Moments of Beauty

Uncategorized 1 Minute

February 2, 2019

There are so many beautiful things to see that it’s hard for me not to take my camera wherever I go. Yesterday, even though it was foggy and misty, it ended up being a wonderful day for pictures at the Weedon Island Preserve. This morning, all I did was walk around the neighborhood where we are staying here in Florida, and enjoyed seeing even the most common of birds– bluejays, palm warblers, and woodpeckers. Later in the day, Mel and I went for a walk with friends to the Sawgrass Lake Preserve and saw, among other things, what seemed to be the biggest alligator on the planet! Fortunately, it was across a small channel and we were up on a boardwalk!

The biggest alligator on the planet! (Or so it seemed!)
And he’s smiling!

I love going on picture walks. My 600mm lens allows me to see things I wouldn’t normally be able to see, to capture moments of beauty that I wouldn’t adequately be able to explain using words alone. Oftentimes, I am beyond surprised with the results of what I have found–especially when I bring up the pictures on my computer and see the individual feathers of a bird, or an infinitesimal mite on the abdomen of a dragonfly. There’s almost always a surprise, and it all seems so magical to me– so I keep going back for more.

Tricolored heron on an overcast and misty day.
Yellow crowned night heron from across a large pond on an overcast day.


  • Red Bellied Woodpecker in a palm tree.
  • Palm Warbler in a front yard
  • Bluejay in a palm tree
Juvenile Yellow Crowned Night Heron, I believe
  • Pied Billed Grebe at Sawgrass Lake Preserve
  • Common Gallinule at Sawgrass Lake Preserve
An anhinga just before it dove under water
  • A duck I can’t identify–and neither can my bird app
  • A turtle catching a few rays

These adorable little squirrels are everywhere!


Published by Jeanne Church

I am a 76 year old retired teacher with an avid interest in hiking and photography. I am not a professional photographer, but spend almost every day exploring the natural world, taking pictures and honing my skills. When I review the pictures I have taken, I love researching information about the things I have found-- and then sharing my results with others. The time I have spent walking in the woods (including 4 months on the Appalachian Trail at 68) has always been somewhat therapeutic. When I added photography to the mix a few years ago, it quadrupled the therapeutic effect! Opening pictures on my computer at the end of the day is like opening presents. There are always surprises! It allows me to see so many details that were not visible to my naked eye! I have learned so many new things about birds and bugs, reptiles and mammals that I never knew before--and I have also found, that when I share with others, I invariably learn something new!

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