorant Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Green Cay Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida
Loggerhead Shrike Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Kissimmee Prairie Preserve, Florida
Male Anhinga with mating mask Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida
Black Skimmer Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Navarre Beach, Florida
The golden hour of sunset is one my favorite times to photograph the little burrowing owl. The light from the evening sun really highlights their feathers.
Eastern Meadowlark Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Kissimmee Prairie Preserve, Florida
Glossy Ibis Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida
Black-Crowned Night Heron Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Flamingo Gardens, Davie, Florida
Osprey Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Everglades National Park, Florida
Smooth-Billed Ani Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic
Snowy Egret Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Sarasota, Florida
Wood Stork Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida
White Ibis Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Green Cay Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida
Black-Crowned Night Heron Wildlife Photography Bird Photography Flamingo Gardens, Davie, Florida
During our many trips to Europe, I never had the chance to see this beautiful bird. However, they were all over the grassy areas of the hotels in Cairo, Egypt. I spent a lot of time just watching and admiring their beauty.
I have SO many pictures of red-shouldered hawks, but none as good as this one. The angle of the image and the lighting was perfect to highlight all the beauty in this bird's plumage.
This clapper rail was captured by the lens of my camera at Driftwood Beach in Georgia.
The caracara can be found early morning or early evening in the grassy wet prairies of Central Florida. These birds are scavengers, like the vulture, but beautiful at rest and in flight.
I saw this caracara land in a meadow off the road during one of my trips to Kissimmee Prairie Preserve and I had to stop to capture a few good shots. This was the best of them.
The least bittern is a small bird found in marshlands and LOVES to hide in the reeds. They're elusive birds and hard to photograph at times because there is usually too much interference from the foliage. However, this little one was foraging in the open at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida when I managed to get quite a few good shots.
Still my favorite bird... the roseate spoonbill, or "Pinkies" as I call them. I captured this shot during one of our trips to Driftwood Beach in Georgia, just north of the Florida border.
These birds are crazy! Killdeer never sit still long enough to get a clean shot. So I sat on the ground and let them run around me until this one froze for a split second in front of me.
White pelicans congregate in the waters of the preserve off Black Point Wildlife Drive in Florida.
On the beach of Postcard Bay, I captured this lava heron having a lava lizard for lunch. This photo is powerful... the bird looking at its lunch, and the lizard looking back knowing that its time is up. Survival in the wild can be gruesome, but it's all part of the circle of life.
Although the boobies were a joy to watch, having the opportunity to witness this mating pair of waved albatrosses conduct their mating dance was probably the most beautiful sight to see.
Those soft eyes say it all... "I love you."
The morning sunlight struck this oystercatcher's bill perfectly and highlighted its colors. And it really does look like candy corn!
The Galápagos wildlife has very little exposure to humans and there is no fear in these birds. The Nazca boobies walked the trails right along the side of the group we were with.
This juvenile frigatebird posed so perfectly for this photo. It was sleeping peacefully and just opened its eye to let me get the shot before nodding off again. This is one of my favorite photos of the trip.
This red-footed booby sat so still as I approached to within feet of it to get this magnificent shot. Once again, the wildlife of the Galápagos has no fear of humans. However, although you can close enough to most of the birds that you could touch them, always be respectful of their presence.
The Galápagos penguin is the northern most species of penguin. Think about it... the Galápagos archipelago sits on the equator and these birds have adapted and survived! This is in part due to the convergence of the Humboldt and Cromwell currents which bring the colder water north from Antarctica, and then mix with the Panama current flowing south from Central America.
The Galápagos was an amazing adventure. And getting to see the blue-footed booby in person was definitely one of the many highlights from this trip.
