I am not afraid of spiders per se. It’s the spider bites that I find so disturbing. Bruises, bumps, itching, the specter of death. Close encounters therefore result in rather dramatic reactions. Last week I was on a predawn search for owls at Pa-Hay-Okee in Everglades National Park when I came eyeball to eyeball with a giant spider. My hat and tripod went flying as I frantically brushed off webbing and spiders making an incredible racket in this deserted, wonderfully serene place. I proceeded down the path brandishing my tripod like Joan of Arc with her sword. Surprise surprise no owls.
There was an abundance of spiders however, more than I have ever seen in one place here or anywhere. Not civilized suburban spiders with one spider to a web, these are multilevel spider condos with big groups hanging together. The prairie is an endless sea of spider webs. It is truly remarkable.
From there I visited my favorite haunts. The birds in ENP are wondering what this new creature is that pops out of a big gray box so close to their perch. Was lucky to catch an egret in front of a rainbow and many bird portraits. My assignment next time is birds in flight, something quite difficult for a newish bird photographer in this tree and stick filled environment.
I photograph this bush every visit to Mahogany Hammock. It is best when the water is high and shooting into the sun. Here is my latest take.
The pink grass between Anhinga Trail and Pine Lake was finally back. This is best in afternoon sun which lights the grass beautifully.
At sunset I experimented with sunset shots and returned to Mahogany Hammock in search of owls. No luck.
The next day I was up and out well before dawn on a coffee fueled mission to find owls. With my tripod as protector, I entered the forest and was engulfed in a cloud of mosquitos demanding a blood donation. News flash, mosquitos bite through Patagonia long sleeve sun shirts. It wasn’t long before I went back to the car for a bug jacket and more spray. As I reapproached the path I heard an owl hoot. Excellent. I stopped for a quiet moment to let the world start back up around me. When I looked up, the owl was there.
We hung together for about 10 minutes. After the owl flew away, I realized that image stabilization was on panning. Not good. Also in the excitement I had forgotten my calming mantra when shooting to reduce movement. Especially bad if image stabilization is off after lots of caffeine while being driven to distraction by mosquitos. Was disappointed but decided to do a checklist to avoid that sort of mistake, stay another night and try again the next morning. Meanwhile when I downloaded the photos I was happy to see that other than the impacts of photography before sunrise, many were salvageable. Chalk this up as a valuable lesson.
Later in the afternoon, I went to one of my favorite spots, Pine Glade Lake. It is a very special place and by far the best sunset location in the park. The road was flooded but it was no problem for the big gray box. Being a couple hours early, figured I had time for a hike but nature had scheduled a wonderful opening act featuring clouds, rain and sun. Then the main show began.
The next morning, I was ready. Equipment checked and packed. Battery full, cards empty, settings checked, no caffeine. Cruising down the empty predawn road with music cranked, I reviewed my shot plan. Opened the windows, turned the a/c off and uncovered the lens so it would become acclimated. Condensation is a very big concern on mornings like this. I was ready and sensed a good day was on the way.
Before opening the car door, I suited up in mosquito gear. Pulled the jacket hood up and layered that with the hat. I wore socks doused in repellent. Tripod in front, I entered. Once again I stopped for a quiet meditation letting the ripples from my presence fade. Then BAM. Something hit my head hard, blunt force trauma hard. I turned to my left and saw the owl mere feet away. Could it be? As I collected myself I momentarily turned my head and BAM again. With another yelp, I see Bertha land just to my right. For real Bertha? That hurt. Then I see her bunch up, preparing to launch but I am ready. It’s alpha chic against alpha chic, literal vs figurative talons. She comes at me and I duck putting my camera up. Bertha passes over and lands about ten feet away. Next time when I have proper head gear you can rest assured that I will be hammering the shutter release like a woman possessed as Bertha comes my way.
Bertha is now on my left, her partner Digger lands in the tree to the right. I back up to form the apex of the triangle and start shooting. No way I was letting either of them behind me. Then a crow lands directly to my right raising holy hell. I keep shooting.
This tableau continues, the owls staring, the crow crowing, me shooting, my head in an owl swivel. The crow flew away, then Digger. That left me and Bertha in a staring contest. What followed was an unbelievable 30 minute photo shoot. Mind you, shot plans, steadying mantras and any proper strategy fly out the window after an owl tries to pick up your head. My hands were shaking like crazy and heart beating too fast to think I was ever going to relax into the shots. Hey but the image stabilization was set properly.
I was not properly prepared for predawn flight shots especially since I flinched every time she took off. Love the photos I did take but they are too blurry to be fixed. Equally important to a fast low light flight strategy is the ability to anticipate impending motion. After watching Bertha hop from tree to tree and reviewing the photos, I should be able to predict when she will take off and adjust accordingly in advance. With any luck my adrenaline will not be off the charts. My new helmet should help with that.
Why did she attack? While I rarely see anyone else there at dawn, no doubt Bertha and Digger know that human heads are inedible. Was her message “hey you just walked by me dummy”? Or perhaps “you arrived a wee bit too early this morning, come back later”. Sometimes the simplest answer is the most likely…she wanted my sexy mosquito hat. I asked the ranger and she was unsure especially since it’s too early for nesting season.
When she flew away, I snapped a sunrise shot and then turned my attention to the spider show which was once again incredible.
As I wandered back, I offered a prayer of thanks for the magnificence of our natural world with special thanks to the mosquitos who encouraged me to wear two hats.
DETAILS
- There are a number of articles online about Barred and Great Horned Owls dive bombing people. Here is one.
- The entrance to ENP is near Florida City. It is a wonderful magical place. If you are considering a visit feel free to reach out for additional details. There is a Holiday Inn Express which is a bit run down but clean and a new Fairfield Inn by Marriott next door. https://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm
- My first visit to ENP was two years ago, I have returned several times since then and have always left with at least one wall worthy photo. Bertha, although we had not been formally introduced yet, is already on the wall. She will be again. I discovered during the initial visit that spending a few days dedicated to photography improved my skills. It is also incredibly rewarding to be immersed in nature. As my love of photography and the everglades has grown I visit the western everglades and Big Cypress National Park or ENP several times a year.
- Should anyone like to know settings or processing techniques for the photos included in this article, I am more than happy to share. I am very much still in learning mode however.
- Photography led me to precision pistol and precision pistol will make me a better photographer. So many similarities in one’s approach. For more information on that journey please feel free to visit the “Guns”section.