Florida Nature Photography

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The Native North American Amaryllis – A Delicate Beauty!

There is a brand new section in the Wildflowers Galleries today, and it is all about the close relative of the lily...

North American Wildlife Potpourri #3

Portraits in the Florida Wilderness

A Bird is Three Things: Feathers, Flight and Song

A quick post for today, and a trio of brand new photos of some of North America’s most beautiful coastal birds...

We are extremely happy and proud to announce a new way of providing you with the very best professional prints for your office, home or gallery.

Now we are offering not only prints, but a whole new range of customized frames, mats, and other accessories! All prints are shipped within three business days and come with a no questions asked 30 day return policy.

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…Notes from the Field is our brand new and updated blog (complete with a new look) that will relate experiences and stories about photographing all that is wild in Florida. It has replaced our “New Photos” page, and all of our new images will be presented here - including stories of what was involved to get these shots - camera tips and tricks for other photographers who really enjoy nature and the outdoors and want to learn more. You might even get a chuckle or two out of it!

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Mammals!

January is usually the coldest month of winter in Florida, and unlike the rest of the country when wildlife sightings are rare or unavailable, we here in the Sunshine State have all the wildlife we can handle!

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Birds

Male cardinals begin territorial singing later in the month.
Roseate spoonbill nesting activity is in full swing in Florida Bay.
Look for red-tailed hawks and kestrels along highways.
Huge clouds of tree swallows should be visible around sunset roosting over large marsh areas.
Now is a great time to watch our over-wintering populations of ducks and geese.
Cedar waxwings and robins are eating fruits such as holly berries.
Early returning purple martins can be seen in South Florida.
Other nesting activity can be seen by ospreys, sandhill cranes, hawks, and owls.

Mammals

Gray foxes, bobcats, and raccoons are at peak of courtship and breeding this month.
Deer reach the peak of the rutting season in North Florida.
Black bears in North Florida are sleeping in dens.
Peak of wild hog farrowing season.

Fish

Black crappie start feeding heavily in central Florida.
Striped bass and sunshine bass move into open water to feed on shad.

Wildflowers

Carolina yellow jessamine blooms in north and central Florida woods.

Orchids

Wister's coralroot will begin to appear, often in large colonies, throughout parts of Central and North Florida forests and woodlands.
The dingy-flowered star orchid begins to spike and flower in the pop ash and pond apple trees of SW Florida swamps and wetlands. You might have to wade through icy water to see these beauties up close.

Data provided in part by UF Florida Wildlife Extension

FloridaNaturePhotography is a part of Leighton Photography & Imaging - our local photography business based in Tallahassee, Fl. Nature photography is a large part of what we do, but we are by no means limited to just that. Click HERE to find out more about our company.

Our photographs not related to nature photography can be seen HERE in our online gallery, or through Fine Art America.

If you are or represent a gallery, publisher/publication, exhibition, event, vendor/reseller, or any other group interested in our work, please contact Rich or Galina Leighton HERE for more information.

Updates

I have the great honor to announce that my whooping crane photograph taken in 2008 in Central Florida was selected to be in the 2011 National Audubon Society calendar! Read more about it HERE.

ALL SUBJECTS ARE PHOTOGRAPHED IN THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS. NO ANIMALS ARE IN CAPTIVITY OR POSED,
AND ALL PLANTS, INCLUDING ORCHIDS, ARE NATIVE AND NON-CULTIVATED.