Gorgeous roseate spoonbill, right near the front gate

[zackiedawg]

So many people walk right by the little pond area at the front entrance to the AK, and I'll agree that often I've walked past...it appears from a glance to just be a bunch of ibises and turtles.

But also in this pen are beautiful spoonbills. Last time I was waiting for my party to return from the restrooms by the entrance, I went over to the pen, and caught this beautiful bird standing just in the sunbeams, showing off his colors:

Don't miss the little displays in between the walkways and paths...there are some treasures there!

 

[prettypixie]

Flock of Scarlett Ibis near entrance.

 

[zackiedawg]

Nice - looks like you caught some of the colorful park guests hidden around the front area too! Always pays to look in every nook and cranny, especially some of those little pathways through the trees all around the front entrance walkways and under the Tree of Life.

 

[gary]

really nice job on the roseate, imho what helps any bird pic stand out is having clearly visible feather edges, versus a smooth mass of bird, that and a little catchlight in the eyes
and no i haven't got the hang of birds at all, as i sit here looking at the small suitcase at my feet containing the 500 f4, that's my biggest lens, largest $ dropped to canon yet, great lens but what they don't tell you is how you need a real serious tripod and a gimbal head
gitzo 1325 mk2 and a wimberly head added another $1000 to the party
and after that it's a lot of practice, really a sniper technique, luckily one of the neighbors is a po-leece sniper so he's going to work with me this spring on better breath control and barrel hold