From Roseate Spoonbills to Roaring Engines: A Week of Wild Encounters! 🪺🏍️🗺️

Volume 3, Issue 10 • March 12, 2025

What's up, fellow wanderer?

Some weeks just have a rhythm of their own. This one swung between the soft, rhythmic rustling of the reeds at Orlando Wetlands and the unmistakable thunder of motorcycles along Daytona Beach. Two wildly different worlds pulsing with life, color, and energy.

Jody took the week off to attend Daytona Bike Week, but with the bike still in the shop (do NOT get me started on the "comedy" of errors that has us 35 days without it), we had some extra time to explore. We did some demo rides with new Harleys, which was fun!

A Return to the Wetlands

I convinced Jody to return to Orlando Wetlands, where the real stars weren’t the gators or the great blue herons but the newest additions to the roseate spoonbill families!

If you’ve never seen a baby spoonbill, imagine the most awkwardly adorable creature—a fuzzy, pale little bird that doesn’t yet match the elegance of its parents. They wobbled in their nests, testing out their oversized bills, utterly unaware of how spectacularly pink they would grow up to be.

Their parents, however, were in full blush—those brilliant shades of fuchsia and coral catching the morning sun as they glided off in search of more food for the babies. Fun fact: the babies are called "teaspoons" because their bills haven't developed into the familiar spoon shape of the adults.

Watching them, it was easy to forget about the rest of the world for a while. The wetlands have that effect. The hush of the water, the occasional splash of an alligator slipping below the surface, the nesting egrets keeping an eye out—it’s a place that moves at nature's slow, steady pace. But this week, we weren’t staying slow for long...

Because Daytona Bike Week was calling.

Even though our bike is still in the shop (and trust us, we felt every pang of longing seeing those chrome beauties roll by), there was no way we were missing the action.

Daytona Beach in early March is a universe unto itself—half festival, half pilgrimage for motorcycle lovers. The air hums with the sound of thousands of engines, from deep, throaty rumbles to high-pitched whines, each one a personality on two wheels.

And the people? Just as diverse. Riders with patches from every state, weekend warriors shaking off the dust of everyday life. We walked Main Street, where every bar and shopfront vibrated with energy. Just a few steps away, the ocean seemed almost unaware of the chaos—a constant, steady rhythm against the shore while the city pulsed with a different kind of life.

From the peaceful marshes to the electrified streets of Daytona, this week was a reminder of why we love to travel. Some places bring a sense of serenity, others a rush of adrenaline. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, you get both in the same week.

Photo of the Week: Soaring Great Egret

I spent some time working to capture different birds in flight this week, and this egret soaring over the marsh was my favorite. I love the way the yellow eye catches the light and stands out.

I was thrilled to get the bird sharp and in focus as it flew overhead. I had my camera set to high-speed continuous with AI subject detection turned on, auto ISO, and a 6.3 aperture, which is the lowest my 150-600 will go fully extended. The ISO ended up at 800, which helped with noise, but I also applied noise reduction in post-processing, along with additional sharpening on the bird.

What's Next?

We will be in Orlando for a couple of weeks at TTO, one of the most talked-about Thousand Trails campgrounds. I am excited to find out what all the chatter is about and hope there is a pool and spa to enjoy after long days out in the refuge!

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Until next week, get out and explore!