A Flock of Willets on the Beach on Honeymoon Island Canvas Print

Florida is home to a huge variety of birds. Willets are common birds, but are actually one of the larger birds that feed along the surf. The drabness of their feathers, reflect their non-breeding status. Honeymoon Island is a State Park near Dunedin, Florida. A natural barrier island, this state park boasts four miles of sandy beaches, nature trails, and abundant wildlife. Gopher tortoise will likely cross your path. I also once saw a very large rattlesnake cross the path. The Pinellas Trail has a spur that runs the length of the Dunedin Causeway right to the park entrance. Honeymoon Island got its name from a Life Magazine contest for newlyweds in 1939; couples won a two-week honeymoon stay on the island. Photos of these love birds can be viewed at The Rotary Club Centennial Nature Center. In 2007 Honeymoon Island was Florida's most visited state park.

I love to tell stories. About twenty years ago I had my first freelance travel article accepted by a magazine. Much to my surprise, the magazine expected photos along with words. I had not taken any during the preliminary work for my article. I drove back to the site and took the photos for the article with my little Olympus digital camera. The article was published with those very amateur photos. In time, I bought an Olympus OMD-EM5, a great camera for nature and travel photographers and discovered that I enjoyed telling stories with pictures more than I did with words. The last twenty year have been an incredibly exciting time as resources for photographers have exploded. I have been lucky enough to have some great teachers along the way...