Black-necked Stilts

This year was the fifth year I visited Florida and the first I had ever seen a black-necked stilt. These photogenic shorebirds were captured in a pond that was nearly dry because of a drought in the area. These shorebirds are approximately 30 cm (12 in) in height and have long legs and beaks.

The first photo was taken early in the morning not long after the sun rose. As you can see, there was little wind - perfect for capturing the birds and their reflections in the water.

The following two photos show how they feed. They walk around looking for food, then stick their beaks and heads into the water to try to capture aquatic organisms including small fish.

This was the first time I had captured images of this species.