Be sure to enter GreatBirdPics.com’s latest Bird Photography Contest! Win $100 for the best photograph using the theme In or By Water. Click the following link – In Or By Water Contest Rules – for important details. Deadline for submission is May 12, 2026.
Our good friends Mike and Gayle invited us to take a boat ride while we were visiting them in The Villages, Florida this past February. They took us out on Lake Dora which is one of many lakes just south-east of The Villages. We spotted many of the typical species of the area as we cruised along the shoreline – Great Egret, Osprey, Grackle, Royal Tern, Limkin and even a pair of Bald Eagles perched up high. After cruising to the opposite side of the lake Mike piloted the boat across the middle for a faster route back to the marina. As we sped along I spotted some smaller gulls floating on the surface and sure enough they were Bonaparte’s Gulls, my favorite gull. Bonapartes are dainty to look at yet acrobatic flyers. Mike slowed down the boat so I could get some shots of them (of course I brought my camera along).
One of the birds bobbed on the surface as the boat slowly approached so I started shooting and when we got too close it decided to take off. Luckily I didn’t stop shooting so I got these three shots of the bird taking off. All three are pretty good shots but if you had to pick one, which one is the best? A, B, or C? Reply to the email or put a comment in the blog post and include WHY you liked it best.
A.
B.
C.
Write your response in the Comments section of the post or reply to the email.
Thanks for the ride, Mike and Gayle!
If you enjoy seeing beautiful pictures of birds from around the world and reading about them Click Here to sign up for our mailing list. Members can post their own GreatBirdPics and learn more about bird photography techniques.


