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Each season, Bluedot Living will feature a photo essay by Yasmin Namini, a former Chief Consumer Officer at the New York Times, who is now traveling the world taking photographs. At Bluedot, we believe that celebrating the Earth’s most enchanting creatures, cultures, and landscapes will inspire us to help preserve them.
Each photograph offers a glimpse into the delicate rhythm of life along Florida’s Atlantic coast.
Framed by the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, Vero Beach, Florida, and its surrounding landscapes are a haven not just for sun-seekers, but also for an extraordinary diversity of birds. Its mosaic of wetlands, mangroves, beaches, and upland forests makes it one of Florida’s most vibrant avian sanctuaries.
Located along the Atlantic Flyway — a major north-south migratory route — this stretch of Florida plays a vital role for both migratory and resident birds. It offers refuge, nourishment, and breeding grounds to species that travel thousands of miles each year. Over 300 bird species have been documented in the region.
In winter, the area becomes a bustling rest stop for birds arriving from the Arctic reaches of Greenland and Canada. In summer, it transforms into a nesting haven for shorebirds, raptors, and waders. With such year-round richness, it’s no surprise that Vero Beach is a dream destination for bird photography.
In this photo essay, I share a selection of images highlighting some of the region’s most captivating birds — each one offering a glimpse into the delicate rhythm of life along Florida’s Atlantic coast.
Osprey
With powerful wings and laser-sharp vision, the osprey is a fish-catching specialist. They are often referred to as fish hawks and can spot prey from over 100 feet above the water before diving feet-first to snatch their fishy meal.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/4,000 sec; f/7.1; ISO 500
Reddish Egret
Ruffled and radiant, a Reddish Egret pauses along the Florida shore. Among the rarest herons in North America, this bird is known as much for its flair as its fishing finesse.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 400mm; 1/2,500 sec; f/7.1; ISO 800
Reddish Egret Chases Osprey
Behold this fearless Reddish Egret chasing an Osprey away as if to say, “Hey buddy, I’m fishing here!”.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/4,000 sec; f/7.1; ISO 1,250
American Brown Pelican
An American Brown Pelican glides effortlessly over the treetops. Once endangered due to pesticide use, this coastal icon has made a remarkable recovery and now thrives along Florida’s shores.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/1,600 sec; f/7.1; ISO 500
American Brown Pelican Diving
With its heavy beak and dramatic plunge-dives, it’s the only species of pelican that hunts by diving head-first into the water and scooping up fish with its expandable throat pouch.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/3,200 sec; f/7.1; ISO 800
American White Pelican and Double-crested Cormorant
Larger and more reserved than its brown cousin, the American White Pelican spends winters on the coastal waters and bays of Florida. They are often found foraging with Double-crested Cormorants, though they generally hunt different fish and at different depths. Cormorants will even nest individually or in groups within Pelican colonies.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/4,000 sec; f/7.1; ISO 640
Wood Stork
A symbol of Florida’s wetland health, the Wood Stork is a massive wading bird that feeds by touch, sweeping its open bill through murky water. It’s the only stork species that breeds in North America.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 363mm; 1/3,200 sec; f/6.3; ISO 500
American White Ibis
These foragers use their curved, pink bills to probe wetland mud for insects and crustaceans, and never pass up the chance to grab a fish.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/1,600 sec; f/7.1; ISO 4,000
Roseate Spoonbill
With bubblegum-pink plumage and a spoon-shaped bill, this flamboyant wader sweeps through shallow water in search of crustaceans.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 472mm; 1/4,000 sec; f/7.1; ISO 1,250
Great Blue Heron
Majestic and unhurried, a Great Blue Heron stands motionless, ready to strike with lightning speed when a fish swims nearby.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/1,600 sec; f/7.1; ISO 2,000
Great Egrets
Elegant and statuesque, these two Great Egrets were fighting over who would claim this perching spot. It’s common for Egrets to engage in aggressive interactions over breeding territories, nesting sites, and fishing spots.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 300mm; 1/2,000 sec; f/7.1; ISO 800
Snowy Egret
Graceful and feisty, a Snowy Egret stalks the shallow waters, stirring prey with its shuffle hoping to snatch a fish.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 400mm; 1/2,000 sec; f/7.1; ISO 3,200
Sanderlings
These tiny, frenetic shorebirds dart in and out with the surf, racing the waves as they peck for sand-dwelling invertebrates.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/1,250 sec; f/9; ISO 640
Ruddy Turnstone
Named for its habit of flipping over shells and stones, this boldly patterned shorebird scurries along the beach like a tiny, feathered scavenger.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/4,000 sec; f/10; ISO 800
Red-shouldered Hawk
A woodland sentinel with a piercing cry, these hawks are commonly seen perched along roadside trees and power lines scanning for prey in the grassy land below.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/4,000 sec; f/7.1; ISO 1,600
Barred Owl
With its soulful eyes and silent wings, a Barred Owl glides among the cypress and willows of the Blue Cypress Conservation Area.
Equipment, settings: Canon EOS R5; 500mm; 1/3,200 sec; f/7.1; ISO 3,200
All photographs copyright Yasmin Namini.
