Hey Gang!
Today we are going over the second part of my trip to Sheldon Lake State Park back on 2019-01-05. We will check out some more pictures I took that didn’t make it to the video, and I will babble some more about the day.
Canon 5D Mark IV – Sigma 150-600 Sport
ISO 400 – 600mm – 1/2000s – F8.0
This cardinal was absolutely handsome in his breeding plumage. Extremely bright red and looking fine for the ladies! They can be quite fierce though and will defend their territories. There has been many a times when a pair of cardinals came after me because I was too close to where they were hanging out. So, be careful if you are walking amongst them, and they are feeling feisty. They will come after you too!
Sheldon Lake is a lot of fun. With all of the ponds there from when it was a fish hatchery you get so many chances to see different wild life, at each pond. It is like each pond has its own ecosystem. Different animals and plants are in each one, so each pond is like changing a channel on the TV. Some are just birds, some have snakes, some gators and river otters oh my!
The other side of the park has the coastal prairie, where a whole other ecosystem lives. The area is awesome as a whole.
Canon 5D Mark IV – Sigma 150-600 Sport
ISO 400 – 600mm – 1/2000s – F8.0
This cute little guy, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, are fun to watch, but hard to capture! They bounce around quickly looking for their snacks of bugs and insects. Quite often you will see several of them around, so it it can make it even harder to decide which one to focus on as they jump around.
The day was pretty cool, so finding the reptiles was not easy. There were no snakes or alligators to be seen anywhere. But the frogs and turtles did eventually come out.
Canon 5D Mark IV – Sigma 150-600 Sport
ISO 640 – 600mm – 1/2000s – F8.0
This Red-eared Slider came out to check things out. Sadly someone took a chunk out of the side of its head so you cannot see its red ear. But, that is Pond Life. Everyday is a struggle for survival.
Shortly after seeing this guy it was time for me to head on back. So, I packed up my gear and started the drive out. And luckily as I was driving out, the Kingfisher that almost hit me on the way in to the park was chilling on a tree, and I was able to check it out and take a couple pics of it… Check out the video to see that guy!