RON DICKEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Ronald Dickey > The Gazebo on West Mountain.
Ronald Dickey > This cross is located in a cemetary at the highest point in the village of Guadalest, Spain.  Guadalest is of Islamic origin and when it was built, it was considered a highly valuable fortification. In the town centre at the top of the rock is the Saint Joseph castle dating from the 12th Century. The castle is reached via the pretty Calle de la Pena, lined with whitewashed houses decorated with numerous flower pots. Nearby is the 12th Century city dungeon, the bell tower, the recently restored Orduña House, the parish church and a Moorish fortified building.
Ronald Dickey > Guadelest is a tiny mountain village in Spain with only 200 inhabitants.  Occupying one of the most stunning positions in Spain, this small village is precariously perched on the pinnacle of a granite mountain, giving fabulous views across the valley carved out by the river from which the village takes its name. The old town centre of Castell de Guadalest is reached via a tunnel under a freestanding bell tower set on top of the stunning granite mass. Its privileged position offers stunning views over the valley and Castell de Guadalest reservoir.
Ronald Dickey > This photograph was taken while on a visit to an Uruguayan estancia bordering the Rio de la Plata. The Rio de la Plata flows between Uruguay and Argentina and is 60 miles wide where the photo was taken. The Río de la Plata (Spanish: "Silver River") is the estuary formed by the combination of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River. Where the rivers join, it is 48 kilometres (30 mi) wide, and it runs to the southeast growing to 220 kilometres (137 mi) wide where it opens on the Atlantic Ocean, making it the widest estuary in the world. It forms part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay, with the major ports and capital cities of Buenos Aires in the southwest and Montevideo in the northeast.
Ronald Dickey > Renowned for its mouth-watering seafood, Apalachicola, located on the northwestern panhandle of Florida, remains an authentic working town that boasts exceptional charm.  It features a waterfront dotted with fishing vessels, a downtown filled with eclectic shops and streets lined with historic buildings.  

Apalachicola’s roots date back to the early 1800s when it was established as a port for the cotton trade between New England and Europe.  Remnants of this colorful past are made visible through the nearly 900 structures listed within the National Register Historic District.  A scenic walking tour of the town highlights many of these places from the stately Victorian homes nestled amid magnolias to the original cotton warehouses, museums and parks that bring to life the bustling riverport days of the 1830s.  

Apalachicola Bay is protected by a chain of offshore barrier islands.  Home to some of the nation’s most pristine beaches, Apalachicola also boasts a sprawling landscape that includes the Apalachicola National Forest (500,000 acres) and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (246,000 acres).  Recreational activities abound.  From kayaking and fishing to guided tours along the Historic Apalachicola waterfront, there are a variety of ways to explore the area’s wildlife preserves and barrier islands.  Visitors can also enjoy land-based adventures by hiking, picnicing or biking through the thousands of acres of primitive forests.

On February 7, 2008, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Apalachicola, Florida one of its 2008 Dozen Distinctive Destinations.  Since 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has annually selected communities across the United States that offer cultural and recreational experiences different from the typical vacation destination.
Ronald Dickey > This Osprey was in a tree along the Apalachicola River. The Osprey is 20 to 24 inches long with a 5 to 5.5 foot wingspan. It has mainly white underparts and head, apart from a dark mask through the eye, and fairly uniformly brown upperparts. Its short tail and long, narrow wings with four long "finger" feathers (and a shorter fifth) give it a very distinctive appearance.

Juvenile birds are readily identified by the buff fringes to the upperpart plumage, buff tone to the underparts, and streaked crown. By spring, wear on the upperparts makes barring on the underwings and flight feathers a better indicator of young birds. Adult males can be distinguished from females from their slimmer bodies and narrower wings. They also have a weaker or non-existent breast band than the female, and more uniformly pale underwing coverts. It is straightforward to sex a breeding pair, but harder with individual birds.

In flight, Ospreys have arched wings and drooping "hands", giving them a diagnostic gull-like appearance. The call is a series of sharp whistles, cheep, cheep, or yewk, yewk. Near the nest, a frenzied cheereek!
Ronald Dickey > This intense looking brown pelican is about four feet in length. It was photographed in Apalachicola Bay. It has a brown and gray body and a white head with a light brown crown. Its neck is dark brown during breeding season. Young pelicans are all brown. The brown pelican has a very long gray bill with a large pouch of skin. Its pouch holds two or three times more than the its stomach can hold -- close to three gallons of fish and water! Males and females look the same.
Ronald Dickey > This Great Egret was arranging its nest on St. Marks River. The Great Egret (Ardea alba) is a wading egret found in most of the tropical and warmer temperate parts of the world. The Great Egret is a large bird with all white plumage, as much as 101 cm long and weighing up to 950 g. It is only slightly smaller than the Great Blue or Grey Herons. Apart from size, the Great Egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet. It also has a slow flight, with its neck retracted. This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes and spoonbills, which extend their necks.

The Great Egret feeds in shallow water or drier habitats, spearing fish, frogs or insects with its long, sharp bill. It will often wait motionless for prey, or slowly stalk its victim. It is a conspicuous species, usually easily seen.

The Great Egret is partially migratory, with northern hemisphere birds moving south from areas with cold winters. It breeds in colonies in trees close to large lakes with reed beds or other extensive wetlands. It builds a bulky stick nest. The call at breeding colonies is a loud croaking "cuk cuk cuk".
Ronald Dickey > Bald cypress trees grow throughout the Apalachicola River Basin in Florida. Cypress can live for hundred of years, has "knees" that protrude above the soil, and loses its leaves in the winter, hence the "bald" cypress name. The Apalachicola River, along with its bay and drainage basin, represents the largest and most productive estuary in Florida. It is also one of the least populated coastal areas in the state. The Apalachicola River is the largest in Florida and ranks 21st in the United States in terms of flow. Its floodplain encompasses approximately 144,000 acres, and it is one of the most undeveloped, pristine and unique aquatic systems remaining in the nation. The Apalachicola Bay system is a wide, shallow estuary that covers an area of approximately 210 square miles behind a chain of barrier islands. Its primary source of fresh water is the Apalachicola River. Average depth in the bay system ranges from 3 feet, in East Bay, to 9 feet, in Apalachicola Bay, with maximum depths up to 20 feet occurring toward the barrier islands.
The Gazebo on West Mountain.
Ronald Dickey > The Gazebo on West Mountain.
The Gazebo on West Mountain.
See photo in original gallery.

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