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March 29,2024
 
 

 

Newsletter # 83

 

Female Painted Bunting

Spot-Breasted Oriole

Not My Prince!

Male Painted Bunting

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Contents:

“Looking Out My Back Door”

The Florida Adventure’s “Pontoon Putt”

The Florida Federation of Garden Clubs

Tour to Ecuador

 

 

“They are back”!!! I’m delighted to report my good fortune to have the Painted Bunting family back at my picturesque feeding station!! This means many more enjoyable moments watching and photographing their progress. Now, if I could just find the nest……

 

 

 

 

Also, ‘granting me an audience’ is a pair of Spot-breasted Orioles, a Downy Woodpecker, and a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers---the latter two I’ve yet to photograph Out My Backdoor. I’m even learning to enjoy the Common Grackle and their antics. There is definitely a pecking order in my little backyard community, which someday I’m going to take the time to really study and document. So it is nice to report that there is still a lot of ‘sunshine’ amongst all the Doom & Gloom we hear on a daily basis.

 

 

 

 

I knew this photo-adventure would be a giant success for at least one of my four participants as she was leaving the cold March winds and snows of Canada to join us here during perfectly gorgeous weather and excellent photo wildlife opps! I also know well the area I was taking the group on the St. John’s river (where we documented 42 different species last year) and can usually guarantee great success. This year we were short one species---one of my favorites---the Barred Owl. As I only take four tour participants, everyone is capable of getting great photographs using their tripods or my custom-made bean bag pillows and my ‘tracking’ skills! As an ‘add-on’ portion of this tour, I included three days in the Merritt Island National Wildlife area where we were unexpectedly treated to a really unique event for all of us---a shuttle landing!! It was impossible to get any decent shots off as everything happens so quickly and one is just plain in awe of the whole event, but the visual experience is imbedded in my memory’s scrapbook!! A good time was had by all, which I’m sure will be the case for my May Pontoon Putt Participants visiting from New Mexico and the west coast of this fine State.

 

 

 

 

Many, many months ago I was honored to be asked to give a presentation before a prestigious group of dedicated, environmentally-conscious citizens of Florida—a State that needs every helping hand it can get. I was shocked when I learned that there are over 15,000 members of this Federation in Florida alone. As I sat and quietly chatted with the President of the Federation and other board members before the meeting and my presentation, I became more and more impressed and amazed at the power and strength this group has in ‘getting the ear’ of our State’s elected officials and Tallahassee and the commitment this group has regarding many aspects of our State’s woes. The title of my presentation was “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink” and the title of the Federation’s Summit Meeting for this year was “The Sands of Time.”

 

 

 

I was feeling quite comfortable about my selection of topics for my presentation which is about the mess the Army Corps of Engineers made of the River of Grass, the mess the Developers made who planted thousands of the Malalucca Trees throughout the Everglades to dry up its waters so they could build shopping centers, and then there was my latest target, the Department of Transportation who are digging up our coral reefs, which are the filtering system for our water supply, to use for our road system. As I sat up at the head table up on the platform alongside all the board members, I looked over the whole group of about 300 or so members, mostly women, but definitely a number of men also scattered throughout the group, I thought to myself that this is a powerful group of people---there’s force and strength behind this bunch. We all know (or should know) that when someone chooses to voice an opinion or “stand up” for a cause or go public with an action or an idea, that one is setting themselves up for ridicule or criticism or other challenges as not everyone is going to agree with what you think or say out loud. I know this, but I still don’t like the idea of being ridiculed or challenged, and this day at the Plaza Hotel in Daytona before all these dedicated and wise older people was no exception. I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard for myself how environmentally committed they all seemed to be. I breathed a sigh of relief because I knew they would love the images they were about to see, they would love the music that went along with those images, and that they would love my message!!! I breathed a sigh of relief as I looked over the crowded room, and as I listened to the incredibly complimentary introduction the Federation’s president was giving me, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I stood up at the podium and said my brief little piece before we started the slide presentation. As I stood there receiving a very nice applause after her introduction and before my brief comments, I noticed a table of eight distinguished-looking gentlemen that I hadn’t noticed before and who were sitting right next to the stage.

 

 

 

When I sat down, after giving the “nod” to start the show, I leaned over and asked the President of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs “who are those important looking gentlemen at the table over there”? The answer; “They are from the Florida Department of Transportation and are here to receive awards from us for their part in helping to beautify our public road system with the many plants, and beautiful flowers we see along our highways.” At that moment there was no hole in the earth that would be big enough for me to fall into and be swallowed up-- forever!! There was nowhere I could run and hide! As they say, there I was, a sitting duck!! I sat motionless, momentarily frozen in time, my heart beating wildly in my chest. Suddenly a tiny little ray of sunshine crept into my consciousness and I realized how grateful I was for my dedicated investigation of the issues and the facts, and that I only repeated the facts when I was sure they were completely truthful. I instantly came out of my self-inflicted coma, and became aware of the smiles, affirmative nods and positive ‘vibes’ floating in my direction from the audience. I heard my voice on the screen saying that “now I know why I titled my presentation Water, Water Everywhere and Not A Drop to Drink” ! And then I heard the applause and knew that my presentation was appreciated for its truthfulness, it accuracy, and the knowledge that it came from hard- core facts, and the images came from my heart.

 

 

 

The bottom line is, the real issue of rock-mining...how are we going to water those plants and flowers along our road system if we keep digging up the coral rock---nature’s filtering system—to build more roads? A huge thank you to the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs for all your hard work, and for allowing me to share with you my images and my thoughts. To any and all organizations dedicated to the betterment and good of our environmental future, I make this offer: If ever there is a need for my speaking services, presentations or my images to help ‘pack a wallop’ and bring home a point in Tallahassee, please feel free to call on me. I would also love to be a part of your Youth Educational program wherever you feel I might be of service, as we all know that that is where the future lies, and is where the sun really shines!!

 

If you are interested in any of my tours, click on their corresponding link below:

 

 

Photo Researchers, Editors, and Publishers:

As stated in previous newsletters, at no obligation to you, send me a “want list” of images you are looking for that may coincide with a trip I'm about to take, or have recently taken, and I'll do my very best to seek out that subject and shoot it with your request in mind. This may save you some expense, give me a specific mission and possibly a sale of that image. It's a ‘win, win situation'!

A quick reminder that my library of 35mm original slides houses approximately 75,000 images, and my digital library presently holds over 100,000 (and growing-hourly)!

My website holds an in-depth Stock Shop for your quick review: www.joannewilliamsphoto.com

 

 

Photographic Accessories

screenshadepic.jpg

Screen Shades for LCD panels on digital Cameras

At last! You can see the LCD panel on your digital camera even on sunny and glary days! Also protects the UV effects of the sun on the screen...$25. each. (add $1.00 for shipping and handling)

 

More Info

 

 

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The Better Beamer Flash Extender

For telephoto lenses from 300mm on up only

$45.00 each

More Info

 

        Specifications & Functions

  • Reduces battery drain
  • Weighs 2 1/2 ounces
  • Easy to use
  • Fits in your shirt pocket
  • Flash reaches greater distances (about 500 ft.) w/smaller aperture
  • Fresnel lens stays in place with sturdy side-arms

"Keep Your Aperture Your Priority"

Golden Tanager

Highland Llamas

Long-billed Starthroat

Red Dragonfly

This newsletter is (c) 2005 Joanne Williams Photography.
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