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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 3h

Double-crested Cormorant with a very sandy meal. He brought his fish up to the trail and beat it on the ground until it was still enough for him to swallow.

#photography
#birds #nature #wildlife
#PhotographersOfBluesky
#BlueSkyArtShow
#naturephotography
#wildlifephotography

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 3h

American Bittern with a snake. Lake Apopka Wildlife Refuge, Florida

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 3h

Armadillo at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.
#photography
#nature #wildlife
#PhotographersOfBluesky
#BlueSkyArtShow
#naturephotography
#wildlifephotography

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 4h

Alligator eating an armored catfish at Lake Apopka in Florida. Armored catfish are an invasive species, believed to have come from releases of aquarium fish into the wild back in the 1950's. This fish was about 2 feet long, and made a good meal for the gator!

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 4h

LOL, mine have a mind of their own, too! Thank you! I'm so glad you like the image! I always love it when a bird starts to preen, especially when the light is right. They pose in the most beautiful ways!

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 5h

Great Blue Heron stretching his wing.
#photography
#birds #nature #wildlife
#PhotographersOfBluesky
#BlueSkyArtShow
#naturephotography
#wildlifephotography
#heronart

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 5h

Halloween Pennant

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 5h

Peregrine Falcon

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 5h

Boat-tailed Grackles

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 5h

Great Egret

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 7h

Gorgeous photo!

WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 12h

What the heck! 😂

WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 12h

So that's what happened! 🤣

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 13h

How beautiful!!!

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 14h

As a wildlife photographer, when I'm watching waiting watching waiting watching waiting for the shot, I often find myself thinking "Be patient like a hunting heron." They have such wisdom and fortitude.

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 14h

Good question! 😂 I watched several Great Egrets trying to land on floating logs in the canal only to suddenly realize the log was an alligator! And yes, egrets CAN fly backwards at great speed!

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 1d

Lovely shot!

WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 1d

This is a very well-known local Great Blue Heron, called "Crooked Neck." Biologists have said that the kink in his neck is likely from a birth defect caused by having an extra vertebrae. He's been seen at Lake Apopka in Florida for years and continues to thrive. I'm always happy to spot him!

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 1d

This was a wild sighting this morning. This Great Blue Heron caught a snapping turtle. I thought he'd managed to remove the bottom part of the turtle's shell, but other photographers told me that snapping turtles have a soft underside. The turtle was still fighting - I didn't get to see who won.

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 1d

Blue skies after a storm this morning. Lake Apopka, Florida.

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 1d

Osprey

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 1d

Great Blue Heron perched high up on a telephone pole. It was windy this morning, so he had to work hard to keep his perch.

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 1d

A young alligator warming up in the sunshine. This guy is about two years old (judging by his size) - old enough to be independent. It was a little cool this morning (for Florida), so the alligators were happy when the sun started warming up their favorite basking spots.

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 1d

Bald Cypress trees along a canal in Lake Apopka, Florida.

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WhatABeautifulWorld @abbphotos.bsky.social · 1d

Immature Red-shouldered Hawk, looking down from a telephone pole. You can see that he's wearing some of his breakfast on his legs!

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